The Portland daily press., 1899-08-31
A System Of Government Ere.
posed.
1t Places Military in the
Back Ground.
A Complete System of Public
Schools Included.

Washington, August 30 The insular
commission, consisting Of General KEN
nedy, Judge Curtis and Major Watkins,
which has given six months study to the
condition OF the island OF Porto Rico,
today. made its report to Secretary koot.
1t recommends form o civil govern
ment Of the islands TO take the place of
the present military regime and su bmits
for adoption code of laws. These laws
1t says should be placed In operation by
executive decree, arguing that cong res
sional enactment of gen sral laws would
change the status of the island towards
the United States and make 1t part Of
the constitutional territory of the United
States. The code of laws and the civil
government proposed do not give the
Porto Ricans the elective franchise for
any offices nor extend to them the privii.
ege of trial by jury, except In United
States courts In cases of felonies involv-
ing an amount In excess OF $500. 1t rec
ommends that the military force remain
In the island but be kept In the back
ground and touch the people only with a
soft hand. English Is to be made the
official language of the island. but for
the present all except the federal courts
are to be conducted in Spanish.
In place of the Spanish system Of
courts an American system is provided.
A complete OWL county township and
city government is to be provided and all
the officers OF the civil administration are
to be natives, the higher officers to be
appointed by the President, ths others by
the governor general and the county
commissioners.
| A complete system of public schools,
conducted In English by American teach
/ ers, Is provided.
Full general corporation and railroad
laws with the right Of eminent domain
are provided.
A marriage law is provided like those
In the States with Dlan for legalizing
consent marriages.
| Speedy trials, coupled with humane
punishment are sought to DO seoureu py
The commission recommends that
/ the government of the United States
purchase the coffee for our army and navy
In Porto Rico which, the commission
says. produces as fine coffee as is found
| In the world.
The commission also presented to Score.
tnry Root joint letter setting forth the
general conditions prevailing In Porte
| Rico.
AS showing the Immediate need or lega
tribunals, the fact Is cited that ia prison
ers at San Juan are held awaiting trial
In this list IL prisoners have been con
fined from ten months TO nearly sevt I
years without trial and in some instances
without charges of any kind agains
them. One man has been confined foul
years, nine months and IA days awaiting
btrial, and one woman has been confines
In this same jail for three years and 2
days without trial and no charges of an,
kind are, placed againstl her.
as to future action by Congress, thu
letter says:
"The adoption of this code will In Il
manner interfere with any action Con
gress may see fit TO take. To await th
action of Congress is simply to delay f.
an indefinite period the relief which thes
people have been so long expecting an
for which they are daily becoming NOR
and more clamorous.