Evening star., 1902-09-04
CAUSED D|SCONTENT
Order CHASING Porto Ricans
as Aliens.
GOVERNOR INDIGNANT
RULING INCONSISTENT WITH AT
ToRNEY GENERALS OPINION.
Basis Of the Decision Alleged Fear of
Chinese Coming From the Island
-Degetau's Efforts.
GOVERNOR INDIGNANT
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

No act Of the federal government since
| the United States acquired possession of
Porto Rico has caused more discomfort
| here than has the order recently issued in
| Washington by the commissioner general of
| the immigration bureau in which he in
| structs all the collectors of customs and
| others charged with the administration of
| the immigration and Chinese exclusion law
| that the provisions of the law regulating
| immigration, including those which pre-
scribe payment of the head tax apply to
| the residents and natives Of Porto Rico
and the Philipl inc Islands The citizens and
| residents Of said islands therefore should
| be admitted to the United States upon the
same conditions and subject to the same
examinations as enforced against the
people from countries over which the United
States claims 10 right Of sovereignty what
ever.
Acting Governor Indignant.
Acting Governor Hartzel, when he re-
ceived a copy of the order, expressed him
self in vigorous terms. He said:
"Fortunatel this matter does not seem
to have come to the knowledge or attention
of the Porto Rican people with it's full
force and significance but 1 apprehend that
it will certainly do so before long and it
seems to me 1t presents a very Just cause
we nave right to protest against. most
vigorously 10 the authorities at Washington
The absolute inconsistency of any ruling
as this is well illustrated by the fact that
only three weeks ago the Secretary of the
Treasury sent US an elaborate opinion by
the Attorney General of the United States
to the effect that the United States immi-
grafton laws were applicable in Porto Rico,
and that the so-called head tax on immi-
grants. and referred to in the order should
be collected by virtue of these statutes
from all immigrants arriving at Porto
Rican ports and turned over to the treas
urer of the United States, in accordance
with the terms of the immigra ton law,
and it is hard for to understand how
II Porto Rico is an American port, and the
federal immigration laws are to be en-
forced against all immigrants from foreign
ports, this can be reconciled to the same
procedure upon the same persons going
from Porto Rico to the United States.
Unjust to Porto Ricans
But to my mind the most important
feature of this whole matter is the dis
couraging attitude in which it places the
people of this island with respect to their
relations to the United States We have
been led to believe, and l think our course
has tended to induce the Porto Rican peo-
pie to believe, that the relations between
this island and the federal government
We're becoming closer and more harmoni-
Gus, and that we expected to have it so
that announced by the commissioner of i'm
migration will necessarily strike every
Porto Rican as very distinct backward
step, and as a very unjust ruling and one
which tends more than anything which has
gone before, to confound their status as
citizens of any country, or as people hav-
ing any sovereign government
Fear of Chinese Immigration.
81 understand that the basis of the de-
cision by the commissioner Of immigration
has been an alleged fear that these islands
would be the means of admitting Chinese
to the United States, but we know very well
that there are practically no Chinese In
Porto Rico at this time, and If the mmigra-
ton laws of the United States We're applica-
BILE in Porto Rico, as the Attorney General
has decided, then l do not understand that
Chinese would be admitted here. In fact,
my recollection is that at the last session
or Congress there was some proposition to
permit Chinese to land in Porto Rico, but
| 1T was'strcken out of the bill before the
same adopted"
Governor HartZellS satisfaction because
comparatively few Porto Ricans had heard
of the law was Of short duration. All the
local papers published the order and pro-
tests are heard on every side.
Degetau's Efforts.
On the day the order reached San Juan
FREDERICK Degetau helped to advertise the
situation by trying all day to have himself
| arrested, with no takers. Mr.. Degetau is
the commissioner for the island in Wash
ington, and does not want to be accused
of violating the laws of the United States
as he realizes that he should be one of the
first to set the example for living up to the
letter of Uncle Sans mandates But no
one is willing to sit on Mr. Degetau's case
and he is still at large
Since the commissioner Of immigration
has elected that all Porto Ricans are aliens
and must upon entering an American port
subjected
Cinnamon and other voyagers from a foreign
land, with Ellis Island and head tax ac-
compartments, Mr. Degetau thinks he has
violated the alien contract labor law in
that, whenever he has had an opportunity,
he has advocated that Porto Ricans come TO
the United States In order to study the Ian
guage, and, after having mastered It, to Sc
cure positions In any walk Of life which
might appeal to them.
This is interpreted by Mr.. Sargent COM
missioner general of immigration, as a dis
tinct violation of the law.
Seeking Arrest.
Mr.. Degetau said: II have violated the
law SO often, in that have advertised for
people to go from Porto Rico to the states,
that 1 expect I'm very bad man and
should be punished" He first visited United
States Commissioner Robbins. Sorry"
said the commissioner, when he had heard
the story, but you'll have to go somewhere
else 1 can't do anything for you in the in
generating line. Go and see Judge Pettin-
gill; he's the district attorney for the
United States and he'll be glad to accommo-
date you" -r
Yes, Judge PettingiH was In and would
see the commissioner from Porto Rico; but
after he heard the case the amiable prose-
cutor shook his head sadly and replied
Il regret very much. Mr.. Degetau, that 1t
is not within my power to grant your re-
quest, but you will have to continue to be |
a free man until can consult with the au-
thorities at the national capital as to your
case. OF course, l would like to extepd |
any courtesy in my power to you but in !
this instance l must decline until further |
notice"
Thus Mr.. Degetau is compelled to re- |
main in liberty and wrestle with his con- |
science until Judge Pettingill hears from |
the powers that be at Washington.
Americans "Kicking."
Americans in San Juan are adding fuel to |