The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-09-10
I'M THE WEST INDIES.
PRAISES Administration in Cuban and
Porto Rican Afairs-Silent as
to Nicely.

We have been in possession OF Cuba
since January / 1899 we nave TesxorefIo
lily. We have fed the starving, clothed the
naked and ministered to the sick. we
have improved the sanitary condltlon OF
the islands. We have stimulated INDUSTRY,
introduced public education ana taken
full and comprehensive enumeration Of the
Inhabitants The qualification OF electors
has been settled and under II OFFICERS nave
been chosen for all the municipalities In
Cuba These local governments are now
IN operation, administered by the people
duced from 1900 soldiers to less than
5000. An election has been ordered to be
held on the 18th day of September under
a fair election law already tried in the
municipal elections, to choose members
OF consItuIohdi cows ntlon anu ~
serable or the first Monday of November
to frame a constitution upon wHleh an IN, IN
rest. All this is a long step in the fulfill
ment of our sacred guarantees to the peo-
THE WORK IN PORTO RICO.
We hold Porto Rico by the same title
as the Philippines The treaty OF peace
which coded us the one and conveyed TO
US the other Congress has given to this
tants participate, elect their own legisla-
ture, enact their own local laws, provide
these respects have the same power and
privileges enjoyed by other territories be-
longing to the United States and a much
larger measure of self-government than
was given to the Inhabitants of Louis
lana under jefferson. A district court of
the United States for Porto Rico has been
established and local courts have been in
augurated all Of which are in operation
The generous treatment of the Porto
Ricans accords with the most liberal
thought of our own country and encour.
ages the best aspirations of the people OF
the island. While they do not have IN
slant free commercial intercourse with the
United States, congress complied with my
recommendation by removing, on the first
day of May last, IS per cent OF the duties
and providing for the removal of the re-
naming Is per cent on the first of March,
1902, earlier if the legislature OF Porto
Rico shall provide local revenues for the
During this intermediate period Porto
Rican products coming into the United
States pay the tariff of Is per cent OF the
rates under the Dingley act, and our goods
goings to Porto Rico pay a like rate The
duties thus paid and collected both IN
Porto Rico and the United States are paid
to the government of Porto Rico and no
part thereof is taken by the naUOna1 gov
eminent All of the duties from Novem-
Der 1, 1898. to June 30, 1900, aggregat ting
the sum of s.. $50, 523.21, paid at the custom
Rican products, under the laws existing
prior to the above mentioned act of con-
gress, have gone into the treasury of
Porto Rico to relieve the destitute and for
schools and other public purposes In adj
ditlon to this we have expended for RELIEF,
education and Improvement of roads the
sum of sl,5lS os4 So The United States
duced from IL 600 to 1,500, and native Porto
RicanS constitute for the most part the
local constabulatory. Under the new law
there has been a gratifying revival OF
business The manufactures of Porto
Rico are developing; her imports are in
creaSdng. her tariff is yielding increased
returns; her fields are being cultivated;
free schools are being established Not
understanding the many embarrassTnents
she is rapidly showing the good effects OF
her new relations to this nation.