The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-18
an UNEXPECTED Hitch
Supplemental Legislation for Porto
Rico Necessary.
The Cabinet Discusses n Difficulty
Regarding the Establishment of
Civil Government in the Island
Military Officers Ineligible for
Positions Under Governor Allen.

necessary. Owing to the delay in the
passage OF the Porto Rican bill there Is
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 filing
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 member of the Cabinet. the only
remedy now applicable is TO have Con-
gress Immediately pass a bill Iuthoriz-
| 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 to
! 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 and 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 Ger 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. 1t
says there shall be an executive council
consisting of a Secretary. Attorney Cen
eral, Treasurer. Auditor, Commissioner of
Interior, Commissioner of Education. and
Ave other persons. It 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 a
native of the island. Fer this reason the
President has left to Governor Allen the
selection CT 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 20 San Juan. where he will be re-
ceived 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
bers of the executive council if they meet
his approval.
The Cabinet yesterday went into the en-
tire subject of a 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 odt how the Gov
ernor is required TO 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 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.
1t was not until the session of the Cabi-
net yesterday that it was realized what
stupendous task is before Governor Allen
According to the present plan discussed he
Will be inaugurated Governor promptly on
May l. 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 haen absolutely
settled that the election for members of
the Legislature will not lake 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
will be On November s, the same date as
the Presidential election in the United
States. Under this plan 1t is not expected
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 l. 1901.
1t is pointed out tina; 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 a system of registration :
The registration cannot be arranged until
after the completion of the census returns I
now being tabulated and this will be sew /
eral weeks from now. To this sit /
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.
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 n |
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 further extension is now under con- |
The question of franchises was |
also discussed. it being explained to Gov
ernor Allen that the War Department will
turn over to him, as soon as the civil gov
goes into effect, all applications on |
file in the War Department for franchises
and concessions. Under the Porto Rican
bill the executive council, when formed.
will have authority to grant franchises so
that there will be no necessity to wait for
the election Of the Legislature before tax
ing these matters up.
The use of the military in the island.
pending the organization of civil govern
ment, was also considered. and it was set
tied that General Davis should remain for
some time in the island as commander of
the military department and also to act as
an informal adviser to Governor Allen, The
troops will also remain for several months
and probably until after the elections next
fell.