The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-03-03
PLUMs RIPE IN ISLANDS.
Uncle Sam Getting Ready to Shake
the Tree for Officeseekers.


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preliminary work of creating the thousands Of
positions which will surely be bestowed as
soon as permanent forms of government in
Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines
shall have been effected.
| No doubt you would like to become Gov
ernor of Puerto Rico. This is the most lu-
crative colonial job yet appearing in pending
bills. 1t carries a salary of $4,000 year,
| 50, 900 more than given the Vice-President of
the United States. 1t will be Presidential
| appointment, by the terms of the bill, to be
confirmed by the Senate, and the term will be
four years.
In addition to his generous salary the Gov
ernor of Puerto Rico will be allowed free use
of the imposing palace at San Juan, which
| city is to be retained as the Yankee capital of
the island. This modern edifce, once the
| official residence of the Spanish Governor
General and already the American headquart-
ers, stands in beautiful park of tropical
| shrubbery, extending to a steep sea wall
washed by the picturesque harbor.
Four years in palace at salary of S10.-
600 year is an inducement not offered to
| Governors of any States, not TO mention Ter
ritories. 1t is true that the Governors of sew
eral States receive an equal compensation,
among them the Executive of New York, who
is given free use of mansion of luxurious ap.
pointment. Bat the term of the latter is only
two years.
Five $4,000 positions in Puerto Rico will
be those of Secretary, Attorney General,
| Auditor, Commissioner of the Interior and
| Commissioner of Education, each appointed
| by the President for four years.
These officials will have the combined func-
tions of legislators and Territorial Cabinet
Ministers. Together with the Governor, the
| Treasurer and five natives they will constitute
| an Executive Council, or upper house, of the
Puerto RicaR Legislature.
But, next to that of the Governor the high
est salary listed for the Puerto Rican service
| is So 200, to be paid to the Chief Justice of
! the insular Supreme Court, and the same to
| the United States District Judge. Several
| Associate Justices of the Supreme Court are
| to receive 81 500 each; United States Dis
trict Attorney, $4,000; a United States Dis
trict Marshal, $500; a Marshal of the
Supreme Court So, 900. All of these judicial
offices will be filed by the President. 1t is
further proposed to pay Sc, 900 year to each
of five members of a commission to be organ
lied for the compilation and revision of the
laws of Puerto Rico. Two of these commits
sioners will be natives of the island, the other
| three American lawyers.
In the Puerto Rican service there will also
be scores of officials and deputies of the lower
courts and hundreds of lesser territorial en-
ployes Their salaries, paid out of the
| revenues of the island, will be determined by
| the Executive Council. Such minor offices
will, as far as possible, be given to citizens OF
the island, who, according to the present
policy, will be given every opportunity TO
train themselves for the higher berths. The
Judges of the district courts will constitute
part of the patronage of the Governor
PLANS FOR HAWAII.
| The Governor of Hawaii will receive So
| 600 year, if the salaries rated in the pend
ing bills are allowed to stand. Certain gen
| erous perauisites, however, are specified solely
for the Governor of Hawaii. He is to receive
| $500 year for stationery, postage and incl
dentals, 81 900 for his private secretary and the
| further payment of all his travelling expenses
while absent from Honolulu on official bust
ness. He will also have his Office aud per-
| ups his residence, IN the palace occupied by
| X q kaIakAu ami later 10y the ex-Queen.
| lis is IA sum tuou> abode of modern French
| architecture, with mansard roofs aud capa-
cious balconies, commanding one of the most
inspiring views of tropical landscape to be
seen in the new possessions.
But in addition to the Governorship the
President will be given the right to appoint Il
| United States District Jadge for the islands
| at a salary equal to that of the Governor a
" u
| District Attorney at $1,000. According to
the Cullom bill the Is Senators and 80 Rep
resentatives composing the Hawaiian Legisa-
ture are to receive $500 apiece for each regu-
lar session and 5000 apiece for each special
session, in addition to mileage at the rate of
10 cents a mile.
PHILIPPINE SERVICE.
The Philippine service will offer more nu-
merous and more lucrative positions to Amer
leans than either of the other insular Terrific
ries. The Philippine Governor probably will
be given gratuii Gus use ofihe palace at Manila,
| a structure quite as imposing as those of San
Juan and Honolulu. In the Oriental arcbi
pelago especially the most striking way to in
spire respect is considered by many to be
| through the magnifcence to which they are
accustomed.
Next to the Governorship the highest berths
| in the Philippines will probably be such Pres
| idential appointments as the Secretaryship,
Attorney -Generalship, Authorship, Treas
! urership and several commissionerships.
These places, together with the more impor-
tant judgeships, probably will pay something
like 81, 600 year each.
Throughout the archipelago there must
necessarily be an organization similar to that
of the Indian Office for educating and civiliz-
ing the wild tribes. As in some of the Wes-
| TERN rtsciNauous, Ill my poSto may co.oPS.a,e
in this work. There will be needed, in addi-
ton, vast civilian force of commissioners,
superintendent and agents, with salaries
ranging from SO, 900 to 81, 900 year. This
will mean hundreds of remunerative positions.
A similar organization probably will be need
ed for the care of semiciviized and savage
subjects in Hawaii, Tutuila, the Manua ISL
ands and Guam. The highest degree of bra
very and vigor will be demanded for this
work. Doubtless in the native schools fol
children there will be many excellent open
ings for plucky women.
Hundreds of new registerships and receiver
ships of Territorial land offices, with salare:
from 5000 down, will be created with the
opening of the public domain in all of the new
insular possessions and the extension of thu
homestead laws thereto. Each of these Off
Gals will require considerable force o
clerks and craftsmen.
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