The Portland daily press., 1900-09-10
CUBA AND PORTO RICO.
We Have Restored Order and Fed the
Starving.

We have been in possession of Cuba
since the first of January, 1S99 We have
restored order and established domestic
tranquility. We have fed the starving,
clothed the naked and ministered to the
sick. We have improved the sanitary
condition of the island We have stimu-
lated Industry, Introduced public educa-
tion, and taken a full and comp rehensive
enumeration of the inhabitants. The
qualification OF electors has been settled
and under it officers have been chosen for
all the municipalities OF Cub a. These
local governments are now In opera zion,
administered by the people. Our military
establishment has been reduced from
forty three thousand dollars TO less than
six thousand. An election has been
ordered to be held on the 10Th of Septem-
Der under fair election law already
tri ed in the municipal elections, to
choose members Of constitutional con-
ventiOn, and the convention of the same
order is to assemble on the first Monday
Of November to frame a constitution
upon which an Independent government
for the island Will rest All this is a long
step in the fulfillment of our sacred guar
antees to the people of Cuba.
We hold Porto Rico by the same title
as the Philippines. The treaty of peace
which ceded US the one conveyed TO us
the other. Congress has given to this
island government in which the inhab-
1tants participate, elect their own legisla-
ture, enact ther own local laws, provide
their own system of taxation, and in
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
local
been inaugurated, all OF which are II
operation. The generous treatment of
the Porto Ricans accOrds with the most
liberal thought of our own country and
encourages the best aspirations OF the
people of the island While they do not
have instant free commercial intercourse
with the United States, Congress COM
piled with recommendation by remov-
ing, on the first day of May last, So per
cent. of the duties and provid ing for the
removal OF the remaining 10 per cent. on
the first Of March, 1902, or carrier If the
legislature OF Porto Rico shall provide
local revenues Tor the expenses of con-
Quoting the government. Durin & this
intermediate period Porto Rican pro-
duc5s coming into the United States pay
tariff OF 10 ger cent. If the rates under
the Dingley act, and our goods going to
Porto Rico pay like rate. The duties
thus paid and collected both in Port O
Rico and the United States are here
paid to the government of Porto Rico
and no part thereof is taken by the Ma
tiOnal Government. All of the dutie:
from November 1, 1898, to June 30 1900,
aggregating the sum of s., 250, 523 2l paid
at the custom houses in the United
States upon Porto Bioan pr oducts, under
the laws existing prior TO the above
mentioned act of Congress, have gone
into the treasury of Porto Rico to relieve
the de stitute and for schools and other
public purposes. In addition to this we
have expended for relief, education and
improvement of roads the sum of 81, 513, =
OS4g5. The United states military force
in the island has been reduced from H.,
600 to 1900, and native Porto Ricans
constitute for the most part the local con-
st abulary.
Under the new law and the Inaugural.
tiOn of civil government there has been a
gratifying revival of business. The man.
ufactures of Porto Rico are developing
her imports are Increasing; her tariff Is
yielding increased returns; her fields
are being cultivated free sohoos are be-
ing established. Notwithstanding the
many ambarrassments incident to a
change of national conditions she is
rapidly showing the good effects of her
new relations to this nation.