Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-10-21
tBy Telegraph to virginian-pnot.,

-. NiOu'i, Mimi. OCT. IA large ana
enthusiastic audience packed the Opera
House tonight to listen TO the address
delivered by George Fred Williams. OF
Massachusetts. j. ID. sullivan acted as
chairman of the meeting, and after
speeches by local orators. introduced
Mr. Williams. who held the attention
OF the audience until Il late hour. Mr..
Williams spoke. in part, as follows:
Amid the violent protests which
were made by Republican leaders in the
House and Senate against the tax law
which was inflicted by an American
Congress upon the unwilling and I'M
consentinS people of Porto Rico. sight
seems 10 have been lost of that portion
OF the Porto Rican bill which provides
a government for that island. 1t is a
measure Which seems to me as inioui-
touS and as destructive OF the prin-
ciples OF American institutions as the
tax law itself, ana yet il has received
but little consideration from the public
IN this campaign. In the letter of ac-
ceptance of President Mckinley he
uses these words: Congress has given
to this island Il government in which
the inhabitants participate, elect their
own legislature, enact their own local
laws. provide their own system OF taxa
tion and. in these respects. have the
same power and privilege enjoyed by
other territories belonging 10 the
United states. The generous treatment
OF me Porto ticans aCcordS most libe-
rally with that of our own country and
encourages the best aspirations of The
people OF that island
STATEMENT REPEATED.
Postmaster General Smith. at Angus
Ia, Maine, repeated this statement and
added thereto the further assertion that
the people of Porto Rico are TO estnb-
or
they VIII have their own courts re-
greet exceedingly To say. not as a mat
ter of opinion. but as a matter of fact.
mat every one OF these statements il
absolutely untrue. and | have the char
lty to believe that the President and
postmaster General have never read
the bill which makes their statements
so glarngly false.
THE PORTO RICAN BILL.
II desire tonight To summarize the
provisions of the Porto Rico bill. to
compare them somewhat with the like
provision for the government OF our
territories. and 10 ask your calm judg-
ment OF the remarkable statements
made by the President and his Post
master General concerning this mea-
sure.
Public document No. 60. dated April
Il. 1900. contains this law and every
statement which | may make is open
10 veriiication. In the first place me
bill provides that the Governor of Porto
RICO shall be appointed by the PreSi-
dent, with the consent OF the Senate of
the United States. l agree that this is
also true concerning the territories of
the United States. But 1t ia not true
in the territories that the salary of the
Governor is 10 be paid by the people out
of their treasury, as Is the case of Por-
To Rico, where the Governors salary
is fixed and payable out of the revenues
of Porto Rico on the warrant of the
himself. This first violation of the
principles of American government re-
calls wildly the protest made in lI6S to
the agent of the colonies. which was
framed by Samuel Adams and adopted
by the House of Representatives in
these words: This House apprehends
that il would he grevous and of dan
gerous tendency If the crown should
not only appoint governors over the
several colonies, but allow them such
stipends as it should judge proper at
the expense of the people and without
their consent
a STILL GREATER BREACH.
But a still greater breach of the
principles of self government appears
in the provisions Of the administrative
department OF the Porto Rican govern
ment. SIX offices are created. as fol-
lows y secretary, an attorney gen
eral, a treasurer. who receives and dis
burses all the moneys of the island: an
auditor, who adjusts all accounts; a
commissioner of the interior, who SUI
perintends all public works. buildings
and lands. and n commissioner OF edu-
cation, who supcrintends public in
struction throughout Porto Rico and
all disbursements on account there
Of. These officers. one and all. are APP
pointed by the President OF the United
States and their salaries are fixed by
the Congress of the United States. to
be paid out of the treasury OF Porto
Rico Thus the entire administrative
business OF the island is delivered over
body and soul. 20 six carpet bagging
officials in whose selection the people
of Porto Rico have not the slightest
choice. When section % provides that
the commissioner of education shall SUI
perintend public instruction throughout
Porto Rico and all disbursements on
account thereof. il seems incredible
that Postmaster General Smith should
have allowed TO be published this
statement that these people are 10 es-
tablsh their own system OF education
''All these officials under our terri
torial form of government. with the ex-
ccption of the secretary, are elected
by the people of the Territories. But.
in the case of Porto Rico the people are
deprived of all control over the public
business OF their country.
a MORE GLARING' HORROR.
"But the construction of the Legis-
lature OF Porto Rico presents a still
more glaring horror TO the mind of any
student OF free institutions. Two
branches of the Legislature are Gre
ated. the lower of which is elected by
the people of the island: the upper
branch, known as the Executive Coun-