The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-20
THEY WANT FREE TRADE
Porto Ricans Demand the Rights
of Americans.
MEMORIAL TO M'KINLEY
They Ask That Military Authority Be
Withdrawn and That the Citizsns
Be Granted the Privileges of
United States Citizens.

Washington, April 19.-Dr. Julio
Henne and NJ. Zeno Claudia to-day pre-
sented to the president a memorial
| drawn up by them as commissioners of
the people of Porto Rico, asking that
exclusive military control over the ISL
ana be Withdrawn and that matters re-
latlng to the various branches of the
| civil government of the island be turn
ed over to the control of the depart
ment in Washington having jurisdiction
over similar matters in the United
States; that the troops in the island be
reduced to the number necessary to gar
rlson the forts and military posts: that
the people of the islands be granted
all the privileges and immunties of
citizens of the United States: that the
people of the island be granted ter
ritorial form of government temporarily
or executive authority be placed in
their hands of a council consisting of
Two members from each of the depart
ments of the island; that a census be
taken so that congress can intelligently
decide upon permanent government
of the island, whether Porto Rico is to
be organized as territory, admitted as
state or disposed of in any other way,
and lastly. that "in compliance with
the provisions Of the United States
constitution trade between the United
States and Porto Rico shall be abso-
lutely free"
The memorial says in part:
Under the provisions of the treaty of
peace which you have just proclaimed
and has thereby become the supreme
law of the land. the island of Porto
Rico, which has an area of about $500
square miles and population of near
ly 100000 inhabitants. has been added
TO the national domain of the United
States. This addition has been made,
as II 1T We're mere conveyance of real
estate without considering the wishes
of the people of the island and contrary
to all presidents which provide Tor
either the political status of the same
inhabitants, the determination Of which
is left to the good will of the congress
of the United States, and the cession
by Spain to the United States her SOW
erelgnty, whether forfeited or not over |
the island of Porto Rico, is. for the
moment, practically contaminated
Under such circumstances, neither |
'lie PIeslueHt VI tl1eH DhtfQ states nor |
the people may ever object to the Per-
to Rican people, a manly, highly edu-
Gated people of the Caucasian race,
feeling apprehensive about the situa-
ton IN which they have been left by |
the treaty, have FASTENED to come be- |
lore you in search of that relief to !
winch under all considerations of JUS |
tice they are certainly entitled
Prior to the proclamation of the |
treaty of peace and the final accept |
ance by the United States Of the con- |
Veyance made to them by Spain. no ac- !
ton, however just in principle or in |
from being premature.
The military occupation of Porto |
Rico by the United States was an act |
or war and as such it belongs to |
sphere where considerations of law or |
reason are left in the background In
ter arma silent leges. But now that
the condition of war has ceased and |
that perfect state of peace exists in |
Porto Rico, de jure as well as de facto.
the moment has arrived for the Porto |
Rican people to give expression of their
wishes.
IF there was any reason. no matter
how strange or unaccountable. not to |
embrace Porto Rico in the declaration
made by congress in section / of the
act approved by you on April 20, 1898,
that the people of Cuba are and of
right ought to be free and independent.
that reason could not go as far as to
declare that the Porto Rican people are
and ought Of right to be deprived of
the inalienable rights, including life,
liberty and the pursuit Of happiness,
with which the creator endowed all
men,"