The Topeka state journal., 1900-12-26
System Is Wholly Absent From
the Proceedings.
AS THE SPIRIT MOVES.
Members Write sDOcuments'' on
Backs of Old Letters.
They Are Presented and Flied
in the Regular Way.

Correspondence of Associated Press-1
san Juan, Porto Rico, Wednesday,
Dec. 1s.-The legislative assembly of
Porto Rico has been in session since De-
cember 3. when the house OF delegates
was duly organized. The predicted
clashes and split up of the Republican
party have not materialized- The house
sessions are as harmoniously conducted
as one could wish.
The house has been holding daily four
hour sessions. Over 45 bills have been
introduced and no end of motions and
amendments But one bill has been
passed By law the assembly is allowed
sixty days in which to complete each
session. Fifteen days have passed and
next to nothing has been accomplished
and the local papers are suggesting that
it is about time something has been
done. The house is badly in need of a
competent force of tranSlators and
clerks. There seems TO be no system
Bills are prepared and introduced cover
ing most common matters and in
manner most unbusinesSli1e- Few of
the bills are in proper form; many have
been fled written in pencil on a sheet
torn from a scratch pad. Most OF the
bills are written during the session and
are more in the form of suggestions
than of projected laws. An lnspirat alton
may come to a member, he picks up
pad or draws an envelope or a scrap of
paper from his pocket jOtS down few
sentences and presents the document
as a bill and it is duly filed Instead OF
EelLluS DOWN TO CIAlIlS u6eQ OI T 10
RicO-a- revision Of the laws-bills to
enact such laws as these are drawn up
and introduced;
TO esta bIish woman suffrage and to
give women preference over men in pub
lie positions for which they are COM
petent."
Relating to salaries Of school teach
ers''
Relating to contracts made in pro-
vincial currency"
Governing the profession of phar-
macy"
A resolution was presented to legal
ize the sport of cock fighting by the
same member who is the author Of wo-
man Suffra ge-
As soon as the committee on rules re-
ported that bills relating to the follow
ing matters should have preference over
all business-insular police, salaries, pO-
lice courts. loans, telegraphS and rail-
ways on motion mortgages was ad-
ded to the list and the report was
adopted
The council passed a bill introducing
the jury system, but it was defeated in
the house yesterday by a vote Of Is to
IL. Several mem bers claimed that the
bill was not properly translated from
the English original. The bill was or
dered to be translated and viii be re-
considered today.
The legislative council is daily hold
ing secret" executive sessions behind
closed doors These are for the purpose
Of considering franchises and other
matters over which the council has ex-
CluSkSS JuIlSu4CliOu- me puDllC Is not
informed Of these decisions. The only
bill passed by the house to date is that
declaring the office of delegate incom-
Esatible with other public officers
At present it does not sem probable
that the lower house viii make a sue
cess passing laws.
Probably it is too early to judge.
The chamber of commerce of Porto
Rico yesterday petitioned the house ask
ing for an appropriation for a Porto
Rico exhibit at the coming Pan-Ameri-
can exposition at Buffalo. The petition
was referred to a special committee for
report. A representative exhibit by the
insular government at Buffalo would
prove of immense benefit to the island.
Capital is needed here to develop the
Islands unbounded resources and in no
way could Porto Ricos possibilities be
better presented to the people.