The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-07
PUERTO RICO POLITICS
General Henry Will Organize New
Party.
HIS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
TWO OLD PARTIES WILL BE
EQUALLY REPRESENTED.
Military Governor Proposes to An
nounce Himself the Leader of
New Party, For the Advancement
Of the Island, and All Are Expect
ed to Join It.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Dec. 15.-One
of the best things for the successful
future of the island of Puerto Rico,
and a measure which promises much
for the islands immediate good govern
ment and political peace, is the gen.
eral assembly, which convenes upon
| Dec. 10, in San Juan. The idea of this
meeting was launched by General
/ Henry a few days after he assumed
control of the islands affairs. His
! letter on the matter suggests and re-
quests that there convene on the 10Th
! instant in San Juan two delegates from
every municipal council in Puerto Rico,
of which there are Seventy-two all told.
One of these delegates will be a. Liberal
| and the other a Radical Thus will the
Islands two parties be evenly repre-
sented. The mayors of the respective
towns will make these appointments of
delegates and they have been cautioned
to do so fairly. They have been told
that if there are no Radicals, for in
| stance in their council, such a man
must be selected from the community
at large. Copies of these instructions
sent to the different mayors have been
placed in the hands of all American
military post commanders and these Of
ficerS have been instructed to see that
the appointments of the delegates be
fairly made.
The purpose of this assembly is,
first, to destroy the impression that
Puerto Rico is governed by one man
power, and second to bring General
Henry into closer contact with the
wishes and desires of the people.
GENERAL HENRY'S PLAN.
When the meeting convenes upon
Dec. 10, General Henry will be present.
He has already made it plainly under
stood that there are to be no personal
pickering and invectiveS, no childish
complaints of political enemies. no eff
forts to further personal VengenceS at
this assembly. Such actions will not be
tolerated for moment. General Henry
will open the meeting by first asking
all the members present of one politi-
cal party to stand up; then the same
request will be made to the members
of the other party. This viii be fol-
lowed by q. few well chosen words from
the general, in which he will say that
he proposes TO organize an
other party, of which he will
be the leader, a party which has
no past history, a party which is
friendly to all men, party which holds
one object and that is the advance
ment, the education, the Improvement,
the prosperity, the peace and future
happiness Of the island of Puerto Rico.
Every man who desires to join this
new party will be asked to arise and it
is expected that every man present
will so do. Those who have not the
manliness and sincerity to answer to
this appeal viii be politely told thai
their presence is no longer wanted.
Ii one can judge from the comments
already current concerning General
Henry's idea, it runs very good
chance of being eminently successful.
It will do more to unite the people of
Puerto Rico than any other thing.
What the country needs is disinterested
and capable leaders and the people will
follow such men like sheep when once
they are convinced OF that leaders /
sincerity. 1t IS doubtful if there are
any such leaders among the Puerto
Ricans themselves; they are too sus-
picious and too cunning to believe in
the integrity and singleness of purpose
of any of their own men. But a man
from the outside world concerning
whose honesty of intention there is no
manner of doubt, could win large and
devoted following in Puerto Rico.
General Henry's letter about this as
sembly was issued Dec. 9, and in Eng
lish. It had to be translated before it
could reach the people and it is only
today that we can get mature criti- ]
cism upon it's import. This Inaugural
ton of broader and better ideas is dis !
concerning to some local politicians, !
and we have had evidences of a recur-
renee to Old political ways and doings; 7
the Spanish translation of the letter
that was first made public was distinct
ly misleading and cbScured certain
points that the general had made most
clear. This chicanery was at once no
ticed and so severely criticised that the
mistake was corrected and the public
were quickly given a truthful rendering
of the American generals energetic and |
promising words.
QUESTION OF FRANCHISE.
General Henry will soon hold cleo
tons in Puerto Rico and he has been |
puzzled how to determine the suffrage.
If he applies the Spanish law every |
man in the land, however ignorant and |
unfit he may be, will have vote aid !
the power will be in the hands of the !
masses. If he makes it imperative that |
a man know how to read and write be- |
fore he can vote, he will take the suff-
frage away from So per cent Of the |
population and this viii give the power
to very small minority. He has de- |
ciGed to arrange il in this way; for the |
present any man can vote who is u |
years old who can read and write or !
who pays taxes.
Puerto Ricos prosperous future is a
matter of the education of her people |
and this can be furthered by reaching |
the best sentiments of the Puerto Ric- /
ans. The first matter General Henry is
taking active measures to develop, en-
large and make possible for all, the lat
ter he is trying to obtain by means of |
his general assembly" set down for
next Monday.
Detroit Free Press.)