River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-12-07
Porto Rico.

For Porto Rico he advises legislation that
Will give them a temporary form OF gov
eminent, recounts the work done by the
military government now in control, and
makes the following recommendations:
1t must be borne in min that since the
cessiOn Porto Rico has been denied the
principal markets she had long enjoyed
and our tariffs have been continued against
her products as when she was under Span
ish sovereignty. The markets Of Spain are
closed to her products except upon terms
to which the of all nations Is
subjected. The island of Cuba. which used
to buy her cattle and tobacco without Gus
toms duties, now imposes the same duties
upon these productS as from any other
country entering her ports. She has there
fore lost her free intercourse with SPAN
and Cuba without any compromising bene-
fits in this market. Her coffee was little
known and not in use by our people, and
therefore there was no demanG here TOT
this, ore of her chief products. The mar
kets of the United States should be opened
up to her products. Our plain duty Is q
abolish all customs tariffs between the
United States and Porto Rico and give her
products free access to our markets.
AS a result of the hurricane which swept
over Porto Rico on the Sth of August, 1899,
over 100000 people were reduced to abso-
lutte restitution, without homes, and de-
prived of the necessaries OF life. nc, the
appeal of the war department the people OF
the United States made prompt ana gener-
Gus response. In addition to the private
charity of our people, the war department
has expended fer the relief of the dls-
tressed 1892. $40. 49,. which does not include
the cost of transportation.
1t is { desirable that the government OF the
island urfler the law of belligerent right,
now maintained through the executive de-
partment. should be superseded by an adj
ministration entirely civil in its nature.
For present purposes / recommend That
ongress pass a law for the organization OF
a temporary government, when shali pro-
vide 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 partaklnB
of a federal character a legislative coun-
ell. composed partly of Porto Ricans ana
uartiv of citizens of the United States, shall
he nominated and appointed by the presi-
dent. subject to confirmation by the sem
ate their acts to be subject to the approval
of the congress or the president prior TO
going into effect. In the municipalities and
other local Subdivisions I recommend that
the principle of local self-government be
aDplied at once. so as to enable the intelli-
pent citizens of the island to participate IN
their own government and to learn by
mr. tactical experience the duties anG
renuirements of a self-contatc6d and
a ~self-governing people. haVe not
Thought II wise 10 commit the entire
government of the Island TO officers select
ed bv the people. because doubt whether
in habits, training ard experience they are
such as to fit them to exercise at once 50
farpe a degree of self-government. but 1t
Is nv Judgment and expectation that they
will soon arrive at an attainment OF expert
ence and wisdom and s~elf-control that VIII
iustifv corferring upon them a Tnucn
larger participation In the choice or thelr
insular officers.