The Topeka state journal., 1899-12-05


| ported from the islands into the United
| States, the establishment of ports of
7 entry and delivery; the regulation or
| patents and copyrights; these, with var
| iOus other subjects which rest entirely
| within the power of congress, call for
| careful consideration and immediate
/ action. 1t must be borne in mind that
! since the ceSSiOn Porto Rico has been
| denied the principal markets she had
! long enjoyed and our tariffs have been
| continued against her products as when
! she was under Spanish sovereignty.
The markets OF Spain are closed to her
| products except upon terms to which
/ the commerce of all nations is subject
! ed. The island of Cuba, which used to
| buy her cattle and tobacco without Gus
J toms duties, now imposes the same
/ duties upon these products as from any
| other country entering her ports. She
/ has. therefore, lost on her free inter-
| course with Spain and Cuba, without
! any comp pensatng benefits in this mar
! ket. Her coffee was little known and
, not in use by our people and, therefore,
| there was no demand here for this, one
| of her chief products The markets of
] the United States should be opened to
| her products. Our plain duty is to
| abolish all customs tariffs between the
| United States and Porto Rico and give
| her products free access to our mar
| kets.
! THE GREAT HURRICANE.
AS a result of the hurricane, which
! swept over Porto Rico on the 18th of
! August, 1899, over 100000 people were
| reduced to absolute destitutiOn without
| homes and deprived of the necessarieS
| of life. To the appeal of the war de-
! partment the people of the United
! States made prompt and generous re-
| SpOnse. In addition to the private
charity OF our people, the war depart
| ment has expended for the relief of the
| distressed 1892. .342. 90. which does not in
| clude the cost of transportation.
| 1t is desirable that the government Of
| the islands under the law of belligerent
! right now maintained through the ex-
| ecutive department should be super
! Seded by an American entirely civil in
it's nature. For present purposes 1
| recommend that congress pass a law
! for the organization of temporary
( government which shall provide for the
! appointment by the president subject
| to confirmation by the senate, of
| governor and such other officers as the
! general administration of the island
| may require and that for legislative
| purposes on subjects of local nature
| not partahing OF a federal character,
/ legislative council, composed partly of
| Porto Ricans and partly of citizens OF
! the United States shall be nominated
| and appointed by the president, subject
to confirmation by the senate, their
acts to be subject to the approval of
| the congress or the president prior to
| going into effect. The municipalities
| and other local subdivisions [ recon-
| mend that the principle of local self
| government be applied at once so as to
| enable the intelligent citizens of the
J island to participate in their own gov
| perience, the duties and requirements
| of a self-cOntained and a seIf-gOVerning
| people 1 have not thought it wise to
| commit the entire government of the
! island to officers selected by the people
! because 1 doubt whether in habits,
! training and experience they are such
| to fit them to exercise at once so large
| degree of f-gOvernment, but 1t is
| my judgment and expectation that they
| will soon arrive at an attainment of an
! experience and wisdom and Self-COntrOl
| that will iHStifV comforting them
! a much larger participation in the
| choice of their insular officers.
The fundamental requirement for this
! people, as for all people. is education
| The free school house is the best pre-
! ceptOr for citizenship. In the introduc-
| tiOn of modern educational methods
| care, however, must be exercised that
changes be not made too abruptly and
that the history and racial peculiaritieS
| of the inhabitants shall be given due
weight. systems OF education in these
! new possessions founded on common
sense methods, adapted to existing con-
| ditiOns and looking to the future move
! ment and Industrial advancement of
| the people will commend to them in a
| peculiarly effective manner the bless
| ings of free government.
The love of law and sense, obedience
| and submission to the lawfully consti-
| tuted judicial tribunals are imbedded
| in the hearts of our people, and any
| violation of these sentiments and dis
| regard of their obligations justly
! arOuses public condemnation. The
| guarantees Of life, liberty and of civil
| rights should be faithfully upheld; the
| right of trial by jury respected and de-
| Tended. The rule of the courts should
| assure the public of the prompt trial
! of those charged with criminal Offense
| and upon conviction the punishment
| should be commensurate with the enOr-
| nifty of the crime.
Those, who, in disregard of law. and
the public peace, unwilling the judg
| ment of court and Jury, constitute
| themselves judges and executiOners
| should not escape the seVerest penal
| ties of their crimes.
| LYNCHING MUST STOP.
What 1 said in my inaugural address
| of March 4, 1897. now repeat:
The constituted authorities must be
| Cheerfully and vigorously upheld. The
| lynchfngs must not be tolerated in Il
| great and civilized country like the
United States. Courts not mObS, must
execute the penalties of the laws. The
| preservation of public order, the right
! of discussion the integrity of courts
| and the orderly administration of JUS
| tice must continue forever the rock of
| safety upon which our national secur-
ity rests
In accordance with the act of con-
! gress providing for an appropriate ma
| tiOnaI celebration in the year. 1900, of
| the establishment of the seat of
| government in the District of Column
| bia, 1 have appointed committee con-
| sisting of the governors of all the
| states and territories of the United
| States, who have been invited to as
sembIe in the city of Washington, on
the first of December, 1899, which, with
| the committees from congress and the
/ District of Columbia, are charged with
| the proper conduct of the celebration.
| Congress at its last session appro-
| priated $4,000 ito enable the chief of
! engineers of the army to continue the
execution of the subject and to make
or secure designs, calculations and es-
| Inmates for a memorial bridge from the
! most convenient point of the Naval OBJ
/ SerVatOry ground, or adjacent thereto
| across the Potomac river to the most
| convenient point of Arlington estate