The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-12-02


diers in the Philippines from disease is
only 1920 per cent. clearly less than In
Washington, Boston, San Francisco, New
York and Baltimore. The eosdiers killed.
in battle and dying OF wounds numbered
AT and the entire mortality was s4S for
the past ten months.
The secretary deals at length with the
the fact that the treaty of Paris places
in congress alone the determination of the
civil rights and political status of the
native inhabitants of the territories coded
to the United States.
He argues that this Limitation com.
pletely dcprives these people of the
right to have the islands treated
as Stntes or az territory previOusiy
acquired has been treated, or even
to assert u legal right under the
provisions Of the constitution which
was for the people al
the United states themselves.
Nevertheless, he ASSUMES that the inten-
ton Is to give to them, to the greatest
possible extent, individual freedom, self
government In accordance with their ca
pacity, just and equal law, an opportun-
ity for education. for profitable industry
and for development and civilization.
s.ss
He takes up Porto Rico first, as pre-
senting the simplest problem, and after
discussing the present conditions there
emphasizing the ignorance of the people
of any modern system of government. he
holds that they should be provided with
the kind of administration TO which VIC
have been accustomed, with just as much
participation ON their part as Is possible
without enabling their ine&perience TO
make it Ineffective. The secretary lays
stress upon past failures because of the
refusal of a defeated minority to partlci-
pate further in government, whlch ne says
is precisely the cause of the continual
revolutions in the West Indies and Central
America and makes rudimentary stage OF
political development.
To NEE. the case he suggests a statu-
tory declaration as to what laws shail be
extended to the Porto Rtcans, with pro-
visions for Federal officers To execute them
and for a Federal judiciary with appeal TO
the United States supreme court. There
should be form of local insular govern
ment subject to congressional limitation,
a governor appointed by the president ana
confirmed by the senate; the chief oihcers
appointed In like manner and legislative
the State and a minority selected by the
president from the citizens of the island
The municipalities are to be governed
by mayors and councils elected by them,
with officers subject to removal by the
governor. 1t would n better TO walt for
a time before an elective legislature Is
permitted. Suffrage should be limited to
those who read and write or own small
amount of property. Porto Ricans should
be chosen for offices they are able TO MI.
American officers should be limited IN
number to the barest necessities and
should then be chosen by civil service
methods. Education should be al the cost
of the community, betrayed from the IN
sular treasury and II necessary, assisted
by the United States. The Spanish civil
code should be continued In force with
such radical notifications as experience
suggests The secretary says that the
trouble has not been that the law was
or vicious. but that 1t was never
fairly and honestly administered. Amy
attempt to substitute In these Southern
islands system of laws based on the
experience and characteristics Of New
England community would be both OPP
)ressiye and futile. IT Is pointed out that
a similar course to that above outlined,
was successfully followed by our service In
Louisiana and by the English in Lower
Canada.
Much stress is laid on the industrial dis
Iress resulting from the inability OF the
Porto Ricans 10 market their goods owing
10 the withdrawal OF the Spanish market.
which was their former reliance, and TO
,ur own tariff. The secretary says 1t is'
essential that Porto Rico should receive
the same treatment ut our
lands that she received from Spain while
/ colony, and that the markets OF the
United States should be opened TO her
as were the markets OF Spain and Cuba
before the transfer Of allegiance.
Concerning Cubn. the report says
the control which we are exercising
In trust for the people OF Cuba
.lionId not aud. of course. Will not
he continued amy longer than -
n necessary 10 enabie the people to
establish n suitable government To
which the control shall be trans
which shall really represent
The people Of Cuba and be able 10
order md discharge inter
obiigafiOns.
That government. when established,
must solve for Cuba the problems we are
o solve as TO Porto Rico. The conduct
If the Cubar people is said To be admir- /
lille. There have been agltators. but the