The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-06

under our system was not effected
While the municipal laws of the Islands
not enacted for the fulfillment of treaties
and not inconsistent with the joint reso-
luton or contrary to the constitution of
the United States or any of its treaties,
remain IN force. yet these laws relate
only to the social and internal affairs of
the Islands, and do not touch many sub
jects of Importance which are of broad
er national character. For example, the
Hawaiian republic was Invested of all
title to the public lands in the islands,
ana IS without power to give camplete
title in cases where lands have been en-
tered upon under lease or other condi-
tons which carry with them the right
TO the purchaser lessee or settler to
have a full title granted to him upon
compliance with the conditions pre-
scribed by law or by his particular
agreement of entry.
MANY QUESTIONS TO BE SETTLED.
Questions of doubt and difficulty have
aiso risen with reference to the collectlon
OF tonnage tax on vessels coming from
Hawaiian ports; with reference to the
status of Chinese in the islands, their
entrance and exit therefrom; as to pat
ents and copyrights; as to the register of
vessels under the navigation laws; as to
the necessity of holding elections in &C
cordance with the provisions of the Ha-
Waiian statutes for the choice of various
officers, and as to several other matters of
detail touching the interests both of the
island and Of the federal government.
BY the resolution of annexation, the
president was directed to appoint five
commissioners to recommend to congress
such legislation concerning the islands as
they should deem necessary or proper.
These commissioners were duly appointed,
and after a careful investigation and
study of the system Of laws and govern
ment prevailing in the islands, and of the
conditions existing there, they prepared
bill to provide a government under the
title of 1.-The Territory of Hawaii" The
report of the commission, with the bill,
which they prepared was transmitted by
me to congress on Dec. 6, 1898, but the bill
still awaits final action.
The people of these islands are entitled
to the benefits and provisions of our con-
stitution, but in the absence of any act of
congress providing for federal courts in
the Islands, and for a procedure by which
appeals, writs of error and other judicial
proceedings necessary for the enforce
ment of civil rights may be prosecuted
they are powerless to secure their en-
forcement by the judgment of the courts
of the United States. 1t is manifestly
important, therefore, that an act shall be
passed as speedily as possible erecting
tbs Sc islands into a judicial district, pro-
Viding for the appointment of a judge and
other proper officers and methods of pro-
cedure in appellate proceeding, and that
the government of this newly acquired
territory, under the federal constitution,
shall be fully defined and provided for.
NEEDS OF ALASKA.
A necessity for immediate legislative re-
lief exists in the territory of Alaska. Sub
stantially the only law providing for civil
government for this territory Is the act of
May II, 1884 This is meagre in its provi-
sions, and is fitted only for the admin
| istration of affairs in country sparsely
1 inhabited by civilized people and unim-
po9rtant IN trade and production, as was
Alaska at the time the act was passed.
| The increase in population by immigra-
ton during the past few years, consequent
upon the discovery of gold, has produced
4 III
| facilities for local self-government and
more numerous conveniences of civil and
| judicial administration. Settlements have
grown up in various places constituting
| In point of population and business cities
| of thousands of inha bitants, yet there is
no provision of law under which a mu-
ntcipality can be organized or maintained.
LAWS FOR PORTO RICO.
| The system of civil jurisprudence now
/ adopted by the people of this island is de-
/ seribed by competent lawyers who are
/ familiar with it as thoroughly modern
and scientific, so far as it relates to mat
| tiers of internal business, trade, production
| and social and private right in general.
! The cities of the island are governed un-
! der charters which probably require very
| little or no change. So that with rela-
| ton to matters of local concern and pri-
! vate right, it is not probable that much
! II any Legislation is desirable; but with
reference to public administration and
| the relations of the island to the federal
/ government there are many matters
| which are of pressing urgency. The
| same necessity exists for legislation on
| the part of congress to establish federal
courts and federal jurisdiction In the ISL
and as has been previously pointed out by
me with reference to Hawaii. Besides
| the administration of Justice there are
the subjects of the public lands; the con-
troll and improvement of rivers and har-
! bers; the control of the waters or streams
not navigable, which under the Spanish
law belonged to the crown of Spain, ana
! have by the treaty of cession passed to
the United States; the immigration of
people from foreign countries; the i'm
| portation of contract labor; the imposi-
| ton and collection of internal revenue;
the application of the navigation laws;
| the regulation of the current money; the
/ establishment of post offices and post
roads; the regulation of tariff rates on
mechandise imported from the island into
the not United nj States The establishment Of
| ton of patents and copyrights; these,
| with various other subjects which rest
| entirely within the power of congress, call
! for careful consideration and immediate
action.
! 1t must be borne in mind that since the
| cession, Porto Rico has been denied the
| principal markets she had long enjoyed
| and our tariffs have continued against
| ner products as when she was under
Spanish sovereignty. The markets of
|
| upon terms to which the commerce of all
| nations is subjected. The island of Cuba
| which used to buy her cattle and tobacco
| without customs duties, now imposes the
! same duties upon these products as from
! any other country entering her ports
| She has therefore lost her free intercourse
with Spain, and Cuba without any COM
| pensating benefits in this market 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
I flQF saV.1rd
| States should be opened up to her pro-
| ducts. Our plain duty is to abolish all
! customs tariffs between the United States
! and Porto Rico and give her products
| free access to our markets.
AS a result of the hurricane which
! swept over Porto Rico on the Sth of Au-
! gust, 1899, over 100 600 people were reduced
| to absolute restitution, without homes,
! and deprived of the necessaries of life
| To the appeal of the war department, the
people of the United States made prompt
| and generous response. In addition to
| the private charity of our people, the war
! department has expended for the relief
! of the distressed 1892. 342 g. which does
not include the cost of transportation.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE
GIVEN AT ONCE.
1t is desirable that the government of
! the island under the law of beligerent
| right, now maintained through the execu-
tive department, should be superseded by
! an administration entirely civil in its
| nature. For present purposes l recon-
mend that congress pass a law for the
| organization Of a temporary government
| which shall provide for the appointment
| by the president, subject to confirmation
| by the Senate of a governor and such
/ other officers as the general administra-
! ton of the islands may require, and that
! for legislative purposes upon subjects of
| a local nature not partaking of federal
character a legislative council composed
| partly of Porto Ricans and partly of citi-
zens of the United States shall be nomi-
mated and appointed by the president
| subject to confirmation by the Senate