New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-06

other judicial proceedings necessary for the
enforcement of civil rights may be prosecuted
.heE are poWerless to secure their enforcement
py the judgment of the courts of the limited
states. il Is manifestly important therefore
that an act shall be passed as speedily as pos
sIoIe erecting these Islands into judicial dis
ulCI providing Tor the appointment OF judge
ana other proper officers and methods Of pro-
ceoure In appellate proceedings and that the
government of this newly acquired territory
under the Federal Constitution shall be fully
defined and provided for.
LEGISLATIVE RELIEF FOR ALASKA
necessity for immediate legislative relief
exists In the territory Of Alaska. Substantially
the only law providing a civil government for
inns Territory is the act Of May II. 1884 This
is meagre in its provisions and Is fitted only for
me administration Of affairs in a country sparse
~ inhabited by civilized people and unimpor-
tant in trade and production, Alaska
at the time this act was passed. The increase
in population by immigration during the last
Few years. consequent upon the discovery Of
gold, has produced such a condition as calls for
more ample 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 or
inhabitants. yet there is no provision OF law
under which municipality can be organized or
maintained
In some localities the inhabitants have met
together and voluntarily formed a municipal or
Ganizauon for the purposes OF local government
adopting the form OF a municipal constitution
and charter under which said officials nave
been appointed. and ordinances creating and
regulating a police force, fire department,
department Of health, and making provision
for the care OF the insane and INDECENT poor and
sick and for public schools. have been passed
These proceedings and the ordinances passed
by such municipalities are without statutory
authority. and have no sanction except as they
are maintained by the popular sentiment OF the
community. There is an entire absence OF au.
thority 10 provide the ordinary instruments OF
ADMINISTRATION,
ulation consisting OF the usual percentage OF
lawless adventures Of the class that always
focks to new fields Of enterprise or olscoveI I?
and under circumstances which require more
than ordinary provision for the maintenance OF
peace. good order and lawful conduct
The whole vast area OF Alaska comprises Dut
one judicial district with one judge, one Harsnai
and one district attorney, yet the civil and GRIM
inal business has more than doubled WITHIN 'ie
last year, and is many times greater potH oc ~
volume and importance than IL was III 1Oo1;
The duties Of the judge require hlm 10 uaFei
thousands Of miles TO discharge ms yuu!Giat
duties at the various places deslgnaseu ios ,n.o
purpose The Territory should be dlVloeu Ihto
~ least two districts. and an additional yuuse,
district attorney marshal and other appropriate
officers be provided &c.,, s,, 10 gov,
eminent in the Territory. There Is no aulhoII'!,
except in Congress, 10 pass any law ~ iI.e
how local or trivial and the difficulty or convey,
ing 10 the Congress an adequate conception anu
understanding Of the various neeus Vi Ihe Pe5PS
in the different communities Is eaS4lS ~. -
stood ! see no reason why a. more . -
form Of Territorial organization shouIu ny &c
,,ynI-idad Following tn precedent established
in the year Of 1S0J. when temporary eoNe1Inl
rnent was provided Tor the recently aCqu!ieu
Territory then known under the name ol
ana Il seems TO me that II would De duN aII'o
reous 10 confer greater executive power upon
the Governor and to establish. as was zone III
the case Of the Territory or LOUISIANA d res
lative council having power 10 adopt ORDINANCES
which shall extend to all the righuul sub1ects VI
local legislation, such ordinances not 70 Idhe
effect until reported 10 and approved py lne IN ~
gress If in session, and II that DuuH II ~ ~
session then by the President. In TINS manner d
system Of laws providing for the incorporation
and government Of towns ana cites haNlHs
certain population, giving them the power 10
establish and maintain a system or education 10
be locally supported, and ordinances pfoVi9Ihhs
for sanitary and other such purposes couIu pe
speedilv provided. ! believe provision OF tIi4S
kind would be satisfactory TO the people or the
Territory 1t is probable that the area ~ 700
vast and the population too scattered anu
transitory to make II wise at the present tfne 10
provide for an elective legislative body, but the
conditions calling for local self-government wllI
undoubtedly very soon exist, ana VIII De Iacn l
tated by the measures which / have recon-
mended.
THE GOVERNMENT OF PORTO RICO
I recommend that legislation TO the same end
be had with reference to the government q.
Porto Rico. The time is ripe for the adoptIoh VI
a temporary form Of government FOR thls IsiS1iiu,
and many suggestions made with reference 10
Alaska are applicable also 20 Porto RICO
The system Of civil Jurisprudence now aoopleu
nv, the neople OF this island is described by com
petent lawyers who are familiar with IL a. a.
thoroughly modern and scienthc, so far as IL
relates 10 matters of internal business, traoe'
production and social and private Tight IN gen
eral The cities of the island are governed uhueT
charters which probably require very Itlie VI ~
change that with relation 10 HhatteLs ~, "a 49,
concern and private right It is not propaDle ina
much If any legislation is desirable put win
reference to public administration ana me Iela.
tons Of the island 10 the Federal GoVeIIhi ~
there are many matters when are VI P4
URGENCY The same necessity exists Tor leglsld-
tCn on the part Of Congress 10 estapiish -
eral courts and Federal jurisdiction In the lslaiiu
as has been previously pointed out by me win
reference to Hawaii Besides the administrator
Of Justice there are the subjects OF the puDHc
lands; the control and Improvement OF IIVeds
and harbOrs; the control OF the "aSeI9 ~, "
etrearos not naVigable. which under the spanish
law belonged to the Crown OF Spain, ana nav
NV the treaty Of cessiOn passed TO the Ch4teu
states. the immigration Of people from lorelsh
countries; the importation or contract IdDol, .ne
irnDositlon and collection Of internal revenue
~ o1rlicat lion OF the navigation laws; the regu-
Ia ton Of the current money; the U
nostoffices and postrOads; the reputation Vi taI'i
ates ON merchandise imported from Inc ls!dHu
INTO the United States; the establishment %
ports Of entry and delivery; Inc roUs
natents and copyrights-these' win NaIio S
ber subjects which rest entirely Wlthlh lhs
mower of the Congress, call for careluI cohsIueI-
alton and immediate action &c.,. 49,, oas
II must be borne in mind that since tHg -
II ~ S portc Rico she has been denied the
princinal markets she had long enjoyed, and
our tariffs have been continued against her
products as when she was under spanish So
tt-e3gr+I, The markets Of Spain are closed TO
ber rroducts except upon terms to which the
Commerce OF all nations is subjected The ISL
and Of Cuba, which used 10 buy her catlIe anu
tobacco without customs duties now imposes
the same duties upon these products as IRON
snv other country entering her ports she mas
therefore lost her free intercourse with SPAN
mn
-, tbis market Her coffee was little known,
and not in use by our people, and therefore
there was no demand here for this one OF heT
ctatee should be opened up 10 her products
our plain duty is TO abolish all customs tarins
Tween the United States and Porto Rico, ana