The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-26
ISLAND OF PORTO RICO
ITS CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL STATUS
UNDER THE NEW LAW.
Governor and LeEisIature-A Federal
Judiciary-United States Money
Temporary Tariff.

w. B. s., IN st. Louis lobe-Democrat.
Just before the vote was taken in the
House one member said to another
what is there in this Porto Rican bill.
anyway"
The question was something more than a
joke. 1t is a curious fact that the bill with
the Senate amendments was never read
IN the House. The Porto Rican bill as 1t
PASSED the House originally was of three
pages. The bill as it has become law with
the Presidents signature contains twenty
e mt pages.
When the measure was up for final con-
sideration in the Senate a senator com
planned that there had been so much chang
ing and modifying that he had lost track
Of the alterations and really did not know
what print of the bill was the correct one.
If such lack Of definite information re-
garding the provisions prevails among con-
gressmen it seems fair to presume the
public may be interested to know in detail
just what the law IS.
The tariff feature has been the one most
talked about. Probably as the law is
discussed and analysed and applied here
after the temporary duties levied by it
will diminish in popular concern. The civil
government and other provisions will COM
mand tie most attention, yet these are
little understood. 1t was significant that
liz the House during the closing debate the
opposition to the legislation scarcely men,
toned the administrative feature. Repre-
sentatives have never considered in debate
ether than the tariff provision. and many
IF fhapr hard1u knCuy Thnf aIca "a IN tho
hill.
1.-The Governor of Porto Rico" as his
title is given in the law, is to be appointed
by the President and confirmed by the Sen
ate. His term of office is four years. His
salary is $500 a year. He occupies the
buildings heretofore used by the chief
executive of Porto Rico. with furniture and
effects therein free of rental. The powers
and duties of the Governor are set forth
by the act as follows:
"He may grant pardons and reprieves
and remit fines and forfeitures for offenses
against the laws of Porto Rico and re-
spites for offenses against the laws of the
United States until the decision of the
President can be ascertained; he shall COM
mission all officers that he may be author
lied TO appoint, and may veto any legisla-
ton enacted, as hereinafter provided; he
shall be the of the
militia and shall at all times faithfully ex-
ecute the laws, and he shall in that behalf
have all the powers of governors of Ter
~ritories Of the United States that are not
locally inapplicable; and he shall annually,
and at such other times as he may be re-
Quired, make official report of the tranSac-
lions of the government in Porto Rico.
through the secretary of state, to the Pres
ident of the United States: Provided, That
the President may, in his discretion, dele
o0fa on6 asci0n IN him C1lnh QYar1lffVQ
duties and functions as may in pursuance
with law be so delegated and assigned"
COUNCIL AND LEGISLATURE.
The Executive Council consists of eleven
persons, to be appointed by the President
and confirmed by the Senate for terms of
four years. At least five of the eleven
''shall be native inhabitants of Porto
Rico" Six of the eleven also hold offices
m draw salaries, as follows: Secretary,
$4,000; attorney general. $4,000: treasurer.
$1,000; auditor, $4,000; commissioner of the
| interior, $4,000; commissioner of education,
| $1,000. The duties of these six officials,
aside from those they perform as members
of the Executive Council. may be fairly
we'll understood from the title they hold.
A fact that impresses itself repeatedly as
the law is examined is that the forms of
territorial government in the United States
are followed closely. For example, the
u SoIo tiAOt th1 Il 61Ai1A " a y " 4
to Rico shall have all the powers and dis
charge all the duties provided by law for
an attorney of a Territory of the United
States, in so far as the same are not To-
cally inapplicable.''
The other five officers perform duties
very similar TO those of corresponding Off
Gals in New Mexico, Arizona and Okla-
homa.
The Legislature of Porto Rico Is TO be
composed of the Executive Council of
eleven, five of whom, as already stated,
must be natives Of the island. and the
House of Delegates. The latter body is
representative. 1t consists of thirty-five
members, elected every two years by the
qualified voters of the island. The two
houses thus constituted are designated
'the Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico"
The island is to be divided into seven dis
tricts on a basis of population. Each dis
trict is to have five members Of the House
| of Delegates.
Regulations for the first election will be
made by the Executive Council. The date
will be set by the Executive Council. s
to suffrage for this first election the law
provides "all citizens of Porto Rico shall
be allowed to vote who have been bona
fide residents for one year and who pos
sess the other qualifications of voters un-
der the laws and military orders in force
on the LIST day of March, 1900, subject to
such notifications and additional quail.
fications and such regulations and ~restric.
lions as to registration as may be pre-
| scribed by the Executive Council"
Organization of the House of Delegates,
the term of session, the per diem pay and
other details conform closely to those OF
territorial legislatures. The law provides
that after this first election:
"All future elections of delegates shall be
governed by the provisions hereof, so far
as they are applicable, until the Legisla-
tive Assembly shall otherwise provide"
The Legislative Assembly of Porto Rico
is given the powers possessed by territorial
legislatures in the United States. There
is, however. this provision, intended to act
as a possible check upon the issue of fran
chises:
All grants of franchises, rights and
privileges or concessions of a public OF
quasi-public nature shall be made by the
Executive Council, with the approval OF
the Governor, n all franchises granted
in Porto Rico shall be reported to Con
gress, which hereby reserves the power to
annul or modify the same"
CURRENCY AND JUDICIARY.
TIL currency of Porto Rico is to be
changed to that Of the United States with
in three months after the passage of the
act. II has been stated by senators that no
people transferred to another government
was ever treated with the fairness shown
Porto Rico in this legislation. In the plan
for the change of circulation the opposition
to this bill found little ground for the
charge of injustice to Porto Rico. The
Porto Rican peso contains 40c worth OF