The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-29


now coming in for &
growing share of pubic
attention in the November Forum
Or Carroll. United States special COM
missioner to that island, argued
strenuously for the erection Of Porto
Rico into a territory, with full terri
torial privileges and prospects. includ-
ing the prospect of ultimate statehood;
but in the December issue of the same
magazine Hon. II. G. Curtis, a member
of the insular commission. takes issue
on this recommendation and, it seems
to us, establishes his point.
Judge Curtis concurs fully in
all that DR.. Carroll so elo-
ouently said in behalf of the
Porto Rican people and in respect
to the unfairness of keeping them sus-
pended, as now, between heaven and
earth, with the markets of both the
United states and the remainder Of the
world closed against them, but he differs
as to the remedy. The territorial form
Of government he points out, puts its
benenciaries, regardless of fitness, alb
ruptly on all fOurs with the inhabit-
ants Of our Oldest and best civilized
states; destroys at once all tariff bar
riers whether needless or needed; ends
all restrictions upon the migration Of
undesirable peoples between the terri
! tory and the other integral parts of the
! United States, and necessitates the
! appointment Of judges for life, besides
! implying statehood as an end. Each
| of these features, under existing cir
! cumstanccs, would. Mr.. Curtis thinks,
| open wide doors to trouble both in
Porto Rico and in the United States.
As an alternative, the judge proposes
! that the president be allowed to con-
tinue, without interference by or sug-
gestion from congress, the government
under military authority, letting it take
such forms and details as experience
shall best approve, until the natives
shall have been educated into prepara-
tion for territorial responsibilities. This
| need not be a military government In
the sense that it would rest on a show
/ of authority or force 1t is we'll under
under his power as commander-in-c chic.
: to govern conquered territory in any
manner that he may see fit until con-
gress specifically takes the responsible
| ity off his hands But to meet more
equitably the exigencies of the present
case, Judge Curtis suggests that con-
gress enact a law providing that when
any foreign country or part of a foreign
country has been conquered by the
army or navy of the United States, ana
is in the possession of the military
authority oc this country, the president
may, as to duties on goods imported
therefrom into the United States, make
such rates or reductions as shall seem
proper while the said country is so held
and occupied by our troops. This would
vest the discretionary power where Il
could be used to meet Immediately an,
intelligently each situation or specia
emergency that might from time tc
time arise and also insure a con,
tinuity of educational and evolutionar,
development in the conquered territory
not possible under the fixed forms O.
congressional enactments.
1t seems to US that Judge Curtis's so,
luton is self-evidently the wise one.
Authoritative denial has been made
Of the stories that the Russian min,
lister Of finance had been guilty O.
irregularities. His guilt consisted. /
seems, of having run afoul of the vel
low journals.