Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-08-31
WANTS o. PORTO RICO
Insular Commission Outlines New
Ideas for the Benefit Of the
Island.
Code Of Civil Laws to Take Place
Of the Present Military
Regime.
People Not Regarded as Ready for
the Elective Franchise-Mu
Distress.

nedy, Judge Curtis and Maj. Watkins,
which has given six months study to
the conditions OF the island OF Porto
Rico, has made Its report to Secretary
Root. It recommends form OF civil.
government for the islands to take the
place OF the present military regime and
submits for adoption a code Of laws.
These laws 1t recommends should be
placed In operation by executive decree,
arguing that congressional enactment
OF general laws would change. the
status OF the islands toward the United
States and make it part OF the consti-
tutional territory OF the United States.
The code OF laws and civil government
proposed do not give the Porto Ricans
the elective franchise for any Office nor
extend to them the privileges Of trial by
Jury except in the United States courts
in cases Of felonies involving an amount
in excess OF $500. 1t recommends that
the military force remain in the island,
but be kept in the background and touch
the people only with soft hand. Eng
| lish is to be made the official language
cept the federal courts are to be con-
Quoted in Spanish.
The code abrogates all Spanish law
and royal DEGREES, and all systems OF
procedure and substitutes the provis-
ions of the code modified after the laws
OF the states of the United States, and
declares the common law and principles
of equity to be in future the law OF the
found in the code.
| In place of the Spanish system or
courts an American system is provided;
a supreme court, district court and
| probate court, with limited civil and
criminal jurisdiction, and justices of the
peace and police courts in the cities;
also a federal court, to have exclusive
jurisdiction of all federal questions and
concurrent Jurisdiction In civh ana
| criminal matters.
| There are to be five supreme judges,
three of whom are to he american and
1.-two native, and a proper number of
Judges and officials for the other courts
are to be appointed.
A complete civil county, township and
lefty government is to be provided and
provision made for complete system
| OF puDlic ScIiOOlS, toiiAuSlSd ~ A-'Ats AA.AA
by American teachers
i Full general corporation and railroad
laws, with the right of eminent domain,
are provided. thus opening the island to
Icompetition and ending the system of
4 franchises to favored corporations. All
taxes which bear heavily on the poor
and all double taxes on non-residents
are abrogated. A marriage law is pro-
Wi y, a
plan for legalizing contest marriages
and egitimatizing children, one-half of
whom on the island were born out of
wedlock.
Highway and poor laws are provided
and the courts are given full power to
Issue writs OF habeas corpus, injunc-
1 tions, etc.
Speedy trials, coupled with humane
punishment. are sought to be secured
lby the code. Foreclosure of mortgages
and the redemption of property are pro-
vided for on the American plan.
I The commission recommends that
this code be put into effect at once by
the president, without waiting for con-
/ gress to legislate on the question, say
ing that the people of the island are In
ldistress and are still being oppressed
leaving for congress the question oil
Isuch after legislation as may be deemed
best.
The commission states that the Porto
Ricans have lost their markets in SPAR
for their coffee, by reason of Increased
duties, and the industry Is now Ian.
gushing for want of an immediate
market for their products. 1t recon-
G
the coffee for our army and navy il
Porto Rico. which, the commission says
lproduces as fine coffee as is founa in tn
world, and a the same time relieve tn
distressed condition OF the Porto Rical
lpeople.
The commission also presented t
Secretary Root joint letter SETTING
forth in an interesting manner the gen
eral conditions prevailing in Port
/. Rico, the main problems presented II
: extending American rule to the island
= and particularly urging prompt actio
= to relieve the distress and depression
incident to the present unsettled stat
lof affairs.
The commission outlines plan O
: public improvements through the islam
: whereby the people may find work.
= AS 10 THE character Ol Tie TOEl
Ricans the letter says:
The people Of Porto Rico are indus
:, trious and are ready and willing t
: work if given an opportunity. There
(, a great field upon the island for tn
. employment of capital which no
= stands waiting for an invitation an
= permission to enter, and with It's entr
Z will come a day Of prosperity for tn
l. Porot Rican people"
e The code does not provide for elet
tons, as not over 10 per cent of the II
habitants read and write and ow
property. and it is suggested that aftt
.r these laws have been in force for fe
I years and the schools have afforded OF
> portunities for the people to learn, the
IF will be better fitted than now to ent'
,e upon the work Of territorial or sta
government.
t, 1t is suggested that congress graz
y authority to the president to arrange
l. schedule of reciprocal tariff duties wit
ut Porto Rico, and stress is laid upon Il
need of currency reform.
he AS showing the immediate need
ce tribunals the fact ia cited that LA pri
10 oners at San Juan are held awaitir
tn trial. One woman has been confin'
I'd in Jail for three years and twenty-fo
days without trial and no charges