Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-15
AS TO PORTO RICO
SECRETARY MOODY ON THE PEG
PIE AND THEIR STATUS.
Suitability Of San Juan for a Naval
Standardization Of Citizenship
Danish West Indies.

Oau1Sn west xuO1cS.
Regarding Porto Rican affairs Secretar.
Moody said he had gathered much valuable
information which he would lay before
those who were better able to judge thar
he OF the merits of San Juan or of any
other place he had visited. OF San Juar
he said:
So far as San Juan is concerned it die
not take me long to see that there is very
little here. 1t is only an embryotic sta
ton. There are no facilities for making re-
pairs, and, in fact, there is hardly anything
here. I looked over the Puntilla, as also
the disputed lands and the private lands
there are in this vicinity: but, of course,
am unable to say anything as yet with
reference to the naval station. That Is a
thing that will have to be met when the
situation arises, and no conclusion can be
hurriedly arrived at. You must remember
that a naval station will involve an outlay
of several millions of dollars, and this
must be carefully considered. There are
many things one has to take into consid-
GRAFTON in the selection of naval station,
as, for instance it's geographic position.
ut is obvious that San Juan harbor needs
dredging. but that is not strictly a Navy
Department affair. 1t is more in the line
of the War Department, and appropria tons
for this are usually provided for in the
particular harbor should properly be done
by the War Department. as it would be of
great commercial advantage. irrespective
of whether naval station should locate
here or not.
"San Juan harbor is not deep enough to
permit our big ships to enter. l am told,
though, that the entrance and the re-
mainder of the harbor can be readily
dredged at a small cost, as the bottom of
the bay is soft coral and mud. If this be
true, there is possibility that this harbor
might do.
cat any rate under any conditions,
should Culebra be the naval station San
Juan would benefit by it. as there would
have to be base here for supplies"
Porto Rican Affairs.
On Porto Rican affairs generally Secre-
tary Moody was more ready to talk freely
He replied, when asked what the feeling
of the administration was toward Porto
Rico:
porto Rico is in the same position to-
ward the United States that little child Is
that IS left at ones doorstep. One takes
the child up and cares most tenderly for it.
porto Rico came into the possession of
not be said that she came quite willingly.
I am glad to hear that the anti-American
feeling is dying out and the Porto Rican
people feel that the United States can only
be a benefit to them.
Then the much-mooted question of citi-
zenship of Porto Ricans and the possibility
of this island being a territory came up.
The Secretary was very plain spoken about
the matter He said:
Porto Rico, geographically, has not the
eli hnf l<, I,o;r
Independent nation, and of necessity it
would be part Of some greater power.
What greater power, what greater blessing
could a country have than to be associa ted
with the United States? 1t is not yet ready
for self-government. Self-government is a
thing that is not learned in day It takes
many years of constant experience to reach
the state where a country such as Porto
Rico shall be fit to govern itself. At the
present time Porto Rico has everything
1t can wish for. 1t has the markets of the
United States open to 1t to sell its wares
in, it has the greatest market in the world
to buy its necessities.
Porto Rico has been literally dealt with
The Congress considered the proposition of
charging a Is per cent duty on it's exports
into the states. I was strong advocate of
that duty. as I believed 1t a good thing for
the island to raise its revenue in that way
Now even that has been refunded and the
products of Porto Rico enter the United
States absolutely free.
Citizenship Of Porto Ricans.
LAS to citizenship, that is a thing for the
Supreme Court to decide. For my part, I
think that when the people Of Porto Rico
are ripe for 1t they will get it. as they have
all other things that are in the gift of the
United States.
''If Porto Rican goes to another country
he gets a passport, worded. 1t is true,
trifie differently than is one given to a
citizen of the United States yet one that
would be recognized anywhere. The ques-
ton has never been tested, but I am sure
that passport given to a Porto Rican
would be as firm protection anywhere as
would passport given to citizen of the
United States.
Porto Rico must be patient She must
learn the lessons experience teaches, she
must learn the obligations that citizenship
imposes, and as soon as she has mastered
these lessons the federal government will
do It's part
II have the greatest faith in the future
Of the island and the people Of Porto Rico,
and believe in time they will attain equali-
ty of citizenship in every sense and the
fullest and freest government"
The Danish West Indies.
Asked what the object of the trip to st.
was, and if it had anything to do
with the purchase Of the Danish West In
dies the Secretary replied:
mo, we were right on the way from tho
south to this port and so went there on an
unofficial visit. There was no Importance
attached to our going there at all.
with reference to our buying the Danish
West Indies. we once made them an offer
which they did not accept. Now If they
want to sell they must come after U.S."
BRAVERY REWARDED