The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-12-06
PORTO RICO.
"A Temporary Form of Government
Should Be Established.

| Should Be Established.
L recommend that legislation to the
same end be had with reference to
| Porto Rico. The time is ripe for the
| adoption of temporary form of gov
eminent for this island, and many sug-
| gestions made with reference to Alaska
are appliable also to Porto Rico The
system of civil Jurisprudence now
| adopted by the people of this island
is described by competent lawyers who
are familiar with it as thoroughly
modern and scientific, SO far as it re-
lates to matters of internal business,
trade, production and social and priv
| ate right in general. The cities of the
island are governed under charters
which probably require very little or
no change So that with relation to
4 matters of local concern and private
rights 1t is not probable that, much If
| any legislation is desirable; but with
| reference to public administration and
| the relations of the islands to the fed
| eral government there are many mat
ters which are of pressing urgency.
The same necessity exists for legis-
lation on the part of congress to es-
| tablish federal courts and federal jurls-
diction in the island as has been prev
| iously pointed out by me with reference
| to Hawaii. Besides the administration
1 of justice there are subjects of public
lands: the control and Improvement of
rivers and harbors; the control of
| waters or streams not navigable which,
under the Spanish law, belonged to the
| crown of Spain and have BY the treaty
of cession passed to the United States;
| the immigration of people from foreign
| countries; the Importation of contract
| labor; the imposition and collection OF
| internal revenue; the application of the
navigation laws; the regulation of the
current money; the establishment OF
pcstoffices and post roads: the regula-
| ton of tariff rates on merchandise I'M
ported from the islands into the United
| States; the establishment Of ports of
entry and delivery: the regulation OF
patents and copyrights; these, with
various other subjects which rest en-
| tirely within the power of congress.
| call for careful consideration and i'm
| mediate action.
1t must be borne in mind that since
the cession Porto Rico has been denied
| the principal market she had long en-
joyed and our tariffs have been con-
tinued against her products as when
she was under Spanish sovereignty.
The markets of Spain are closed to her
| products except upon terms to which
the commerce of ALI nations is subject
ed. The island of Cuba, which used to
| buy her cattle and tobacco without
| custom duties, now imposes the same
duties upon these products as from any
| other country entering her ports. She
has, therefore, lost in her free inter-
course with Spain and Cuba without
any compensating benefits in this mar
| ket Her coffee was little knoWnfand
not in use by our people, and, there
| fore there was no demand here for
| this, one of her chief products. The
| markets of the United States should be
| opened up to her products. Our plain
duty is to abolish all customs tariffs
| between the United States and Porto
! p tn nd OF nrOdlptS access
| to our markets
AS a result of the hurricane which
swept over Porto Rico on the 18TH or
August, 1899, over 100000 people We're
reduced to absolute restitution, without
homes and deprived of the necessaries
! of life. To the appeal Of the war de-
partment the people of the United
Staes made prompt and generous re-
Spouse. In addition to the private cnar.
ity of our people, the war department
has expended for the relief of the dis
1 tressed $780,, SO, which does not IN"
clude the cost of transportation.
Civil Government.
1t is desirable that the government
of the island under the law of belliger-
emit right now maintained through the
| executive department should be super
seeded by an administration entirely
| civil in it's nature. For present pur-
| poses / recommend that congress pass
| a law for the organization OF tempo
| rary government which shall provide
for the appointment by the president,
subject to confirmation by the senate,
| of a governor and such other officers as
the general administration Of the island
| may require, and that for legislative
purposes on subjects of a local nature
not partaking of federal character
legislative council, composed partly of
| Porto Ricans and partly of citizens of
the United States, shall be nominated
and appointed by the president, subject
to confirmation by the senate, their acts
to be subject to the approval of the con-
gress or the president prior to going
| into effect
In the municipalities and other local
subdivisions / recommend that the prin
ciple of local self government be applied
| at once, SO as to enable the intelligent
citizens Of the island to participate in
their own government and to learn by
| practical experience the duties and re-
quirements of a self-contained and self
governing people. l have not thought
it wise to commit the entire government
of the island to officers selected by the
people, because l doubt whether in hab-
it's, training and experience they are
such as to fit them to exercise at once
so large a degree of self-government,
but it is my Judgment and expectation
| that they will soon arrive at an attain
| ment of experience and wisdom ana
| self-control that Will JUSTIFY conierIlhs
upon them a much larger participation
in the choice of their insular officers:
| The fundamental requirement Tor
these people, as for all people, is educa-
ton. The free school house is the pest
/ preceptor for citizenship In the intro
duction of modern educational meth
| DDS care however, must be exercised
that changes be not made too abruptly
and that the history and racial pecu-
liarities of the inhabitants shall be given
due weight Systems of education In
these new possessions founded on COM
nonsense methods adapted to existing
| conditions and looking to the future
movement and industrial advancement
of the people will commend to them Ill
peculiarly effective manner the bless
ings of free government.
National Disgrace.
The love of law and sense. obedience
and submission to the lawfully consti-
| f,ih lS &c