The Washington weekly post., 1899-12-12

eession Porto Rico has been denied the
principal markets she had long entoYe1
and cur tariffs have been continued
against her pToipcts as when she was Tn
| der Spanish sovereignty. The markets OF
| Spain ara closed 20 her products. except
upon terms TO which the commerce OF
all nations Is subjected. The isla-,' OF
| Cuba. whiSh used to buy her cattle and
| tobacco without customs duties. now I'M
poses the same duties upon these prodlcfs
as from any other country entering her
ports. She has therefore lost her free in
| tercourSe with spain and Cuba without
any eompensating Dement'S in this mar
ket. Her coffee was little known and not
| IN use by our people, and therefore there
was no demand here for this. one OF her
| chief products. The markets Of the Unit
| ed Stats should be 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
| access to ctr markets.
| AS a result of the hurricane which swept
| over Porto Rico on the sth of August lse,
| over 10000 people were reduced to sbso-
| lutte destitution, without homes. and de-
| prived OF the necessaries of life. To the
| appeal Of the War Department the people
4
| generous response In addition to the pri-
vate charity of our people, the War De-
partment has expended for the relief OF
| the distressed Ss2.si263 which does Dot
/ include the cost of transportation.
| II is desirable that the government OIL
\ the island Under the law Of belligerent
right. now maintained through the execu-
I tive department, should be superseded oy
an administration entirely civil in its ma
ture For present purposes I recommeHd
/ that Congress pass law for the orsanl-
| cation of a temporary government, whien
shall provide for the appointment oy Inc
| President. subject to confirmation by the
Senate. OF a governor and such other off,
GERS as the general administration OF the
| island may require, and that for lssis-
| lative purposes upon subjects or iocai
| nature not partaking of a FEDERAL char
| acter a legislative council, composed part
" of Porto Ricans and partly of citizens
of the United States. shall be nominated
and appointed by the President, subject to
confirmation by the Senate, their acts TO
be subject to the approval of the Congress
or the President prior to goining into ef-
feet. In the municipalities and other local
| subdivisions l recommend that the prirl-
ciple Of local self-government be applied
DIT OIcE, so dS 10 SIldDlt Tic lHlCiiScHN
citizens OF the island to participate in their
| own government and to learn by practical
experience the duties and requirements Of
self-contained and self-governing peo-
pie. / have not thought it wise to commit
the entire government of the island to OIL
GERS selected by the people, because /
doubt whether in habits, training, and ex-
perience they are such as to fit them TO
exercise at once so large a degree Of self
government, but it is my judgment and
| expectation that they will soon arrive at
| an attainment of experience and wisdom
and self-cOntrol that will justify confer
| ring upon them a much larger particfpa-
ton in the choice of their insular officers
The fundamental requirement for these
people. as for all people, is education The
free schoolhouse is the best preceptor for
citizenship. In tie introduction Of mod
ern educational methods care, however,
must be exercised that changes be not
made too abruptly and that the history
and racial peculiarities of the Inhabitants
shall be given due weight. Systems Of
education in these new possessions found
ed upon common-sense methods, adapted
to existing conditions and looking TO the
future moral and industrial advancement
of the people, will commend TO them In
a peculiarly effective manner the blessings
of free government.
| subject sfLynchings.
The love of law and the sense Of obedi-
ence and submission to the lawfully con-
stituted judicial tribunals are imbedded
in the hearts of our people. ard any vio-
lation of these sentiments and disregard
of their obligations justly arouses pub
lie condemnation. The guarantees of life,
liberty, and of civil rights should be faith
fully upheld; the right of trial by jury
respected and defended. The rule of the
courts should assure the public of the
prompt trial of those charged with crimi-
nal offenses. and upon conviction the pun
ishment should be commensurate with the
enormity of the crime.
Those who, in disregard of law and the
nublic peace, unwilling to await the judg-
rnent of court and jury, constitute them
selves Judges and execUtioners should not
escape the severest penalties for their
crimes.
What said in my inaugural address OF
March g. 1897, I now repeat:
The constituted authorities must be cheerfullI
and vigorously upheld Lynchings must not b
tolerated in great and civilized country Ike the
United States. Courts. not mobs, must execute the
| penalties or the laws Inc pFeScfFdtfON OF puOils
| order the right Of discussion, the integrity Of
courts. and the orderly administration of iustie.
must continue forever the rock of safety upOr
which our government securely rests
Capital Centennial.
In accordance with the act of Congress
providing for an appropriate national
celebration in the year 1900 Of the estab-
hshment of the seat of government ir the
1 MI L
committee. consisting Of the governors
| of all the States and Territories of the
United States. who have been invited to
assemble in the city of Washington on
the 2lst of December, 1899 which, with
the committees of the Congress and the
District Of Columbia are charged with
the proper conduct of this celebration.
Congress at it's last session appropriated
! IS 900 Ito enable the chief of eneineers
of the army 10 continue the examination
of the subject and 10 make or secure de-
signs, calculations, and estimates for a
memorial bridge from the most cJnyen-
! ;ent point OF the Naval Observatory
: grounds. or adjacent thereto. across the
Potomac River TO the most convenient
point Of the Arlington estate property "
In accordance with the provisions Of this
act the chief Of engineers has select
ed four eminent bridge engineers to sub
nit competitive designs for a bridge com.
bining the elements of strength and dur.
. | ability and such architectural embellish.
ments and ornamentation as will ftly ap.
ply to the dedication. "A memorial to
| American patriotism" The designs are
now being prepared, and as soon as com.
pleted will be submitted TO the Congress
by the Secretary OF War. The proposed
bridge would be a convenience to all tht
; people fNm every part of the country
] who visit the National Cementery, an or
: nament to the Capital of the Nation, AM
forever stand as a monument TO Ameri-
can patriotism. / DO not doubt that Con
! gress will give 10 the enterprise still fur
) ther proof OF its favor and approval
The Civil Service.
The Executive order OF May 6. 1895, ex-
tending the limits of the classified ser.
vice. brought within the operation CT the
civil-seryice Law and rules nearly all OF
the executive civil service not previously