New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-31
NEWLAWS FOR PORTO RICO.
CODE PREPARED BY THE 1NSULAR
COMMISSION.
FORM OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT FOR THE
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AMERICAN sYs-

FL
washington Aug. 3O-The Insular Com'nlS.
ito, cons,et,ne Of General Kennedy Judge
Curtis and Major Watkins. which mas CIV"
v,o,,bs, stu6v ~ the condition Of the islaho ''
porto Rico to-day made It's report TO SecIe'a''
Pc, II recommends a form Of civil govern
,,ont fortbc island 10 take the place OF the pres
emf military rule and submits cooe Oh D" u
FOR adoption These laws. II reC'H'''''.''
Should he placed in operation ny executive ~
cree arguing that enactment OF general laws W
CONGRESS would change the status OF the lsIah'
toward this country and make II part OF INC
constitutional territory OF the United states.
The code Of laws and the civil government
rronosej DO not give the Porto Ricans the cleo
tive franchise for any Offices and do not eN'enu
n them the privilege Of trial by jury except
in United States courts, in cases Of felonies IN
volvine an amount I'm excess Of $500 II recon-
y,ends that the military force remain I'm the
island but be kept in the background and
touch the people only with soft hand Eng
ush is 10 be made the official language OF the
island but for the present the proceedings or
All except the Federal courts are 20 he conducted
in Spanish.
The code abrogates an Spanish law and royal
DEGREES and an systems 81 procedure and sub
stitutes the provisions ~ the code modelled after
the laws Of the States Of the Union. and declares
the common law and principles Of equity 10 be
in future the law Of the land where no specific
direction is found IN the code
COURTS AND JUDGES
In place Of the Spanish system Of courts an
American system is provided: a Supreme Court,
a District Court and a Probate Court with
limited civil and criminal Jurisdiction. and
justices ~ the peace and police courts in the
cities. also a Federal Court 10 have exclusive
Jurisdiction ~ all Federal questions and concur
rent Jurisdiction IN civil and criminal matters.
There are 10 he five supreme Court Judges,
three Of whom are % he Americans and two
natives; two Federal judges three district
judges and eleven probate Judges one At
torney General and one deputy. one district at
torney and two deputies one United States
marshal and two deputies. one reporter. one
clerk and one deputy Of the Supreme Court one
clerk and two deputies Of the Federal court.
with prosecuting attorney in each Of the seven
judicial districts Of the island and an interpret
er for each court
complete civil county. township and city
government is 10 be provided and all the Off
GERS OF the civil administration are 10 be ma
tives the higher officers 10 ne appointed by the
President. the others by the Governor General
and the County Commissioners. The bound
aries Of the civil divisions Of the island are 10
follow the present Spanish boundaries
AN AMERICAN PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
A public school system with provisions for
superintendent and Board Of Public Instruc-
ton. ana a complete system Of public schools
conducted in English by American teachers, is
provided. and also night schools for nliterate
adults The right 10 teach Spanish when de-
manded is given
Full general corporation and railroad laws
with the right Of eminent domain, are provided
thus opening the island to competition and
ending the system Of franchises 10 favored cor
porations. All taxes which bear heavily on the
poor and all double taxes on non-residents are
abrogated A marriage law is provided like
those IN the States, with a plan for legalizing
consent marriages and legitimauzing children
half Of those in the island having been born
out Of wedock
Highway and poor laws are provided and
the courts are to have full power 20 issue writs
Of habeas corpus. lnjunCtlons. etc
Speedy trials. with humane punishment are
sought 20 he secured by the code Foreclosure
Of mortgages and the redemption Of property
are provided for on the American plan.
The Commission recommends that this code
be put into effect at once by the President with
out waiting for Congress 10 legisate on the
question, saying that the PEOPLE Of the island
are in distress and are stl being oppressed by
the old Spanish laws and customs leaving for
Congress the question of such after legislation
es may be deemed best
MARKET FOR PORTO RICAN COFFEE.
The Commission says that the Porto Ricans
have lost their markets in Spain for their cot
fee by reason Of increased du. and the In
dustry is now languishng for want Of an i'm
mediate market for their productions: that
many Of the people are dependent on this in
dustry for employment and subsistence and
that there must he distress until the coffee rails
nd coffee handlers can flIif7 IN +rs5a
with the United States, and IT recommends
that the Government of the United States mr.
chase the coffee FOR the Army and Navy in
Porto Rico which II IS said, produces as fine
coffee as is found I'm the world. and thus give
the soldiers and sailors the best Of coffee and
at the same time relieve the distressed condition
Of the Porto Rican people
Porto Rico" says the Commission is nov, a
part of the United States and the protection -
nome industries and the defence and care If
our own people are recognized principles Of
our Government. There IS neither wisdom
nor patriotism in purchasing q foreign pro-
auction Of coffee % he sent 70 our soldiers In
Porto Rico. while the coffee fields and the in
dustries OF the people Of that island are ian
, gushing and I'm distress"
PROMPT ACTION URGED.
The Commission also presented 10 Secretary
Root a letter setting forth in an interesting
manner the general conditions prevailing in
Porto Rico. and the chief probl,n ms presented
IN extending American rule 10 the island and
particularly urging prompt action to relieve
the distress and depression incident to the pres
ent unsettled state Of affairs. AS 10 the general
need Of an American system in Porto Rico. the
letter says:
No otaer matters demand such Immediate and
pIompl attention as these. Il Is a matter ~ i'm
peiauVe necessity that these people be speedily
renewed from their present conditions and from the
systems or oppression under which they have been
iaCQrMs foT hundreds OF years. A horde OF office
nsoidsIs Is eatng up the substance OF the people;
the taxes. gathered from every possible source are
not used for their benefit but for their OpDrcssior
and they are receiving nothing In return for the
great burdens imposed upon them
We nave materially reduced the number OF office
holders throughout the island: az tho same lime wa
nave given them system Of greater efficiency
The Commission then outlines 4 plan OF nublic
improvements through the island whereby the
pcOulp NAV find work