Evening star., 1899-04-06
PORTO RlCAN CONDITIONS
Commissioner Henry z Carroll Talks About
the Island,
Good Roads and Public Schools Ur-
gent Observation-Disclosures Equal to
Territorial Form of Government.


Juan, Porto Rico, contains in its issue of
Tuesday, March 81, an extended interview
with Henry K. Carroll the President s
commissioner to Porto Rico, who has spent
nearly six months In the island. Mr.. Car
roll is now on his way to Washington to
report upon his Investigations. After CIV
ing his impressions Of the beauty of the
island, the delightful climate and the Won
derful fertility of it's soil, Mr.. Carroll stated
that he believed the most urgent reforms
to be undertaken by the government in
order to restore prosperity to the island
We're the immediate construction of good
roads, the establishment of public schools,
to allow the people of the various munich
pal districts to elect by suffrage their
mayors and councils and to improve the
condition and the management of the jails.
What Porto Ricans Should Do.
In reply to the question, What can the
people do of their own initiative?" Mr..
Carroll made answer as follows:
''It seems to me that it is important that
they should organize and express pubic
sentiment. 1 have found men in every
community who are keenly alive to the
need of the reforms to which 1 have re-
ferred. They are asking for good roads,
good schools, autonomy in municipal gov
ernment and reform in prison management
1t would be a good thing if of their own
accord, they would come together occa-
sionally in conference to discuss these mat
ters, to advise the municipal governments
of their respective districts of steps which
they might take to improve existing con-
ditions, and to call the attention of the
insular government in the most effective
way to their desire that these reforms
should be set on foot. The press is also
an Important may say Indispensable
agency in bringing about reformation in
social and political matters 1t would be
well If Porto Ricans were to make larger
use of these means of cultivating and crys-
tallizing public sentiment"
Territorial Form the Best.
Asked what form of government he was
going to recommend in his report to the
President Mr.. Carroll stated that he
thought the best form of government for
the people of Porto Rico is the territorial.
There is no reason" he remarked, why
the Hawaiian Islands should be given ter
ritorial form of government in preference
to Porto Rico. l believe that the people of
this island are competent for the measure
of self-government that a territory implies.
| do not mean that they will not make mis-
takes. l do not find that the people of our
states are free from bunders but l believe
that it is perfectly safe to make Porto Rico
a territory. The people are disposed to be
peaceable and orderly. They are not revo-
lutionary, as in many Spanlsh-Amer1can
countries: they have never given Spain any
cause for trouble in this direction, and [
find among them hearty aspirations after
a higher, freer and better form of govern
ment than they have ever been privileged
to enjoy.
President Mckinley's Purposes.
Il know" he continued, cit is the inten-
ton of the President to do everything pos
sible under the present system of military
government to bring prosperity to Porto
Rico 1t Is not possible, under the Consti-
tuition, for him to modify the tariff system
of the United States SO as to admit the
products of Porto Rico free. He has shown
his good will toward this new possession by
giving effect to g. tariff which was revised
in the interest, first, of protection of the in
dustries of the island; second, of cheaper
foodstuffs and cotton goods for the poorer
classes, and third, for the benefit of the
agricultural interests by making agricul-
tural implements, such hoes, spades,
machetes, ETC., free of duty, and greatly
lowering the duty on agricultural machin-
cry, and especially upon detached parts Of
machines. He has proved that the United
States is disinterested in this by subjecting
the commerce of his own country to the
same rates of duty as are imposed upon the
commerce of Spain. Germany, England and
other countries General Henry Is, l be
lieve, in full accord with the policy of the
President, and will do everything that he
can to alleviate conditions of distress which
are unhappily to be found in many parts
of the island. and will institute reforms as
rapidly as possible. What he has already
done in the interest of huma nifty good gov
eminent and good order is an earnest of
what he means to do. l am sure that he
has the confidence of the people of the is
land. His course so far has certainly de-
served ii ~