The Forrest City times., 1902-03-07

THE LAWS OF PORTO RICO.
Report Of the Commission Appointe ed to Revise and Compile the Laws
 of Porto Rico.

Washington, March 5.-The commis- sion to revise and compile the laws of Porto Rico, appointed by virtue of an act of April 12, 1900, has submitted it's report to the attorncy-gcneral The commission consisted of Joseph F. Daily, of New York, and l.. <. Rowe. of Pennsylvania. and Juan Hernandez Lopez, of Porto Rico. Inc work un- dertaken was the revision and com pilation of practically all the old Spanish laws.
 The commission. after an exhalIs- tive study of the Spanish system. pro- ceeded to make the most necessary changes, such as the reorganization of the judicial system and the system of local government, the revision of the laws of marriage and divorce and wills and intestacies and number of other important branches of the civil and criminal law. The most inn portant work of the commission was the revision of the organic act of Porto Rico, commonly known as the Foraker act. The system of local government proposed by the commis- sion includes a county, city and vil- lage organization. Under Spanish rule the island was divided into e divi- Sions, known as 'municipios. which were subjected to the StricteSt form of control by the central government The mayors were appointed by the governor general and members of the town councils were subject to his will, in fact, if not in law. Local self government was unknown. The com mission has taken long step in the direction of local autonomy. but has placed sufficient power in the insular government to guard against the dan gers of local ineXperience or incom- petence.
 Briefly stated the system leaves to the local authorities the management of local affairs, but preScribes a defi- nite standard of efficiency in the most important services, such as sani- tation, drainage, water supply, street cleaning, etc. If the local govern ments fail to meet these standards
 
 cient power to meet every emergency. The habeas corpus act is another of the important changes proposed | by the commission.
 The subject of marriage and divorce also is fully treated. The Spanish | civil code does not recognize divorce, although d separation proceeding is provided for. This branch of the law has been brought into close harmony with the system prevailing in such states as New York and Massachu- setts.
 In the matter of wills and intes- tacies. the Spanish civil code leaves but little freedom to the testator. Here again an adaptation of the sys- | tenn prevailing in the United States | has been made.
 At the expiration of the term fixed by congress for the presentation of | this report, the governor of Porto Rico appointed q code commission to | continue the work of the first com | mission. The membership of the sec ond commission was the same as that | of the first, with the exception of the substitution of !. NJ. Keedy. of Maryland, for Hon. Joseph F. Daily, the latter being unable to serve. The second commission, of which Dr. l.. s. Rowe is chairman, has utilized the work of the first commission in a general revision of the existing codes. The report of this second eommis- sion. which will be published shoriE, includes political code. penal code, code of criminal procedure and d | civil code.