The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-06-03
lnSular Commission Makes Its Re-
port to War Department.
CONDITION OF COUNTRY
PEOPLE WILLING TO ACCEPT
AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS.
Porto Rican Money to be Supplanted
by United States Currency-Con-
cessions and Franchises to the
Highest Bidder-Marriages Com
pulsory-New School System.

Washington, June 1.-The insular
commission appointed by the war de-
partment to investigate affairs of Porto
Rico and report upon all matters re-
| lating to currency, laws, taxation. jul
dietary, public improvements, educa-
ton and civil affairs generally. has
, made unanimous report to the secre-
| tary or war.
The commissioners say that all
| classes and conditions of the Porto
| Rican population are ready and willing
| to accept American institutions, and
to be content with them. and, in gen.
eral, they recommend the establish
ment of such laws, general. district and
municipal, as will give to the people of
Porto Rico substantially the same pro-
lection and the same laws which are
now enjoyed by the people of the Unit
ed States.
The report discusses the financial
| condition of the country, and says that
it is largely the outgrOwth of Spanish
institutions. The currency amounts to
about 81. 100000. larger sum than was
in circulation prior 10 American occu-
pancy. The report recommends that
the Spanish bank bills be redeemed.
and that the bank be no longer per
mitted to issue currency. 1t also recon-
mendS that as soon as possible the
Porto Rican money. which is now IN
circulation, be supplanted by United
States currency, and that the exchange
be made at the expense of Porto Rico.
Franchises to Highest Bidder.
The commission considers at some
length the question of concessions and
franchises, and recommends such a
generous settlement of the financial
question as will give to Porto Rico
every opportunity for advancement
and improvement and encourage the
investment of moneys in the way of
building railroads and other public i'm
provementS of all kinds, all to be reg
ulated in such manner as shall be TO
the best interests of the people of the
island, and all to be under government
control: all such concessions to be
granted only after proper advertise
ment in newspapers in Porto Rico AMI
the United States, and then sold to the
highest bidder at public sale, all to be
subject to the control of the govern
ment of the island and all franchises
so granted to be regulated and directed
for the benefit of the people
1t is advised that the marriage and
divorce laws of the island be at once
remedied, so as to make marriages
compulsory, to require a husband and
wife, and those now living together. to
make record of their cohabitatiOn and
legitimatizing all such living together.
Public School System.
The report recommends the estab-
lishment in the island of the public
school system of the United States.
Recommendation is made that there
shall be a complete separation of
church and state and all property.
Recommendation is made for a thor
ough reform of the judicial system of
the island along American lines. The
division of the country into districts
similar to those counties in the states
of the United States is suggested. The
commissioners recognize vested rights
in the island, and recommend that they
be protected. Another American
method referred to is that for the re-
cOrding of deeds, the present system
being very cumbersome and expen-
size
Other recommendations are as fol-
lows: Better postal facilities, the main
tenance of the postal and military tele-
graph on the island and as part of the
postal system that an early census of
the people be taken.