The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-10-14


zenship in the United States. They re-
alize that they are not American,
Spanish or Porto Rican; they have a
government which is an Unattended mix
ture of old Spanish law. military or
derS and Foraker bill. The ableSt legal
mind is unable to give an opinion.
Amid this confusion every man there
knows his wrongs, but no man knows
his rights.
Mr.. Lincoln once said: sThe United
States ca mot exist half slave and half
free"
1t is equally true that Porto Rico can
have no well being, one-third Spanish
tradition, one-third military despotism
and one-third Foraker compromise
Whatever relief is to be given this
island congress should give 1t at once.
Charles Sumner in the senate in 1863
speaking on Emancipation Immedi-
ate" said: THE whole question is
open between immediate emancipation
and prospective emancipation, or in
other words between doing right at
once and doing right at some future
day
Every consideration of humanity, re-
liglon, reason, common sense and his
tory, all demanded the instant cessa-
ton of an intolerable wrong without
representation or delay.
Mr.. Summers appeal for the immedi-
ate freeing of the slave applies even
more strongly to striking off the po-
ntical letters of the inhabitants of
Porto Rico.
There is no question whether jus
tice or 'l1nanit.y shah be immediate or
gradual" said Sumner.
g g g
The president in mis- proclamation
raised the hopes of these people by de-
claring:
Our plain duty is to abolish all GUS
toms tariffs between the United States
and Porto Rico and give her products
Tree access to our markets." These
hopes were answered by the enactment
OF the Foraker bill, with its Is per cent
tariff, a makeshift measure dependent
on future congressional action and
therefore unstable, uncertain and hard
~ less ruinOuS than either the PENN
sular tyranny or the exigent military
measures that preceded the law.
This bill, among other iniouities pro-
vides for the collection Of the revenues
of the island, including tariff duties
and for the manner of their disburse-
ment An al 1ennpt is made to still the
indignant clamor over this by repre-
senting that it is for the islands ben
eft.
The revolutionary patriot, Stephen
hopkins, in an address delivered in 1854,
IN the early agitation for American lib
erty, made this deduction:
But it will be said that the moneys
drawn from the colonies by duties and
by taxes Will be laid up and set apart
to be used for their future defenses.
This viii not at all alleviate the hard
ships, but serve only the more strongly
to mark the servile state of the people
Free people have ever thought and viii
think that the money necessary for
their defenses lies safest in their own
hands until it is wanted Immediately
for their purpose
Why should not Porto Rico be per-
mitted to raise and disburse her own
revenues In the manner that seems to
her best?
She would not engage a government
more expensive than that of an Amer
lean state of corresponding population.
as she has now, and she would be
pound to raise revenue enough to paw
ner expenses without recourse to a tar
IN, which is against the constitution
ana every precedent in the history of
the United States. On this very point
merchant of San Juan said to me:
Under Spanish rule, though we had
10 pay army and navy expenses and
the huge annual pension to the de-
scendants of Christopher Columbus
our budget always showed a. surplus
while under the American system we
have already million dollars deficit"
Without the consent of the people
TINS Dill has imposed excessive bur
dens- These are just a few Of them
provided by the Foraker bill:
The salaries of all officers and all
expenses OF the offices of the various
officials of Porto Rico, appointed as
herein provided by the president in
Guiding deputies. assistants and otber
help. shall also be paid out of the rev
enues of Porto Rico on the warrant of
the auditor, countersigned by the gov
ernor.
The annual salaries Of the officials ap-
pointed by the president, and so to be
paid, shall be as follows:
Inc governor, $4,000; in addition
thereto he shall be entitled to the oc-
cupancy of the buildings heretofora
used by the chief executive of Porto
Rico, with the furniture and effects
there, free of rental.
The secretary, $4,000.
The attorney general, $4,000.
The treasurer, 50 600.
The auditor, 81 600
The commissioner of interior. 81 900
The commissioner of education, So. 600
The chief justice of the supreme
court, $4,000.
The associate justices of the S1,Dray,oa
court, $4,000 each.
The marshal of the supreme court.
1000.
The United States district judge,
$1,000.
The United States district attorney,
$4,000.
The United States district marshal,
$500.
These officers and their expenses
make a total equal to the cOS< of gov
eminent of many of the largest and
most prosperous states of the United
States.
One of the chief grievances of the
American colonies against England in
11l6 was this very sending of officers
from the mother country to govern
them. Is it any wonder that a century
and quarter later the people of Porto
Rico are impatient and complaining
when they are made the subject of the
same injustice?
What American state would endure
having all its chief officers sent from
some other state? 1t is as unnecessary
as it is unjust. There are hundreds of
bright men in Porto Rico, educated in
the United States. many of them amply
competent to fill the posts of govern
ment.
would not have one American sent
to occupy an office in Porto Rico that
a native Of the island could admins
ter. They are accustomed to a greater
measure of elf-gOvernment than the
Foraker bill gives them.
Even tyrannical Spain, whose woke
we lifted from the necks Of these peo-
pie. did better by them than we-the
deliverers.
The islanders satiricalIy quote Cen
eral Miles proclamation to you when
you speak to them on the relations we
bear to them
They (the people of The United