The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-31
FRANCHISE IS DENIED
Civil Government Recommended
for Porto Rico.
With TROOPS BEHIND IT
privilege OF Trial by Jury Is Granted in
Only Exceptional Cases-English
Is Made the Official
Language.

Washington, Aug. 3O.-The insular
commission, consisting of General Ken
nedy, Judge Curtis and Major Wat
kins, which has given six months
study to the conditions of Porto Rico,
to-day made its report to Secretary
Root 1t recommends a form of civil
government for the island, to take the
place of the present military regime,
and submits for adoption code of
laws. These laws it recommends should
be placed in operation by the 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 constitutional territory of Che
United States. The code of laws and
the civil government proposed do not
give to Porto Rico the elective fran
chise for any offices nor extend to them
the privilege of trial by jury except in
United States courts in cases of felonies
or civil cases involving any amount in
excess of $500. 1t recommends that the
military force remain in the island but
this is kept in the background and
touch the people only with a soft hand
English is to be made the official Ian
guage of the island. but for the present
all except the federal courts are to be
conducted 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 law
and principles of equity to be in future
the law of the land where no specific
direction Is found in the code.
In place of the Spanish system of
is-
vided; supreme court, district court
and probate court, with limited civil
and criminal jurisdiction, ami justices
of the peace and police courts in the
cities; also federal court to have eH-
elusive jurisdiction of all federal queS-
lions and consequent jurisdiction in
civil and criminal matters. There are
to be five supreme judges, three of
whom are to be American and two ma
tives
complete civil. county, township
and city government is to be provided
and all officials of the civil admins
tration are to be natives. the higher
officers to be appointed by the presi-
dent, the others by the governor gem
eral and the county commissioners.
A public school system, with provis-
ion for a superintendent and board of
public instruction and complete sys-
tenn of public schools conducted in
vided, and also night schools for litter
ate adults. The right to teach Spanish
where demanded is given
Full general corporation and railroad
laws, with the right of emlue 1t donna n,
are provided, thus opening the Island
to competition and ending the system
of franchises to favored corporations.
All taxes which bear heavily on the
poor and all double taxes on lon-resi-
dents are abrogated. A marriage law
is provided like those in the states,
with a plan for legalizing consent mar
riage and legitimatizing children, cne-
half of whom on the island were horn
out of wedlock
The commission recommends that the
proposed code be put into effect at once
by the president without waiting FOR
congress to legislate on the question,
saying that the people or the island are
in distress and are still being oppressed
by the old Spanish laws and cus+ pms,
leaving for congress the question of
such after-legslation as may be deem
ed best.
The commission states that the Porto
Ricans have lost their markets IN Spain
for their coffee by reason of increased
duties, and the industry is now Ian
gushing for want of an immediate
market for their production: that many
of the people are dependent upon this
industry for employment and subsist-
ence, and that there must be distress
until the coffee raisers and coffee hand
lers can build up a trade with the
United States, and it recommends that
the government of the United States
purchase the coffee for our army and
navy in Porto Rico.
Porto Rico" says the commissioner,
lis now part of the United States,
and the protection of home industries
and the defense and care of our own
nNta1a .F -;
Piles of our government"