The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-18
Supplemental Legislation for Porto
Rice Necessary.
The Cabinet Discusses DiGicuIty
Regarding the Establishment of
Military Officers Ineligible for
Positions Under Governor Allen.

passage OF me Porto hlcdn Dill JneTe u
not time between now and the 1st of May
for the appointment Of civil officials to fill
the Offices now held by military officers
and the latter under the statutes OF the
United States are prohibited from fl ing
any civil office under penalty OF losing
their commissions in the Army.
There appears to be but one solution of
the difficulty. According to the state
ment of a member Of the Cabinet, the only
remedy now applicable is to have Con-
gress Immediately pass bill Iuthorlz-
ing the Army officers now holding civil
posts in Porto Rico to continue in Office
until their successors are selected. All
important offices in the island are now
administered by military officers. even 10
the collectors of customs in all the Porto
Rican ports.
The Porto Rican bill provides for the
| substitution of civil government for mill
! tary government on the LIST of May. On
that day the Army officers will vacate the
positions they now hold and their offices
/ will continue vacated unless successors are
appointed or Congress provides for their
continuation in office. 1t is admitted by
| members of the Cabinet and Governor
Allen that it will be impossible to select all
the civil officials between now aud the LIST
of May
At the Cabinet meeting yesterday it was
expressly stated that Governor Allen will
not be able to select the members Of the
executive council for some time after his
inauguration One of the purposes OF his
proposed visit to Porto Rico at this time is
to look over the field CT available candi-
dates for appointment as members Of the
executive council The Porto Rican bill
provides that five members Of the executive
council shall be native Porto Ricans. It
says there shall be an executive council,
consisting of a Secretary, Attorney Cen
eral Treasurer. Auditor Commissioner of
Interior, Commissioner of Education. and
i've other persons. 1t does not say that the
i've native members shall not be any Of
the officers named, and it is very probable
that some one of these officers will be
native of the island. Fer this reason the
President has left to Governor Allen the
selection of the men who are to be mem
bers Of the executive council.
Governor Allen has arranged to leave
Washington next Saturday and will go di-
rect to San Juan. where he will be re-
ceiyed by General Davis. the military gov
ernor. He will be introduced to the Off
Gals now in Office and will enquire closely
into their qualifications and character,
with view to continuing them as mem
hers of the executive council if they meet
his approval.
The Cabinet yesterday went into the en-
tire subject Of Porto Rican civil gov
eminent and discussed freely the different
parts Of the bill with reference to the
work of government which will come
under the different members of the Cab
met. 1t was pointed out how the Gov
ernOr is required 70 report TO the SeCre-
tary Of State and now the entire customs
service Of the island is placed under the
Secretary of the Treasury. The postal
service of Porto Rico is not referred to in
the bill, but it will be continued as at
present under the jurisdiction of the
United States PostOffice Department. The
work in these different departments was
mapped out in a preliminary way. but one
member Of the Cabinet explained yesterday
that the work Of installing the govern
ment had hardly begun. This work will
fall almost directly upon Governor Allen
and the Secretary Of War.
II was not until the session of the Cabi-
net yesterday that it was realized what a
stupendous task is before Governor Allen.
According TO the present plan discussed he
will be inaugurated Governor promptly on
May I. The oath OF Office will probably be
administered by one OF the Porto Rican
chief justices. He will then begin the
work Of selecting the executive council,
and it is not expected by the President
that this council will be completed for
several months. 1t has been absolutely
settled that the election for members Of
the Legislature will not take place Until
next November. The date for this cleo
tiOn has been agreed upon. and VIII take
place on the same day as the election for
Commissioner to the United States This I.
viii be on November 6, the same date as
the Presidential election in the United
States Under this plan II is not expected I
BY the President that the Legislature. con-
sisting Of the House of Delegates and the .
upper house. consisting of the members Of .
the executive council will convene earlier
than January 1, 1901.
II is pointed out that the election can
not possibly be held sooner owing to the
great work of dividing the island into
seven legislative districts. prescribing
rules for the elections in those districts
and providing q system Of registration.
The registration cannot be arranged until
after the completion OF the census returns
now being tabulated and this will be sew
eral weeks from now. To this sit
uation there has been added the problem
of how to maintain the offices Of the island
pending the selection OF suitable officers
This question presented itself at a con-
ference yesterday afternoon between Gov
ernor Allen Secretary Root and Repre-
sentative Cooper Chairman Of the Insu-
lar Affairs Committee of the House.
A number OF other questions Of import-
ance were considered at the conference.
one OF which was the subject Of Porto
Rican MORTGAGES. Secretary Root extended
the time six months from last January. in
hope that the early passage of the Porto
Rican bill would give to the land owner 4
greater value for his property. but the de-
lay in passing the bill is said TO have also
affected this matter so that the question
Of a further extension is now under con-
sideration The question OF franchises was
also discussed. it being explained to Gov
srnor Allen that the War Department will
turn over to him, as soon as the civil gov
'rnment goes into effect all applications on
lie in the War Department for franchises
and concessions. Under the Porto Rican
bill the executive council, when formed
hat there will be no necessity to wait for
he election of the Legislature before tax
ng these matters up
The use of the military in the island
bending the organization of civil govern
nent. was also considered. and it was set
led that General Davis should remain for
.ome time in the island as commander of !
he military department and also to act as
N informal adviser to Governor Allen, The
rcops will also remain for several months |
nd probably until after the elections next
ell.