Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-06-18
Gil AIM CITIZENSHIP
YOUNG PORTO RICANS ASK AD-
MISSION TO BAR.
Not Satisfied With Conditions, They
Write a Letter - What
Mr.. GiveE Says.

An interesting question as to the status
of Porto Ricans has arisen in the case of
two young men of that island who have
graduated in law in colleges of this Dis
trict and have applied for admission to the
bar of the Supreme Court of the District
by examination. They were informed by
Mr.. Ralph Given, the secretary of the ex
aiming committee, that they could take
the examination subject to a decision of
the court as to their right to practice.
They have addressed a letter to the ex-
aiming committee declining to take the
examination under the conditions imposed,
and claiming United States citizenship I'M
der the Constitution, inasmuch as they
have been deprived of Spanish citizenship
and now own allegiance to no other coun-
try than the United States. They say:
we refuse to take the examination be-
cause we must not accept as an aims what
belongs to US a right" They further
say:
The Foraker Bill.
THE Foraker bill. now in force in Porto
Rico. is palpable violation of the United
States Constitution. The fourteenth amend
ment says: All persons born or natural
lied in the United States and subject to the
jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the
United States and of the states wherein
they reside Now to be a citizen of the
United States by naturalization it Is neces-
sary to reside in the country the time re-
quired by law. A German residing in
Spain can not acquire the privileges of
American citizenship. Why, then can he
acquire such a privilege by residing in
Porto Rico the time prescribed by law?
Because the American government consid-
ers Porto Rico as an integral part of the
nation. as a portion of the United States.
Then, person born in Porto Rico must be
citizen of the United States according to
the fourteenth amendment to the Constitu-
ton. which absolutely says that all per-
sons born in the United States are citizens
thereof. The case, however, is a totally
different one in Porto Rico, and the natives
are contemplating the greatest injustice
which could have been committed under the
nag of republican nation, namely that
Porto Rico can give no foreigners privi-
leges which can not be granted to Porto
Ricans. Naturalization may also be ac-
quired by the acquisition by the United
States of foreign territory with its people.
who thereby become citizens of the United
States. Also by two other methods which
we do not deem pertinent in this instanceO
1T cannot be said that we are in the
same condition as the Indian aborigines of
this country, for they yield obedience to
their tribal heads and we depend directly
upon the American government; and there
fore, they owe qualified allegiance to the
United States whereas our allegiance is alb
solute and unconditional. Furthermore,
the aboriginal Indians are still uncivilized,
while our countrymen are as famlliariZed
with modern progress and civilization as
the Bostonians and New Workers. And
even those unfortunate aborigines are in a
much better situation than us, for, If they
separate from their tribes and adopt the
habits of civilized life, they become ipso
facto full-f1edged citizens of the United
States. and we, the Porto Ricans can in no
manner whatsoever acquire the privileges
of citizenship
What Mr.. Given Says.
Mr.. Ralph Given, secretary Of the bar
examination committee, today explained
that a question having arisen as to the
citizenship of the applicants, the latter
were informed that the committee was of
the opinion that they were entitled to take
the examination for admission to the local
bar subject to their status as to- citizen
ship being determined by the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia sitting
in general term. The admitting of persons
to the bar Is done by the Court in General
Term.
Mr.. Given says he was informed by Felix
G.. Davila and Rafael Arrillaga Urrutfa
that in view of the fact that a New York
court has decided that Porto Ricans are
not citizens of the United States they would
but intended to sail Immediately for home.
Manuel de ]. Boneta stated, according to
Mr. Given that as he means to return here
next fall in order to pursue post-grad-
uate law course, he will not at this time, in
view of the question that has been raised,
bother now with taking the bar examina-
ton