Arizona republican., 1899-05-14
Porto RicanS Want the EStab-
 liShment of a Status.
rv-r
ARE SITUATED NOWHERE
Having been Detached From Spain They Have Lost Trade Advanf. ages With Thai Country which Have Not Been Replaced by Their Connection With inc Unlied States.

Washington, May 13.-NOtwith- standing the fact that the -insular
 commission is hard at work upon civil and judicial system of admins
 tration flor Porto Rico and the further
 the commission reports or congress
 meets, the Porto Ricans, or some of
 them, are displaying impatience.
 They want immediate transformation
 from their former deplorable state to
 the desirable conditions which the
 United States is to give them, and do
 not seem to comprehend the difficult
 ties in the' way of speedier release
 from their hardships.
 A couple of self-constituted Porto
 Rican commissions" have been agi- tating the subject of their grievances
 recently. J. Julio Henna and Manuel
 Zeno Gandia are at the head of one
 and Minos Rivera represents the
 other. Senor Rivera was in Wash ington last week interviewing of ficials and Senors Henna and Gandia have heretofore been before the in-, sular commission.
 Senors Henna and Gandia have also
 addressed a petition to the president, in which they ask the establishment of civil rule instead of military in the
 island; free trade with the United States; the enlistment of Porto Ricans in the army and the right of .Ameri- can citizenship in the island. The tariff feature of the Porto Ricans grievance Is probably the most acute, but there can be Lttle remedy for this until congress meets. -s-,s-.r
 Duties on imports into the United States from Porto Rico,' said Judge Curtis of the insular commission to reporter today, 'are the same as the duties upon imports from other coun- tries. but they are not as high as the duties which Spain is now leveling against Porto Rican products. The Porto Ricans complain that under the new condition of affairs they are de- prived of their former market in Spain and have not found a market in the United States.
 "The position of the United States for the present is that Porto Rico is sttll foreign country so far as cus- toms duties are concerned. We are governed in this position by decision of the supreme court, which held that Tampico, Mexico, although occupied by the United States, was not a col lection district until congress had so designated and officials had been ap- pointed. The same rule was held in the case of Florida after the cession to the United States and until con- gress had acted.
 ''The duties on goods imported into Porto Rico from the Urited States are under military control. In effect some of them are lower than the old Span ish duties. while some are higher. The insular commission will treat of this phase of the situation in it's re- port, and the president will use his discretion in making changes, For the present the president is doing everything that he can do. The sttu- ation is being handled by the conl- and for the rest the people of Porto Rico will have to wait until con- gress meets and acts
 "As to the other branches of com plaint, it is not time to give the Porto Ricans complete elf-government. Not 10 per cent of the people are ca pable of exercising the principles of local autonomy. That will have to come gradually, as the people grow up to the capability of managing all their governmental affairs
 ''The reduction of military control by United States troops has already commenced and is progressing. Our soldiers are being withdrawn and Porto Ricans enlisted in the regular army. The natives of the island will establishment, but will be taken on gradually. I do not believe there is any disposition by this gov ernment to prevent them from becom- ng a part of the military strength
 There is grave doubt in the minds ,f some of the officials here as to whether the so-called commissions Tailing sentiment of the people of he island. The military officials rep esenting the United States in the isl- md do not think so, and have com nunicated that view to the govern nent at Washington. There also eems to be some uncertainty as to the ource of appointment of the commits ions and at any rate, it is claimed, the were not formed with
 (Contiuued oa Eighth Pagel ~..l