Evening star., 1899-06-27
Report and Recommendations Re-
garding Porto Rico.
REFORMS THAT AXE NEEDED
Clauses That Are Inspiring Gen.
siderable Criticism.
PRIESTS AND ATTORNEYS

by the United States insular commission,
composed of Robert =. Kennedy. q. w.
Watkins and II. G. Curtis. TO the Secretary
of War. together with the recommendations
of the commission. has been printed in
pamphlet form and comprises booklet of
seventy-s;X pages.
The report rec-.es the work of the COM
mission in Porto Rico. and states that the
people most loyal in Their devotion TO
| the United States and soiciaous to be re-
sarded as part of it. II found that
While there WAS great wealth, and. in many
| places. evidences of great prosperity rich
| Plantations and promise of a grea: future
! there was also great poverty and ignorance
! OF population Of $4,000 It was estimated
| that no, more than 10 per cent could read
| and write.
| I.aNity in Marital obligations.
a large proportion Of the people are living
| together without any marriage ceremonies
| having been performed. These people are
| living contentedIy ard happily. and sur
| rounded by families of children. This con-
dition has arisen from the fact that the
| charges of the officers granting marriage
permits. and of the priests for performing
| marriage ceremonies, were so eNorbi.ant
| that the poorer people were unable TO pay
| them, and Nere driver to this mode Of life,
or compelled to remain single. The COM
| mission learned that these so-cailed al
| liancas were regarded with great sacred
ness IS the usual marriage ceremony. and
! there was little complaint Of inhd"liiy.
| The commission found that the civil gov
| erEmeBt Of the island, which Is "A suhstan-
| tal continuance of the old Spanish regime
| was sha creation OF Immune erable offices. and
| throughout the entira island, and in the
| municipalities well, thera are a horde OF
| office holders, nearly all of whom are sim
| ply sinecures, and whose salaries in nearly
every instance consume very large part
| ot The taxes imposed upon and collected
| from the people.
The commission submits a list OF a39
| onclals drawing large salaries and doing
| a comparatively small amount of labor
| The salaries Of secretaries are instanced,
| whose duties are largely nominal, which
| are now paid in gold, and exceed the sal
| aries paid to senators anu Representatives
| in the United States Congress. After re-
| viewing the financial conditions, the COM
/ mission recommends complete change IN
| the system of taxation and expenditures.
| Question of Taxation.
The commission in this connection speaks
| of the taxes levied by Governor General
| Guy V Henry, as follows:
| Gen. Henry, as governor general of the
| island, through his secretary Of finance,
| some time since declared new system of
| taxation, assessing lands in the va. .leys at
| 81 per acre. the midlands at "a cents and
| the highlands at - cents. This was en-
| tireiy without reference to their value and
| to their improvements, and doubling the
| tax upon all non-residents.
! Many of the lands in the valleys now
| used for sugar cane and other purposes are
| worth from Sl00 to $500 per acre, which
| with their Improvements and factories run
up into the thousands. and yet these lands,
/ without question as 10 value or improve
| mentS are assessed the same other lands
| of like location not improved and worth
| infinitely less, while the lands on the noun
| tains, which are entirely unimproved and
| produce nothing, and have only nominal
value, are assessed one-fourth much as
| the valuable sugar lands with their eXpen-
| Sive factories and equipments.
Such system of taxation is not approved
| by any except those who will by means Of
| il be relieved In a great measure of their
| just share of the burdens Of taxation. We
| believe that the system which now prevails
| n the different states of the Union should
| he provided for Porto Rico"
| The recommendation of the commission
comprise the last fifteen pages Of the re-
port 1t advises that all Spanish laws,
| civil and criminal and all royal DEGREES
applicable to Porto Rico be abrogated and
set aside, and that in lieu thereof The COM
mon law Of the states of the Union be de-
clared operative.
Considerable Criticism.
The recommendations of the commission
are being very keenly criticised I'm some
particulars, and in one instance IT is un-
derstood that Archbishop Martinelli. as the
apostolic delegate to America, will take
steps to prevent the adoption Of the sug-
gestion recommended under the head Of
marriage and divorce by the commission,
as follows:
ITO remedy the evils of concubinage on
the island We recommend that such cohab-
nation in good faith be declared binding as
a common law Tor civil law) marriage, and
the children legitimate, the relation so eX-
listing to be held to carry with it the full
obligations Of husband and wife, ana par
ents and children, as il the marriage hal
been celebrated by some form known to
and recognized by law; making Ii the duty
OF husband and wife in all sucn cases to
report their said marriage, with date and
place Of first cChabitation, the number of
children born to them, their ages and
nar1es. and that the same be duly entered
of record in the proper registry of mar
riages; and any failure to so report within
a given time after notice be punished by
heavy penalties. In case the husband is
deceased or fails TO report, the wife may
do 50 with the same effect; and in case
neither OF them are living, or both fail TO
report, and there are children. the issue OF
such cohabitation, living, such child or
children may, on making proof thereof.
cause the same to be SO registered and thus
preserve their legitimacy.
THAT priests and others who have taken
the vcw of celibacy may be permitted to
renounce said vows and enter into mar
riage relations, the same as other persons.
THAT dirorces be decreed by the courts
for good cause, as allowable in the United
States.
THAT cohabitation without marriage SOL
emnized in due form after the taking ef-
feet of this order be severely punished"
1t is reported that the clause recommend
ing that priests and others who have taken
the vow of celibacy be permitted TO re-
nounce them and enter into matrimony is
regarded by the Roman Catholic Church as
a direct attack upon its institutions and will
be opposed accordingly.
The recommendation that any person of
good moral character presenting to any
court of record certificate of admission to
the bar by the courts of the United States
or the courts of any of the states of the
Union or from the proper authority of 9TH
er countries shall be entitled to practice law
in the courts of Porto Rico is also being
criticised by legal authorities.
The commission recommends in conclu-
sion, that a census of the island be taken
under the forms and so as to include the
same data as the approaching twelfth CEN
sus.