Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-18
PORTO RICO'S NEEDS
Report Of Mr., Carroll, a Special Com
missioner.
his MANY RECOMMENDATIONS
Inhabitants Are Ripe for a Terri.
torial Government.
A CHARMING OUNTRY

progress in official and other circles as to
what should be done with Porto Rico
there has just been made public the full
report of Henry X. Carroll special commits
sioner appointed by President Mckinley to
report on the popula alton, civil government
commerce. industries, productions roads,
tariff and currency of the island and to
make recommendations
A brief idea of Mr.. Carroll's recommenda-
tons was given when the report was sub
mitted TO the President in October last.
Mr. Carroll spent more than a year invcs-
tgating the subjects desired by the Pres
idcnt. The President is understood to have
given considerable attention to the report
Mr.. Carroll makes the following recon-
mendatlons at the conclusion of his re-
port:
Ripe for Territorial Government.
% That the Constitution and laws of the
United States he extended to Porto Rico:
that all citizens Of that province who do
not, under the terms of the treaty of Paris
announce their intention to maintain their
allegiance TO Spain be declared citizens of
the United States, and that all male citizens
above the age of twenty-one years residents
OF said province at the time of American
occupation shall he entitled to vote at the
first election.
(2l That a territorial form of government,
similar to ftat established in oklahoma, be
proVIieu for Porto Rico. with an executive
department consisting of a governor gen.
eral, an assistant governor general who
snail serve as secretary of state a secre-
tary OF treasury. a secretary of interior and
an attorney general. all to be nominated by
the President and to hold office for a term
OF four years: legislative branch, consist
ing OF the governor general and "a senate
and assembly to be elected hy the people
the senate to consist of fourteen members
two to he chosen in each of the seven de-
partments Of administration. known as San
Juan. Areciho. Aguadilla. Mayaguez Ponce
GuaEama and HumaCao; the assembly to
consist OF members apportoEed to the popu-
lation on a basis of one member to every
1000 inhabitants: judicial department,
embracing supreme court. district courts,
and municipal courts. or Justices of the
peace, the supreme court to consist of a
chief justice and four associate justices,
and the district courts, of which there shall
be eleven, as provided under the former
government, of three judges each
go That the legislative power shall ex
tend to all rightful subjects of legislation
consistent with the Constitution of the
United States, including regulations for the
exercise of the elective franchise and the
division of the province into municipal ad-
ministrative, judicial and Legislative dis
triCtS.
a. That no bill passed by the legislative
branch shall become a law if the governor
general refuse to sign it, except by two
thirds vote of each house
tJl That the legal voters of the island be
90 That the penal, civil and commercial
codes be continued in force, in SO far as
they are consistent with the Constitution
Of the United States, until a commission,
to be appointed by the President, shall con-
slider, revise and amend them, and Con-
gress shall have approved such revision.
"a That commission of five persons,
three of whom shall be natives of the
island and two of the United States shall
be appointed by the President to revise
and, if necessary, recast the codes.
ls) That provision be made for trial of
criminal cases before juries; also, of GER
tain classes of civil suits.
90 That the federal banking laws and the
laws relating to patents for inventions and
designs and the registration of trade marks,
Brints and copyrights be extended to Porto
Rico.
0o) That provision be made for the ap-
pointmcnt of a commission of three persons
who shall constitute a court of claims to
sit in Porto Rico and hear and adjudcate
all claims to property, ecclesiastical and
secular. arising under the terms of the
treaty of Paris.
as to permit edifices constructed and used
for public worship to be inscribed by regis
tradores registrars, the same as any other
property. on presentation Of proofs of title.
02) That congregations using church ed
fices for public worship shall not be dis
tUrbed in the use thereof until the ques-
tion of legal title thereto is settled.
Q3) That for the period of five years after
the installation of the new civil government
the receipts Of the custom houses and in
ternal revenue office in the island, after the
expenses of collection and the salaries of
the governor general and other territorial
officers and other expenses made payable
from it have been met, shall be appropri-
ated school fund for said territory to
be used in providing suitable buildings and
apparatus for the schools of the island.
90 That the establishment of counties,
upon the American plan, with cities, towns,
villages and townships as subordinate di-
to ha
and legislature of Porto Rico, to be pro-
vided for at such time and in such manner
they may deem best.
1Jp That the people of the several munic-
ipal districts be allowed to continue to
elect their counclmen; that the right to
elect the alcalde, mayor be conceded to
them, and that the revision of the system
of municipal government be intrusted to
the governor general and legislature of
Porto Rico
16) That municipalities which own and
maintain public cemeteries be required to
provide burial places for all persons with
no discrimination for or against any in re-
spect to suitability or eligibility of burial
places or in the care of the grounds and
that the general practice of exhumation of
bodies be forbidden, that perpetual
graves shall be provided for all.
40 That the amendments respecting
civil marriage adopted by the military gov
ernment be continued in force until the
civil code is revised.
1SD That In view of the disastrous hurri-
upon the agricultural interests of the is
land, the law of foreclosure of mortgages
on agricultural property and machinery be
further suspended until January l. 1901
QW That the codes, the laws of the terri
torial legislature and official acts of the
governor general shall be published both
| in Spanish and in English that the courts
| shall be provided with interpreters of the
English language, and that all papers in
cases of appeal to the Supreme Court of
| the United States shall be in English.
| t20p That provision be made for the re-
=, tirement of the silver coins of Porto Rico
| known as the peso. the ~, 20, 10 and 5
| centavo pieces, and the copper centavo and
| 2-centavo coins, and their recoinage in the
| mints of the United States as United States
coins.
| CID That the governor general and leg
| isiature of Porto Rico be required to make
! provision for universal and obligato edu-
| cation in a system of free public schools,
| in which the English language shall be
| taught
| C22} That the lottery be prohibited; also
! the issuing of licenses by municipalities
| permitting begging and prostitution.
| CG0 That survey be made of the coast
,, of Porto Rico: also of the harbors and
| roadsteads, with view to their improve
| ment.
] CID That an agricultural experiment OF. f.