The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-14

| Ing tOD tno uuK9 dArCOS, an Cm1neG
dtplomatist previously stationed IL
Mexico, while the United States trans
fcrrcd to Madrid Hon. Belamy Storer
its minister at Brussels. This wa,
followed by the respective appoint
mont OF consule, thereby fully resum
ing the relations interrupted by the
war. In addition to its consular rcpr,
sentation in the United States tn,
Spanish government has appointed
consuls for Cuba, who have bcen pro
VlslOnally recognized during tho mill
tnry administration Of affairs OF tha
island.
| judicial intercOurse between tho
courts OF Cuba and Porto Rico and O
Spain has been established, ns provided
oy the treaty Of peace. The Cubar
political Prisoners in Spanish pcna
| stations have been ana uro being re.
leased and returned to thor homes, In
accordance with Article VI Of the
| treaty. Negotiations arc about 10 bc
had for defining tho conventional rela.
!iOns between the two countries, which
| fell into abeySnce by reason of the war
| | trust those will include ~ favOrub,.
arrangement for commercial recipro
city under tt Q terms Of Sections 3 and
! q the current tariff act. In these. as
in alt matters OF international concern.
20 effort will be spared to respond to
| tho good disposition OF Spain, and to
| cultivate In all practicaDle WAYS the
| Intimacy which should prevail between
| two nations whose past history has s0
| often and In SO many ways been marked
by sincere friendship and by commun-
Ity Of interests.
| would recommend appropriate leg.
islatiOn in order to carry into exccu-
tion Artic o Y Ii Of the treaty Of peace
With Spain, by which tho United
States assured the payment Of Ger tain
claims for indemnity OF its citizens
against Spnin.
LAWS FOR PORTO RICO.
recommend that Legislation be lad
with reference to the governing OF
Porto II co. Tho time is ripe for the
adoption OF temporary form OF gov
urnmcnt Tor this island and many sug.
.rcStlOns made with reference to Alas
ka arc applicable TO Porto Rico.
The system Of civil Jurisprudence
now adopted by tho people OF this
island is described by competent law.
rcrs who are familinr with it, as thor.
oughly modern and scientific, 80 far as
IL relates to matters OF internal busi-
ness, trade, production and social and
private rights in general.
The cities Of the island arc governed
ny charters which probably require
very little or no change. SO that with
re alton to matters OF local concern and
private right, it. is not probable that
much If any Legislation is desirable
but with reference 70 public alminis
tration and the relation Of the islands
to the Federal government, there are
many matters which are Of pressing
urgency. The same necessity exists
Tor legislation on the part OF Congress
TO establish Federal courts and Federal
Jurisdiction in the island rs has been
previously pointed Out by me with ref
creucc to Hawaii. Besides the admin
istration OF Justice, there are the sub
jets Of the public lands, the control OF
rivers and harDOrs, the control OF the
waters OF streams not nHviga5lc, which
under the Spanish NV bc'oEgcd TO the
crown Of Spain, and have, by tue treaty
Of ceesion, passed to the United States;
the immigration Of people from foreign
countries, III" importation q contract
labor, the imposition and collection Of
Internal revenue. the application OF the
nav igalion laws, the regulation Of the
current money, the establishment Of
| pOstOtliccS and pOstroads the regula.
| tiOn Of tariil rates on merchandise i'm
ported from the island into the United
States, the establishment OF ports Of
entry and delivery, the regulation of
pntcnts and cOpyrig hts these, with
various other subj jActs, which rest en-
tircly within the power OF Congress,
call for consideration and immediate
action.
OPEN TIE MARKETS.
1t must DC tUrnc in mind that since
the cCssiun Porto REQ has been denied
the principal markets she had long en-
Joycd and our efforts have been con-
ttnucd against her products as when
she WAS under Spanish sovereignty.
Tho markets OF Spain are closed to her
products except upon terms to which
the commerce OF all nations is subject
ed. The island OF Cuba, which used to
buy her cattle and tobacco without Gus
toms duties, now imposes the same du-
ties upon these products as from any
otnCr country entering her ports. She
has, therefore, lost her free intercourse
with Spain and Cuba without any com.
prn-ating benefits in this market Her
coffee was llt,i" known and not in use
by our people, and therefore there was
no demand here for this, one Of her
chief products. The markets of the
United states should be opened to her
products. OuI plain duty ID to abolish
al! customs tariffs between the United
States and Porto kico and givo her
products free access TO our markets.
AS result Of the hurricane which
swept over Porto Rico on the Sth of
I August, over 100000 people were re.
duccd to absolute ucstitutiOn, without
homes and deprived Of the necessities
Ol HE. 10 the appeal OF the war de-
partmcnt the people Of the United
States made prompt and generous
response. la addition to the private
charity Of our people, the war depart
mcnt has expended for the relief of the
distress Cd f392, 342, which docs not in
clude the cost Of trans Lortation.
1t Is desirable that the government
OF the island, under the law of belliger.
cnt right, now maintained through the
executive department, should be su
pcrscdcd by an administration entirely
civil in its nature. For present pur-
poses | recommend that Congress pass
aw for the organize tion OF 1, temper
ary government which shall provide
for the appointment by the President,
subject to confirmation by the Senate,
of governor and such other officers as