The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-07
GENERAL DAVIS VIEWS
He Believes That Porto Rico Has 4
Bright Future.
The People of 'hc Island HnpidIy Re
covering From the Effects of wnr
"nd the Devastating hurricane
He Thinks the Natives VIII soon
Rr Capable of ScIf-Govcrnment.

e Gen. George ". Davis, Military Govcrnr
Of Porto Rico. thinks natives Of that islau
have bright future While there is sti
much suffering from the effects Of the gres
hurricane which DESTROYED so much prnr
ertr last August. he says that the neopl
are rapidly recovering from the disaster
and. on the whole are happy and con
tented and will soon be in a prosperou
condition.
General Davis had long conferenc
with the Secretary of War yesterday II
will also have a conference with the Presi
dent and with the members of Congress
composing the committees wh:sh nav
charge OF affairs relating to Porto Rico.
The matter of greatest importance I,
the Porto Rirans." said General Davis {,
a reporter for The Times. lis to ESTABLISH
the status of their relations with this Gov
eminent All the Porto Ricans are hearth!
in favor of becoming citizens OF the United
States. and are desirous of having theil
standing clearly defined by Congress
The natives have had little experienc,
in the exercise of civil rights, but theJ
have entered cheerfully into the work o
establishing courts and other fo-ms oil
local government. which is now carried oil
under the protection of military govern
ment The municipal elections which
have conducted, have been quiet and or
derly and shown excellent results. and
with free schools and the Incentive OF
7 civil rights there is every reason to believe
that they will soon become fitted to carry
on all branches OF local govei ,ment with
/ out the supervision of military govern
| ment
Crime among the natives is rapidly de-
/ creasing- The civil courts are doing most
I excellent work, some of them having dis
! posed of dockets that have bcea pending
Tor years, and others are apidly reducing
the number of cases or itand. In a fcw
months the courts will be working smoo h.
ly and justice will be promptly and equlta-
bly, administered. There were a number of
fearful crimes committed soon after hostil-
! tiles ceased and before the United States
took control Of the island. and there are
several sentences OF death pending. No ex-
ecutions have taken place because Il is IN
tended that all the convicted persons ,halI
have every opportunity TO prove their in
nocence and bring forth any mitigating
circumstances that may have existed at the
time the crime was committed
Exactly what form CT Government Con
gress will adopt for the islHnd am. OF
course, unable TO say. but in my opinion il
government fer a great white longer OF
course. it will be necessary to have roops
stationed on the island to assist the civil
authorities in executing the laws III case
there should be any factional fights. but
believe the exodus of troops from tire
island will begin next sprirg. The health
OF the troops has been generally coed, an
theif conduct above reproach: they haze
gotten along well with the natives AMI are
or very friendly terms with them.
The fact that there is two kilds Of
money in circulation on the island has
naturally caused considerable trouble in
business circles. arising from the nuctust-
ing value OF the Spanish currency. an
informed that 1t is the intention OF this
Government to retire the Spanish money
at the earliest practicable moment. whion |
VIII result in increased business prosperity. !
In regard TO the material prosperity of |
the country no country can be called pros |
porous when il is Just recovering from 4
which destroyed two-thirds of |
its current wealth. That is what the great |
hurricane did TO Porto Rico and it viii be ,
years before its effects cease 10 be felt. Al !
present there is much poverty, and farms
and other property are heavily mortgaged.
but with the improved trade conditions
which are bound to come | am confident |
llGA tiltEE HuUItEdEtS VIII bt pau Oh.
Porto Rico today is in the same condition
as Kansas was after the grasshopper
plague. Kansas came safely out OF her
troubles. and so will Porto Rico.
Il do not think there is the least danger
hat free trade with Porto Rico will do
any harm to the tobacco and sugar pro-
lucers of this country. The amount of
obacco raised in Porto Rico il mere
and the sugar product amounts
believe to only one-eighth that OF Ha-
vail They are only drop in the bucket,
md II is preposterous to suppose that they
Hill play havoc with domestic products.
1t is often alleged that free trade viii
,ause such an increase in the production OF
hc island as to make it dangerous in the
uture. even though it is insignificant
low There Is no basis for that claim
ither. Porto Rican plantations s'e prob
ibly not worked up to their limit OF pro-
iuction now and free trade would doubt
ess somewhat increase the exports OF |
ugar and tobacco just rs it would those
# any other country. But there could
lot possibly be so great an increase as to
i've the American grower any cause for
nxiety.
THE island is PROSTATE now. 1t has lost
n OF the markets which il had under
panish control. There is no confidence
lnouE Aut DuSiUtbS men, ana illtlC no
redit obtainable. Unless Congress makes
revision for its relief there will be choa-
and ruin
General Davis was asked What legislation
e would recommend for the immediate re-
ef OF the island. He replied:
do for Porto Rico what the United
tates has done for Hawaii; open the doors
( the United States to Porto Rican prcduc- !
ion. This would give great relief; it
ould restore credit and provide q market
place of the one taken away from IL by
be change OF sovereignty. Congress should
o for Porto Rico what il las done for .
awaii, and if this IL done the island will I
,on recover from It's present PROSTATE con- Il
ition. There Is little or no business going | '
n now. The sugar industry has suffered I
luch less than the coffee industry The
,fiee production this year. that would have a
lld for $1,000. 900. was wholly destroyed. o
S this represented two thirds Of what the c
-ople had to sell, some idea can be gained "
the awful effect Of the hurricane" a
General Davis explained that when he "
ent to Porto Rico he found the Govern c
cnt institutions suffering from 100 much a
.rsonal control. The Secretary Of Justice p
,1 complete authority over all courts and n
'isons. He appointed all judges. clerks. h
Il warGens. and other employees The n
stem in vogue would be similar tn having ii
e Attorney General Of the United States n
point the judges Of the United States al
ipreme Court and the Judges Of All the n
rcuit courts. This oneman control was :
und in all branches Of the civil govern
ent. General Davis changed this en-
rely by placing all departments under a &
ard. thus doing away with the personal \
stem OF government. When the Secre- D
ry OF Justice found his authority and
wer transferred from him he rendered
g resignation. The Secretary of Agricul
re and other Cabinet officials also re-
gned and their places were filled by
ards consisting of Porto Ricans and
nericans