The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-05-11
ABUNDANCE OF PREcEDENrs.

ABUNDANCE OF PREcEDENTS.
Porto Rican Legislation Follows Lines
Laid Down by Fathers of the Republic
What occasion is there for all this howl
about President Mckinley as "czar," 'dicta-
tor" Cesar" etc.? The government of
Porto Rico, as provided in the bill just
passed by congress, is practically the same
as that provided for our other territories,
similar In general substance with that of
Arizona and New Mexico. Not only this,
but the very strongest kind of precedent is
furnished by the acts of the very trainers of
the declaration of independence and con-
stltutiop, Thomas jefferson, and others to
whom the democrats like to look for in
spiration.
Under the provisions of the Porto Rican
bill, the natives elect lower house or
assembly of their own, while there Is an
upper house or executive council appointed
by the president, in addition to the COVER
nor, judges and other appointive officers;
In a general way this conforms to the govern
ment of those territories which are common
ly supposed to be cast for future statehood,
but it is not so much this to which COIN
parisOn may be made as to earlier prece-
dents In the history of this country.
The first precedent to which attention
may be called Is that known as the ordi-
NJ nf Iou tah hu
in that year for the government of the
Northwest territory, framed and enacted by
men who helped make the declaration of
independence and who two years later
helped to frame the constitution of the
United States, about which the present-day
kickers so love to pirate. 1t is Interesting
to note that, under this law, all the execu-
tive officers of the vast Northwest territory
were appointed by the federal government
precisely as they are under the provisions
of the Porto Rican act. When President
Mckinley appoints the officials for the gov
eminent of Porto Rico he will be doing
only what George Washington did over
hundred years ago for large tract of terri
tory beyond the Ohi0 river.
Another precedent Is found in the course
of Thomas Jefferson in connection with the
Louisiana tract In 1903. At his behest he
was empowered by congress in that year
to appoint all the civil, military and judicial
officers of the new territory and to support
them with the army and navy of the United
States. A year later another and more
comprehensive act authorized President
Jefferson to appoint the governor of Louisi-
ma, the secretary and leglslati We council
of thirteen members. These fifteen officials
- every one of them appointed by the presi.
dent were to be the territorial legislature,
and their acts were to be subject to federal
veto.
This legislation, it will be noted. is less
broad than that accorded to the Porto
Ricans. In Louisiana the entire legislature
was appointed by the president, while the
Porto Ricans have the privilege of choosing
their own lower house, and of the members
of the executive council at least five must
be native Porto Rcans. 30 a., r-i..l...
Still another precedent is found In the
government authorized for the territory of
Missouri in. 1919, which plan bears quite
close resemblance to the Porto Rican bill.
In this the territory was given legislative
| council and house Of representatives, but
the house alone was elected by the people.
This house could nominate eighteen persons
for tha IaUio Iafiva coupoiI apd ont NJ thoso
the nine members who were to make up the
council or upper branch of the legislature
were selected by the President
AS for the cry of taxation without rep
resentatior," 1t is absolutely without foun-
dalton. The Porto Ricans can in no wise
be likened to the American colonists who
protested against taxation without repre-
! sentatlon in the eighteenth century. In
that instance they were taxed, but received
no return whatever for their taxes. They
we're governed from England without the
slightest word In their government, without
even the lower branch of assembly, and the
taxes we're absorbed by the mother country.
In the first place, civilization has broad
ened since then and government Is broader,
even In monarchy. and England could not
do today what George Ill did In the days
of yore. But, aside from that, the Porto
Ricans will have something to say atout
their government, the executive power of
the president being but to provide against
unwise Legislation. Then, so far as regards
the taxation, whatever is collected as a
result of the tariff duties assessed by the
bill Just passed by congress is devoted ex-
clusively to the government and improve
ment Of Porto Rico, and not one cent l.
diverted to the United States. Springfield
MASS Union.