The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-06
Porto Rico.

Will be facilitated by the measures
which / have recommended.
Porto Rico.
/ 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,
and many suggestions made with ref
etence to Alaska, are applicable also
| to Porto Rico.
The system Of civil jurisprudence
now adopted by the people of this
island Is described by competent law
| yers who are familiar with 1t. as thor
! oughly modern and scientific. so far
as II relates to matters of internal
business, trade, production and social
| ana private right In general. The
| cities of the island are governed un-
der charters which probably require
very little or no change. So that with
relation to matters of local concern
and private right, 1t is not probable
that much, If any, legislation is desir-
able; but with reference to public ad-
| ministration and the relations of the
islar to the federal government, there
| are many matters which are Of press
ing urgency. The same necessity ex-
lists Tor legislation on the part of con-
| gress to establish federal courts and
| federal jurisdiction in the island as
has been previously pointed out by me
with reference to Hawaii. Besides the
| administration of justice, there are the
subjects of the public lands; the con-
| troll and improvement of rivers and
harbors; the control of the waters or
streams not navigable. which. under
| the spanish law belonged to the crown
of Spain. and have by the treaty of
| cesslon passed to the United States;
the immigration of people from foreign
countries; the importation Of contract
labor; the imposition and collection of
internal revenue; the application of the
navigation laws; the regulation of the
| current money; the establishment of
| postoffices and post roads: the repula
ton OF tariff rates on merchandise i'm
ported from the island INTO the limited
| states; the establishment of ports Of
entry and delivery; the regulation Of
patents and copyrights; these, with
various other subjects which rest en-
| tlrely within the power of the congress
call for careful consideration and i'm
mediate action.
IL must be borne In mind that sIn,a
| the cession Porto Rico has heen do
MED the principal markets she had
long enjoyed and our tariffs have bann
| continued against her products os
when she was under Spanish SOW
ereignty. The markets Of Spain are
| terms TO which the commerce of all
| nations is subjected. The island Of
| Cuba, which used to buy her cattle
| and tobacco without customs duties
| now imposes the same duties nm,
these products as from any other
country entering her ports. She has
therefore lost her frse intercourse
with spain and Cuba without anv
| compensatinE benefits in the market
4
| in use by our people, and therefore
there was no demand here for this,
| one of her chief products The mar
| kets OF the United States should he
| opened 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 ac-
| cess to our markets
| AS a result of the hurricane which
swept over Porto Rico on the Sth Of
| August. 1899, over 100000 people were
| reduced to absolute destitution. with
out homes and deprived of the naces-
saries of life. To the appeal of the
war department, the people OF the
United States made prompt and geuer-
| Gus response. In addition to the pri-
Vate charity of our people tho war
department hes expended for the re-
| lief of the distressed $780,, ,3f2 63, which
| does not include the cost of transpor-
| tation.
1t is desirable that the government
| of the island under the law of belliger-
ent right, now maintained through the
| executive department. should be super
seded by an administration entirely
! civil in its nature. For present pur-
| poses ! recommend that congress pass
! a law for the organization of a tenn
/ porary government which shall pro-
vide for the appointmenL-by the presi-
! dent, subject TO confirmation by the
senate, of governor aud such other
officers as the general administration
Of the island may require, and that
| for Legislative purposes upon subjects
| of a local nature not partaking of Il
/ federal character n Legislative council,
! composed partly of Porto Ricans and
! partly of citizens of the United States,
! shall be nominated by the president,
| subject to confirmation by the senate,
| their acts to be subject to the ap-
! proVal of the congress or the president
! prior to going into effect. In the nnu-
| inequalities and other local sub-divi-
| sions ! recommend that the principal
| of local self government be applied at
| once, so as to enable the intelligent
/ citizens of the island to participate in
/ their own government and to learn by
! practical experienc" the duties and re-
QuiremcntS of a self contained and
! self governing people. l have not
/ thought it wise to commit the entire
! government Of the island to officers
J selected by the people. because I doubt
! whether in habits, training and OK
| perience they are such as to 1T them
! 10 exercise at once such large degrce
| OF self government. but ii is my judg-
ment and expectation that they will
! soon arrive at an attainment of an
/ experience and wisdom and self cOu-
troll that will Justify comforting upon
them a much larger participation in
the choice of their insular officers.
The fundamental requirement 70:
these people, as for all people, is edu-
cation. The free school house is the
! best preceptOr for citizenship. In the
| introduction of modern educational
! methods care, however, must be eXer-
cised that changes be not made too
! abrutly and that the history and racial
peculiarities of the inhabitants shall
be given due weight Systems of edu-
cation in these new possessions found
! ed upon common sense methods, adapt
| ed to existing conditions and looking
! TO the future moral and industrial ad-
vancement of the people, will commend
to them in a peculiarly effective man
ner the blessings of free government
The love of law and the sense OF
obedience and submission to the law
fully constituted judicial tribunals ara
embedded in the hearts of our people
and any violation of these sentiments
and disregard of their obligations just
ly arouses public condemnation. The
guarantees of life, liberty, and of civil
rights should be faithfully upheld; the
right Of trial by jury respected and de-
| Tended.
Lynching Condemned.
The rule of the courts should assure
the public of the prompt trial of those
| charged with criminal Offenses, and