Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-12-06

municipal organization for the purposes
of local governIpent, adopting the form of
4 municipal constitution and charter UNI
der which said officials have been APP
pointed. sgand ordinances creating and
regulating a police force. a fire depart
ni1nt. department of health, and max
ing provision for the care of the insane
and INDECENT poor and sick and for pub
lie schools. have been passed. These pro
ceediDgS and the ordinances passed by
such municipalities are without statutory
authority and have no. sanction, eXcepl
as they are maintained by the popular
sentiment OF the community. There Is
an entire absence of authority to provide
the ordinary instruments of local police
control and adminiStrat ion, the popula
ton consisting of the usual percentage
of lawless adventures of the class tina
always hock to new fields of enterprise
which require more than ordinary pro-
vision for the maintenance of peace, good
order and lawful conduct.
The whole vast area of Alaska COM
prises but one judicial district. with one
marshal and one district attorney, yet
the civil and criminal business has more
than doubled within the past year, and
is many times greater both in volume
and Importance than it was in 1884. The
duties of the judge require him to traves
thousands Of miles to discharge his
designated for that purpose. The terri
tory should be divided into at least tive
districts. and an additional judge, diStric
attorney marshal and other appropriate
officers be provided.
There is practically no organized form
of government in the territory. There is
no authority, except in Congress. to pass
any law, no matter how local or trivial,
and the difficulty of conveying to the
congress an adequate conception and UNI
dcrstandinS of the various needs of the
people IN the different communities is
easily understood. | see no reason why
a more complete form of territorial or
SaniZation should not be provided. Fol
lowing the precedent established in the
year 1905. when a temporary government
WAS provided for the recently acquired
territory. then known under the name OF
the Louisiana. it seems to me that it
would be advantageous to confer greater
executive power upon the governor and
to establish. as was done in the case of
the territory of Louisiana. a legislative
council having power to adopt ordinances
which snail extend to all the rightful
subjects of local legislation. such ordi-
and approved by the Congress if in ses-
sion. and if that body is not in session.
then by the President.
In this manner system of laws pro-
Viding for the Incorporation and govern
ment of towns and cities having a certain
population. giving them the power to cs =
tablish and maintain Il system of educa-
ton to be locally supported. and ordi-
nances providing for police. sanitary and
other such purposes. could be speedily
provided | believe a provision of this
kind would be satisfactory to the people
of the territory. Il IS probable that the
area is too vast and the population too
scattered and transitory to make it wise
AT the present time to provide for cleo
tive legislative body. but the conditions
calling for local self-government will I'M
dOuhtedlv very soon exist. and VIII BE-
facilitated by the measures which have
recommended
PORTO RICO.
| recommend that legislation to The
same end be had with reference To the
ripe for the adoption of Il temporary form
of government Tor this island. and many
suggestions made with reference to Alas
ka are applicable also IT, Porto Rico.
The system of civil Jurisprudence now
adopted by the people OF this island Is
described bv competent lawyers VINO are
familiar with it. as thoroughly modern
AMI scientific. far as il relates To mat
tiers of internal business, trade. produc-
ton and social and private right IN gem
crai. The cities of the island are gov
erned under charters which probably r"-
quire very little or no change. So tina!
with relation to matters of local concern
and private right. it is not probable that
much if any legislation is desirable; but
with reference to public administration
and the relations of the island to the fed
eral government, there are many matters
which are OF pressing urgency Inc
the part of Congress to establish federal
courts and federal jurisdiction in the
island as has been previously pointed out
by me with reference to Hawai-. Besides
the administration of justice. there are
the subjects of the public lands; the con-
troll and improN ement of rivers and har-
bors: the control of me waters or streams
not naviga BILE. which under the Spanish
law belonged to the crown of Spain. and
have by the treaty vi cesSlon passed u
the United States; the immigration OF
people from foreign countries; me impol-
tatfon of contract labor: the imposition
and collection of internal revenue; the
application Of the navigation laws; the
regulation Of the current money: the cS-
Establishment of postoffices and post roads;
the regulat on of tariff rates on merchan-
disc imported from the island INTO the
United States; the establishment OF ports
of entry and delivery; the regulation OF
patents and copyrights: these. with va
rious other subjects which rest entirely
within the power Of the Congress. call for
careful consideration and Immediate ac-
ton.
1t must he borne in mind that since the
ccsSion of Porto Rico has been denied
the principal markets she had long en-
joyed and our tariffs and have continued
against her products IT'S when she was
under Spanish sovereignty. The mar
kcts of Spain arc closed to her product
except upon terms TO which the conf
mercc of all nations is subjected. Iht
island Of Cuba. which used to buy her
cattle and tobacco without customs dut-
les. row imposes the same duties upon
these products as from any other couh-
try entering her ports. She has therefore
iDSt GcF iTtt WIN op.''ii
| Cuba without any compensatinS DeneutS
| in this market. Her coffee was little
known. and not III use by our people and
| therefore there was no demand mere Ior
this one of her chief products. The
| markets of the United States should M
| opened up to her products. our pam
duty is 10 abolish all customs tariffs be
| tween the United States and Porto RICO
| and give her products free access to our
markets
| As a result uf the hurricane which
| swept over Porto Rico on the sth OF
, August 1890 over 100000 people We're re-
| duced to absolute restitution. without
! homes. and deprived of the necessarie:'
| of life. To the appeal of the war dc
| partmcnt the people of the United states
| made prompt and generous response. N
| addition to the private charity OF our
| people the war department mas eSpe4id-
| ell for the relief of the distressed VIZ
! 3l263 which does not include the cost oil
| transportation.
| II is desirable that the government OF
| the island under the law of bcllgerent
! right new maintained through the eS''-
| clitivc department. should be superseded
I, by AN administ ration entirely civil IN. It's
| nature. For present purposes ffcouh-
| mend that Congress pass a iilW ior 'iIt
| organization of temporary government
| which shall provide for the appointment
by the president subject to confirmation
| by the senate of Il governor ana Such
| other officers us the general adnlinistril-
| lion Of the island may require. ana tina.
|