Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-01
PORTO RICAN LAWS
Scope Of the Report Of the Insular
Commission.
CONSERVATIVE IN MAKING CHANGES
Customs, Habits and Practices
Cautiously Handled.
THE MATTER OF LANGUAGE

Upon inquiry of those who are acquainted
with the facts and full examination. 1t Is
learned that the laws proposed by the in
sular commission and submitted to the Sec
rotary of War for PRONUNCIATION by the
President in Porto Rico constitute a full
and complete code covering every legislative
subject. But, it is said, they do not, as
some suppose, interfere with the language
of the people with their customs and
habits or practices for century or more,
except in so far additional prosperity
might come to them under the laws pro-
posed. Their manner of living might be
more in accord with that of the ordinary
civilized land.
AS to the language, it is provided that
English shall be taught in the public
schools generally, but the law also permits
the Spanish language to be taught on the
theory that the people who speak Spanish
will desire their children to read and write
1t. Beyond that, in any other branches,
they can learn them in English well as
In any other, and it is provided by these
laws that in the supreme and federal courts
they shall be conducted in the English Ian
guage, while the other courts, justice of
the peace, mayors or alcaldes and court of
the first instance or probate court and the
district court, proceedings will be conducted
in Spanish, with interpreter at each
court to accommodate people who speak
both languages, and in appeals to the SUI
preme court, the records and briefs to be
submitted in both languages.
The Need of a Different System.
Under the Spanish rule Porto Rico has
no constitution, and its laws are made up
mainly from royal DEGREES promulgated
from time to time by the Spanish crown.
and in Porto Rico the civil iS
very elaborate and enormously expensive,
the salaries of the civil government alone
reaching S1ONO a year, and in the city of
San Juan its municipal salaries reach
larger sum, and cities of 1000 or 5000 in
habitantS run up to $40,OoO, SJOO0O and 49,
600 year. Taxes have been assessed I'M
der the Spanish law without any regard to
equality or the oppression of the poor.
The commissions report shows that in
San Juan the tax on bread. paid mainly by
the poor, last year amounted to something
over $4,000. the tax on meat to $4,000,
while the tax on sales of intoxicating
liquors 81 800. The report also shows
about 1000 prisoners confined in the jails,
without trial having been there from a
few months to several years. in some cases
without any charges, Spanish law authoriz-
ing any judge to order a man into jail
without giving a reason until he gets
ready to do SO. and with no way of getting
the man out by habeas corpus proceedings
otherwise until they get ready to try
him. So long the matter lies in the
discretion of the judge a writ of habeas
corpus would be of no avail.
The people of Porto Rico have been SO
long oppressed 1t is said, both by the Span
ish law itself and its administration by
Spaniards, that they demanding to be
relieved from both.
What Porto Ricans Want.
1t is not sufficient for them that the
United States has driven the Spaniards out
of Porto Rico, so long as the same oppres-
sive system is kept up. From all accounts
those who have been to Porto Rico. and
especially from the Investigations of the
commission, it is learned that what Porto
RIcans most desire are American laws and
CAPABILITIES affording them opportunities in
the business life the same are afforded
the people of the United States. They are
not now and never have been, it is claimed,
attached to the Spanish law Spanish
system. 1t is true that they are acquainted
with them. but the more they know of
them the more anxious they are to be rid
of their control. 1t is impossible, the COM
mission thinks, to make a gradual change
when 1t comes to adopting a system of
laws. a change in one place, in taxa
ton, is useless without another change in
the manner, and some person to collect the
taxes. Then follows the necessity of how
1t shall be expended Then arises some
tribunal to determine controversies, so,
having made one change. it is absolutely
necessary to Cntinue the changes until a
harmonious sys en- is established, otherwise
there is endless conflicts.
Conservative Changes.
The proposed laws make very few changes
in names and in districts, it is said The
same boundaries for municipalities Judi
ctal districts and townships are allowed 10
remain. The code, written in English of
course. uses English names. 1t calls the
principal officer in city the mayor it
calls the minor subdivisions of the terri
tory township and 1t calls the presiding
officer of a court the judge, but when these
laws are translated it will be alcalde bar
rio and jueZ. There is but one new court
created by these new laws, and that is
the federal court. The court of first in
stance and the court of audenciary remain
before in name. The number of the
judges has been changed and the mode of
procedure to dispatch business and
inspire justice in the proper administra-
ton Of the law. The code provides full
directions. ample for any court to follow.
The report also recommends, instead of
the entire civil affairs being governed by
military governor, that between the
military governor and the people there be
appointed three commissioners, who shall
be the civil governors, or, at least, one
civil governor, that the soft hand of
the military government will be turned
toward the people, rather than the people
coming directly into contact with a mill
tary officer.
Early Action Urged.
The commission makes an earnest recon-
mendation that these laws, with such modi-
fcations as the President may see fit to
make, be at once promulgated, because of
the urgent need of immediate remedy, leav-
ing of course the right to Congress- to in