Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-06
ALASKA AND PORTO RICO.
Better and More Comprehensive Schemes
OF Government Recommended.

The President recommends that the
whole plan OF government for Alaska be
remodeied ON lines that will conform to
the increased Importance OF the territory.
Some sort of local law-making body, and
an increase in the number OF United States
judges. rarshals and district attorneys are
deemed necessary IN view of the increasing
population and the development Of indus
tries and forms Of civilization that make
NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS
in the primitive governmental devices that
have heretofore sufficed. L recommend
that legislation to the same end be had
with reference to the government of Porto
Rico. The time is ripe for the adoption of
a temporary form of government for this
island.
The system Of civil jurisprudence now
adopted by the people of this island is de-
scribed by competent lawyers who are IA
nliliar with it, thoroughly modern and
scientific, so far as 1t relates to matters of
internal business, trade, production and
social and private rights in general. The
cities Of the island are governed under
charters which probably require very lit
tie or no change. So that with relation to
matters of local concern and private right,
it is not probable that much if any, egis-
lation is desirable; but with reference to
public administration and the relations of
the islands to the SFederal government,
there are many matters which are of press
ing urgency. The same necessity exists for
legislation on the part of Congress to es-
tablish federal courts and federal jurisdtc-
ton in the island as has been previously
pointed out by me with reference to Ha-
wall.
1t must be borne in mind that since the
cession, Porto Rico has been denied the
principal markets she has long enjoyed
and cur tariffs have been continued
against her products as when she was I'M
der Spanish sovereignty The markets
of Spain are closed to her products ex-
cept upon terms to which the commerce
of all nations is subjected. The island OF
Cuba, which used to buy her cattle and to-
bacco without customs duties, now imposes
the same duties upon these products as
from any other country, She has there
fore lost her
FREE INTERCOURSE
with Spain and Cuba without any compen-
sating benefits in this market. The mar
kets of the United States should be open
ed up to her products. Our plain duty is
to abolish all customs tariffs between the
United States and Porto Rico and give her
products free access to our markets.
1t is desirable that the government of the
island under 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 l recommend that
Congress pass a law for the organization
Of a temporary government, which shall
provide for the appointment by the Pres
ident, subject to confirmation by the Sem
ate. of a Governor and such other officers
as the general administration of the island
may require, and that for legislative pur-
poses on subjects of a local nature not par
taking Of a federal character a legislative
council, composed partly of Porto Ricans
and partly of citizens of the United States,
shall be nominated and appointed by the
President, subject to confirmation by the
Senate, their acts to be subject to the ap-
prevail OF the Congress or the President
prior to going into effect. The fundamen-
tai requirement for these people as for all
people, is education. The free schoolhouse
is the best preceptor for citizenship. In
the introduction of modern educational
methods care however. must be exercised
that changes be not made too abruptly and
that the history and racial pecuiiarities of
the inhabitants shall be given due weight.