The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1899-12-08

rallc which under the Spanish law. be-
longed to the crown Of Spain, and have by
the treaty Of rrssinn passed TO the
United states: the immigration Of people
from foreign countries: the importation
Of contract la ,or; the imposition and col
lection of internal revenue; the applca
zion of the navigation laws; the regula-
ton of the current money; the establish |
meat of posto'1ccs and post roads; the
regulation of tariff rates on merchandise
imported from the island into the United
States; tho establishment of ports OF en-
TRY and delivery: the regulation of patents
and copyrights; these, with various other
subjects. which rest entirely within the
power of the congress, call for careful
consideration and immediate action.
/, must be borne in mind that since the
rcSsion Porto Rico has been denied tic
markets she had long enjoyed ana our
tariffs have been continued against her
products as when she was under Spanish
~. ,rcignty. The markets OF Spain are
close" 10 her products, except upon terms
10 which the commerce. of all nations IS
subjected. Tia. island Of Cuba, which
used to blIv her cait lie and tobacco without
customs ,iuti =, now imposes the same
duties upon these products as from any
OlItF f'IiiETN t'i' ring ntI poltS' '7HS
has. therefore lost her free intercourse
with Spain and Cuba without any com
pcns;,ting benefits in this market. Her
coffee was little known and not in use by
our people, and therefore there IVES no de-
mand here for it, one of her chief pro-
ducts The markets of the United States
should he opened up to her products. Our
plain duty i, 10 abolish All customs tariffs
between the United States and Porto
Rico and give her products free access to
our markets.
AS IL result of the hurricane which
swept over Porto Rico on the Sth of Au-
gust, 1899, over l0O.oOO people were reduced
to absolute dcstitution, without homes
and deprived of the necessaricS of life. To
the appeal of the war department the peo-
pie of the United States made prompt and
generous rrspons. In addition to the
private charity of our people the war dc
Lnrtment has expended for the relief Of
the distressed 1892 ,:I42 63, which does not
include the cost of transportation
Fav"rs installation of Civil Government.
IL is desirable that the government of
the islands under the law of bclligercnt
right, now maintained through the ex-
ocutlvc department., should be superseded
| nature. For present purposes l recon-
mend that congress pass .aw for the or
guniZation OF II temporary government
which shall provide for the appointment
by the president, subject to confirmation
by tho senate, of q governor and such
other officers rs the general administra-
on Of the island may require, and that
for legislative purposes on subjects of a
| local nature not partnking of Il federal
character IL legislative council, composed
partly of Porto Ricans and partly of citi-
Zens of the United States, shall be nolni-
mated and appointed by the president,
| subject to confirmation by the senate
their acts being subject to the approval Of
the congress or the president prior to
going into effect. In the municipalities
and other local subdivisions it is recon-
mended that the principle of local
self government be applied at once,
so rs to enable the intelligent
citizens of the island to participate in
their own government and to learn by
practical experience the duties and re-.
quircments of II self-containei and a self
governing people. l have not thought 1t
wise to ommit the entire government Of
the island to oil :.rs selected by the peo-
pie. because doubt that their habits,
their training and experience are such as
to fit them to exercise at once so large a
degree of government but it is my
Judgment and expectation that they will
soon arrive at an attainment Of expert
ence and wis ,om and selfcontrol that
will justify comforting upon them much
larger participation in the choice of their
insular officers.
The fundamental principle for these
people, as for all other people, is educa,
ton. The frce school house is the best
prec,ptor for free citizenship. In the in.
PRODUCTION OF modern educational meth.
DDS, care, however, must De exercised
that changes be not made too abruptly
and that the history and racial peculiar
tiles of the inhabitants shall be given due
weight. Systems of education in these
new possessions, founded upon common
sense methods adapted to existing con1i-
lions and looking to the future movement
and industrial advancement of thepeo-
pie, will commend to them III q peculiarly
effective manner the blessings OF free
go ernmcnt.
Civil Service Amendments.
The executive order of May 8, 1896, cx.
tending the limits Of the classified service,
brought within the operation of the civil
service law aud rules nearly all of the civil
service places not previously classified
Some Of the inclusions We're found wholly
Illogical, and unsuited to the work of the
several departments The application of
the rules TO many OF the places so included
was found to result in friction and EN- bar.
rassment. After long and very careful
considerationit became evident to the
heads of the departments, responsible for
| "a hat t,Y Hrfln 20
these difficulties amendments were neces
sary. These amendments We're promul
g.ted by me in order dated n arch 20
1859. The principal purpose of the
order was to except from competi
tive examination certain places in
volving fduciary responsibilities O
duties Of q strictly confidential, scientific
or executive character which 1t wa
thought might better be filed either by
non competitive examination, or in tn,
discretion Of the appointing officer, tina,
by open competition. These places wer'
comparatively few in number. The orde
provides for the t1lling Of much larger
number of places mainly in the OUTSIDE
service Of the war department, by wha
Is known as the registration system
under regulations to he approved by thu
president, similar to those which have
produced such admirable results in tn,
navy yard service. All Of the amend
meDts had for their main object o NOR
efficient and satisfactory administration
of the appointments established b. tn,
civil service law. Tho results attained
show that under their operation the pub
lie service has improved and that the civil
service system Is relieved of many objec
tionable features which heretofore sub
jeoted 1t to just criticism and the admin
istrative officers to the charge Of unbusi
nesslike methods In the conduct Of public