Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-02
Permanent Relief for Porto Rico.

Permanent Relief for Porto Rico.
All reports from official and unofficial
sources as to the conditions in Porto Rico
substantiate the position taken by the in
sular commission whose report has just
been published. recommending an early
change in the status OF the people OF that
island. Porto Rico has now been under
the American flag for year. and the loss
of it's Spanish markets and the absence or
definite form of administration combine to
make the people worse of today In some
respects than they We're even under the OPP
pressive rule of Spain.
The institution OF good domestic govern
ment alone will not suffice. The people
may have been politically ignored. person.
ally maltreated and deprived of the rights
of ordinary citizenship by Spain. but they
were enabled to till the soil with fair as
surance Of profit and labor conditions were
easy American sovereignty will substitute
better methods of administration. There
will be a more liberal degree of self-gov-
ernment there will be freer and better edu-
cation there will be more thorough sys-
Tenn of sanitation and more equitable judi
ciaI processes.
All this will help the people toward
higher plane of national existence and re-
tound to their mental and political better
ment But meanwhile what matters 1t all
ii they starve to death through the lack of
markets for their products and their labor?
The island suffers at present from transit
ton from one sovereignty to another. 1t
is no longer a Spanish colony. nor has it
become an avowed portion of the American
territory From the viewpoint of national
10 deprived
the former Spanish outlets for its trade.
and must still meet the tariff eXactions of
the United States. to which it naturally
turns for market.
Certain facts complicate the matter at
the outset Porto Rico must have an in
come sufficient not only to provide for the
ordinary administrative machinery. but
also to build schools, roads and other
means of developing the island along the
new linss laid down by American sovereign
ty. The institution of a system of free
trade with the mainland by executive
proclamation. even were it legally possible,
would. of course, deprive the island of all
income from this source as regards Ameri-
can importations. At the same time the
extension of the tariff laws to the island
as acknowledged part of the American
territory would not solve the revenue prob
lem. for the customs receipts would flow
irto the national treasury and would. there
fore. not be directly available for insular
use.
Under these circumstances doubtless the
best course to pursue is TO adopt with the
proposed administrative reforms a policy
which will encourage trade between the
mainland and the island by opening mar
kets at both ends for articles of local pro-
duction, foster the irsuiar industries and
grant a sufficient income for all domestic
purposes. The President can do Immediate
ly a great deal in his executive capacity
toward Encouragement of the Porto Rican
insular tariff scale to meet both the neces-
sites of the people as regards the prices on
imported articles and the needs of the is
land government as regards revenue. app
plying to Porto Rico very small scale
the process of tariff revision which has been
pursued in the United States.
OF course, it is expected that Congress
will consider the case of Porto Rico early
in the coming session. At the same time
th., Senate will be confronted with the
reciprocity treaties recently written with
come of the West Indian islands. To ratify
them without providing for Porto Rico
would be TO handicap the latter in conse-
quence Of its American sovereignty, giving
its trade rivals an advantage. 1t is to be
assumed that instead of doing this Con-
gress If it does not treat Porto Rico as an
Integral part OF the United States will at
least place the island upon the same trade
basis the others, and probably give it
some substantial advantage, to demonstrate
to the islands now beyond American SOW
ereignty the desirabiiity of such associa-
ton.
Some such action by Congress is impera-
tive in view of the fact that in the opinion
of the Attorney General and other legal au-
horities of the government the President
ir the absence OF statutory authority has
No power to amend the tariff laws of the
United States regards the products of
Porto Rico or the other insular possessions
although he may III effect amend them in
relation to foreign territory. under the reel
procity law. So whatever is accomplished
toward permanently ameliorating the in
sular conditions directly affected by Ameri-
can sovereignty must be done by Congress
while the President can only. through the
exercise of mis- executive prerogative, cope
with conduiC by means of temporary ex-
pedients.
After their experiences with Spanish cir
clrnlDcil;ipu rho "a pS