The times., 1899-11-13
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP

Govern Of Our IsIHnd Posses
sions.-Senator Cullom Of Illinois, who
was Chairman OF the Hawaiian Commits
sion said yesterday that he proposes to
reintroduce his bill providing a territorial
| form Of government for Hawaii on the
! opening day of the Fifty sixth Congress.
! He said further that he intends to force ac
! ton on the measure, and to insist that the
I Hawaiian NATTER be entirely disposed of
before Congress gives serious consideration
! 10 other insular affairs
| In this connection there are indications
that within few days the plans of the
Administration have been materially
! changed with respect to the organization of
! civil government in Porto Rico. The Porto
/ Rlean situation, it now seems, is to likewise
i be referred to Congress by the President
! for early action. A prominent Republican
! Senator called at the White House on Sat
| urday to make enquiries about the ap-
| pointment Of a civil governor for Porto
Rico, and was informed by President Nc
! Kinley that there was no intention of do
| ing anything in that matter at present and
! intimating that nothing will be done until
! Congress has acted. Porto Rico and Ha-
| vail, the President is understood TO have
| said, differed from Cuba. Porto Rico being
| a possession of the United States by CessiOn
! from Spain, and Hawaii having been duly
! annexed, Congress would be looked to to
| provide forms of government in each in
stance without further delay. AS to Cuba,
| 1t seems to still be the policy of the Ad-
ministration to soon appoint a civil gov
! ernor for that island. under a provisional
| government Cuba still being under mill
| tayr control of this country
| II the Administration carries out its
plans in accordance with the intimation
| given, it viii cause surprise in usually
| well-informed circles, where 1t has been
! expected that Assistant Secretary of the
Navy Allen was slated for the civil gov
! ernorship Of Porto Rico. Should the Porto
| Rican and Hawaiian matters be referred to
| Congress by the President at the begin
| ming of the session, it is possible that both
may be taken UP together by that body.
| The Hawaiian bill. said Senator Cul-
lom last night, has precedence, and, in
| my judgment there ought to be early action
! upon It, Congress during the coming ses-
| sion, certainly ought to provide form Of
| government for both Hawaii and Forto
| Rico, but Hawaii should come first. Con-
| gress could have adopted form of govern
! ment for Hawaii at the last session, and
probably should have done so. The Haw-
| allan Commission, consisting of Senator
! Morgan, Congressman Hit and myself
| having made a full investigation OF condi-
! tons in the islands, had reported bill
| to Congress providing a form of govern
| ment but the weighty matters which
| pressed upon Congress. in consequence of
| the war with Spain, prevented the
| hawaiian bill from being taken up. The
| people of Hawaii have now waited upon
| Congress without a murmur. They are
! loyal, patriotic Americans, and they ap-
| preciate the causes for de.ay in giving
| them representative government Thesl
! causes no longer exist, and they have a
! right to expect early action. They are
| a splendid people. and are thoroughly pre-
| pared for self government"
| Senator Cullom was asked if he thought
! committees of Congress should be sent to
| Porto Rico and the Philippines before any
| bills creating forms of government for
| those islands are considered.
| 4 think it might be well to do So" he
| replied. But probably, in the case Of
! Porto Rico, il may not be necessary. The
| Porto Ricans are thoroughly loyal to the
/ United States. There has never been any
| disposition among them to question our
! sovereignty. It may be that Congress can
| legislate satisfactorily for them without
| congressional committees visiting the ISL
and. That Will appear later. But whether
| it is necessary TO send a committee of
| Congress to the island, or not, some form
! Of government for the Porto Ricans ought
| to be provided before the conclusion of
| the coming session"
Will the bin reported by the Hawaiian
| Commission for the government of the
| Hawaiian Islands serve as a model for a
| form of government for Porto Rico?"
1T may be of some use, but I doubt
| if it would answer in all particulars. The
! Hawaiians are a very different sort of
| people from the Porto Ricans. The
! Hawaiians speak the English language
| for the most part and understand Ameri-
| can institutions With the Porto Ricans
it is different They have never had. any
! experience in self-goyernment; their train
| ing under Spain has not been such as 10
! qualify them for it. Few of them speak
| the English language. and few have as
yet, proper appreciation Of the principles
/ Of our Republic. In the beginning, there
! fore, they may need a different form of
| government from that which we will pro-
| vide the Hawaiians. The difference Will
Pbe in details. The underlying principles,
Of course, viii De the same"
Mr. SnEudPu On F,xDu -Tro,-,,, .,,.