The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-04
THE SENATE PORTO RICAN BILL.

That the Porto Rican government and
tariff bill would pass the Senate has been
so clearly foreshadowed for some time that
the result Is not surprise. The awkward
expedient of lacking the tariff measure
onto bill providing form of govern
ment for the island was intended TO win
doubtful votes for both measures, and
doubtless did win some. The necessity for
a civil government is so imperative that
some would vote for it in spite of their
opposition TO the tariff annex. This was the
position of Senator Beveridge, and, per-
haps, If the truth were known. of others.
That the Importance of the government
bill was generally recognized and that the
Foraker bill offered a fairly good plan is
shown by the fact that il not only was
not attacked in the Senate, but was scarce
ly alluded to. Practically the entire dis
cussion has been devoted to the tariff Sec
ton, with scarcely an allusion to the
other important provisions of the bill The
fact that the tariff provision was the sole
point of attack and defense shows that this
was recognized as the weak point in the
bill.
The bill does not provide a permanent
form of government for Porto Rico. The
present government, as most persons
doubtless know, is a military government,
under orders from the President, with such
civil functions the military authorities
authorize. The purpose of the bill passed
by the Senate is to provide a temporary
civil government for the island, to con-
tinue until the laws and ordinances now
i'm force can be revised and codified and
more permanent form of civil government
be framed by commission to be appointed
by the President. In accordance with this
idea the Senate bill proposes:
First-To substitute a civil for military
government.
Second-To accord to the native Porto
Ricans as much participation therein as 1t
may be for the best interests of all con-
cerned to give them.
Third-To avoid as far as possible radi-
cal changes i'm the laws. courts and codes
of procedure and yet make such mOdifica-
| tons and alterations as are necessary to
| dispense with the most Objectionable fea-
lures of former Spanish government and
| judicial administration.
Fourth-To provide a legislature that
can deal with all domestic subjects of leg
| islation.
Fifth-To extend the navigation laws of
| the United States to the island
Sixth-TO retire Porto Rican coins now
in circulation and substitute coins of the
United States therefor.
Seventh-To authorize and regulate the
granting of public and quasi-public fran
chises.
To these purposes must be added that
which has provoked much discussion,
| viz, to impose tariff duties on trade between
| Porto Rico and the United States. 1t will
| be seen from the foregoing that the bill is
| very important one aside from the tariff
section. Yet the latter was so plainly
vulnerable and i'm need of defense that
the whole fight has centered around it, to
the complete ignoring of the other i'm
| pcrtant features of the bill.
| In far as the bill provides tenn
| porary form of civil government for Porto
Rico. looking to the establishment of a
permanent one. and gives the people a
measure of participation i'm local govern
ment and island legislation it has the cor
dial approval of the Journal 1t is to be
| regretted. however, that wise and pro-
gressive measure should carry with 1t the
| unprecedented feature of imposing ia iff
duties on trade between different ports of
| common country. and to that feature the
Journal is still unalterably opposed. Re-
| publican senators who would have voted
for civil government bill without the
tariff annex, but who voted against the
bill on its final passage. will have no
trouble in justifying their vote before the
people.