The times., 1899-12-24
POLITICAL NOTES AND GOSSIP.

Politics in Porto Rico.-Dr. Fran
cisco del Vale, a former mayor of san |
Juan Porto Rico. who was recently in I
Washington. is an authority on politics in /
that island
There are he says, in fact, two po-
litical parties in Porto Rico. one the Re
publican party, the other the Federal par (
ty; but neither in the former nor in the F.
latter does any particular social class pre- /
dominate. for both proceed from the same
origin council directs the affairs of the
Republican party and among its leaders are
distinguished lawyers, professional men,
and prominent merchants and planters la
Dor. science. and wealth being represented.
While the platform Of the Republican party
contains certain and perfectly definite
declarations as to matters of government,
suffrage. taxation. money, agriculture, etc.
the programme of the Federal party is
hardly more than an abstraction. The for
mer platform was published March %, 1899,
the latter in October 1899. The Republican
party has made definite declarations, such
as that in respect to annexation: We hail
with pride our annexation TO the United
States. and aspires to rapidly educate the
Porto Rican people in American principles
and customs.
Before the revolution in Spain Of Sep
tember. 1858, there we're no organized po-
litical parties. After that time there arose
the Conservative Tor Government party
and the old Liberal party. The latter
changed to suit the times, and was in turn
called Federal Republican Assimilist, and
Autonomist. This last one divided into the
Pure AutOnOmist and the Fusionist or
modern Liberal parties. and the parties of
today-the Republican and the Federal
are, respectively, deriyations Of these two
The FriGate Constitutional is like
Iy that at this session of Congress it will
oe determined to preserve the old frigate
Constitution. a patriotic society in Mass
achusetts proposes to defray by popular
subscription the cost of refttng this MIS-
tOric warship. The bill VIII have the active
support of Senator Hale and Representa-
tive Boutelle. Secretary Long has drafted
the following bill
That the Secretary of the Navy is
hereby authorized to cause the United
States frgate Constitution TO be repaired
at the navy yard, Boston, and restored
10 a serviceable condition, in order that
she may be again placed in commission
and used as a training ship or otherwise,
the expenses of such repairs and restora-
tion 10 be paid from funds to be raised by
popular subscription under the auspices of
the Massachusetts State Society, Daugh-
ters of 1872.
Provided that such repairs and restora-
tiOn shall be made under the supervision
and control of the Navy Department and
shall not be undertaken until an amount
sufficient to defray the cost thereof shall
have been subscribed and guaranteed by
the said society
the call for the Republican National Con-
yenuon. Chairman Hanna inaugurated a
new departure, which has been The cause of
more or less comment. Heretofore the diff
ferant state and district conventions have
been left free 10 select their own time and
their own methods for the election of dele
gates. Mr.. Hanna. in his proclamation. IN
dertakes to prescribe both the time and the
methoG.
This is generally accepted as his irdi-
yidual aCr for there has been no under
standing in any quarter that this subject
was under discussion in the national ocm-
miItee. As no members OF the committee
are now5in the city, the inference cannot
be verified or dispToved But it is not IN
likely that it was talked about by members
either formally or informally. Whether
this Toe so OF not, the new regulations pre-
scribsd by Mr.. Hanna are said to be whole
some and ere also simple enough.
All delegates are to be elected at least
thirty days before the meeting OF the con-
vention, and, in the case Of the delegates at
large at least thirty days notice must be
given in the newspapers in advance of the
meeting Of the State conventions which are
10 select them. All district conventions
must be called in precisely the same man
ner as thu district conventions which nom
( mate candidates for the House CT Repre-
/ sentatiyes.
An Interesting BiI.-A bill will be
/ presented by Representative Brosius OF
] Pennsylvania for the relief of the employees
of William NJ Jacobs. of Lancaster, in that
State When the cigar factory OF Jacobs
the counterfeiter, was seized by the Coy
| ernment officials last April ten days wages
were due 100 employees, aggregating 81 700
/ Ever since the cCnfsCation attorneys have
been making efforts TO secure the payment
OF the claims and recently they received
communication from Washington stating
that the payment could only be made by
| special act OF Congress. authorizing The
/ Commissioner of Internal Revenue TO set
lie the claim.
\ National Insurance Commissions
A Senator who has been strong advocate
Of the project TO establish a national in
surance commission, in speaking to a mum
Der of his friends a few days ago of the i'm
portance of insurance said: Why. in lii
insurance alone the American people ar
paving each year nearly $3.50 600, 600 fo
premiums. which means that they have 81.
332, eco 600 invested fer the benefit Of thei
future widows and orphans. In the yea
1887 American life Insurance companie
paid ont s139 000 coo mainly to the fam
iies OF the deceased policy holders. Thes
figures show that there is scarcely a famil
in the land which is not interested in them
This is also true Of ether forms Of insur
ance and II is certain that the hopes an
7 happiness and interests, OF millions Of OIL
, | citizens are involved in that great economy
For these reasons believe that every ef
fort should be made to place all forms @
/ insurance on as sound basis as possible
and the best way OF accomplishing thi
object is to place the matter in the hand
of a commissioner appointed by the Presi
] dent to regulate and enforce insuranc
laws.
NHshviIIe's n.-Representatiy
, Gaines of Tennessee is the author Of bi
uAIGttlu5 t4it s7SNit tIetiE u " al ~ A~ee'e
from the gunboat Nashville the gun whic
fred the first shot in the Spanish war an
deliver ir 10 the city Of Nashville where
is 10 be placed in one Of the public square
The proposition is said to have originate
l. with the municipal council at Nashvill,
d Mr. Gaines in the Introductory paragrap
e of the bill took occasion to laud the Stat
s of Tennessee in the following manner:
Whereas Tennessee yulor made American ind,
o pendeu,e- possible by turning back al King
!, Mountain the tide Of defeat and misfortune th4
b4d tlfgu almost made thc Revolution = failure