The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-12-26
REFORM Is PLANNED
WHAT SPAIN HAS IN VIEW FOR
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.
scheme Rather Hay and Contingent a. to
the Former But Fairly Reduced to q
PolItica, Intention In the Case of the
Latter-Projects Include Congress for
Each Colony, the Members to be Chosen
Independently OF Spasn-Internal Tax
alton Arrapgenents-Histor of Porto
Rico-Its Commerce and Population.

Rico-Its Commerce and Population.
Washington. Dec. 25.-Another import
ant step toward the plan OF home rule for
Cuba has been taken by the Spanish ar-
thorities. The former plan proposed, but
not executed, some months ago provided
for Cuban congress Of thirty-one mem
bers, of whom the Queen Regent was to
name fifteen and the people of Cuba were
10 elect sixteen 1t is now proposed 10
do away with that part providing for the
naming Of members by the Queen Re
gent. so that the entire Cuban congress
will be elected by the Cuban people This
and the entire control given 10 Cuba in
making the tariff laws OF the island Will
constitute the essential features of the
new plan of home rule. That giving the
people the election of the entire congress
is felt TO carry out, in spirit as Well as N
letter, the idea of home rule.
Thus far only the general nature or
the proposed changes have been made
known to officials in Washington, and
the draft of the revised plan of reforms
has not been received, nor is IL likely to
be completed until after the completion
of the Porto Rico reforms, signed by the
Queen Regent today as suitable Christ
mas act. Under the Spanish system 1t
will be necessary to submit the forego-
ing changes to the cortes, which is not
in session and not Likely to meet before
February.
PORTO RICO REFORMS.
The reforms for Porto Rico are closely
allied with those for Cuba, being the sec
ond section of the same law. They give
Porto Rico congress, the provinces OF
San Juan and Ponce alternating every
two years in choosing members for
term of four years. The congress is given
control Of the whole island, public works,
telegraph, postoffice, railways and navi-
cation, agriculture, manufacture, trade,
immigration and colonization, public in
struction, charities. the health depart
ment, etc. The home government Will
continue to be represented by captain
genera, who will exercise supervisory
power and be the local delegate of the
minister Of the colonies.
The foregoing was the plan approved
by the cortes, but, as in the case of Cuba,
1t is believed the plans Will be enlarged
so as 10 make the congress wholly repre-
sentative of the people of the island.
The definite action Of the Queen IN
signing the Porto Rico reforms today is
believed by officials here to be the pre-
clude to similar action for Cuba.
PORTO RICO'S RICHNESS.
For its size Porto Rico is one of the
richest islands of the word. 1t is the
smallest and most easterly of the Greater
Antilles being separated from Cuba by
the island of Hayti. Il is rectangular in
outline, and is somewhat under 100 miles
long by forty miles wide. A low range
of mountains, the Sierra Cayey, traver-
- Ill 70 ,i.,o
ing in Mount Yunque, at an altitude of
1858 feet above the sea. Between the
numerous branches of the range lie fer
tile and wel-watered valleys. while near
the coast are broad plains Of equal fer
tility. Almost the whole area is now I'M
der cultivation although few mountains
are still covered with timber. The num-
her of inhabitants on Dec. 81, 1887, was
1887, or about 216' TO the square mile.
The island is, therefore, one of the most
Tricky populated regions of the Western
Hemisphere. Owing TO the salubrity Of
the climate, fully one-haif OF the popu-
lation are Spaniards or foreigners. leav-
ing smaller proportion of negroes and
mulattoes than obtains in most Of the
neighboring islands.
ISLANDS HISTORY.
The island was discovered by Columbus
IN 1885, ana mas Deen nel0 Dy SPAN since
the campaign of Pone de Leon in 1509-1s,
in which the former natives We're prac-
tically exterminated The present sys-
tenn of provincial government began IN
1860. The language of the island is Span
ish. and the religion Roman Catholic.
Education is not highly advanced at pres
ent. The chief towns are San Juan, the
capital. with 23,414 inhabitants; Ponce.
1855; San German, 30.1i6. The coast is
We'll supplied with bays and inlets. and
the north shore is lined with navigaDle
lagoons.
COMMERCE AND POPULATION.
The towns are connected by 40 miles of
telegraph, and of the projected railway
system TO girdle the island a small sec
ton is already completed. Public i'm
provements during the los were entirely
arrested by the diversion Of the surplus
revenue OF the island for the continual
ton OF the first Cuban war. Shipping
has steadily increased. In 1892 the sea-
PORTS cleared LOSS vessels, of loo, 2SG
tons. Spain has been unable wholly 10
exclude other nations from the island s
commerce and although outrageous duties
have been imposed, the bulk Of the fore
ign trade Is with England. the commerce
being carried on in Spanish ships. Spain
ranks second as a customer. and the
United States third. While the last GEN.
sus Of the island, taken nine years ago
showed a population Of more than S0o.-
900. II is believed that the number is now
close 10 100000.
ALIEN HEIRS HAVE NO RIGHTS