Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-07-20
IN THE ISLE OF
PORTO RICO
Accomplishments Of Gov. Hunt Dur.
ing His Four Years Tenure Of
office as the Guiding Hand.
NOW COMES TO MONTANA BENCH
civilizing Work Of a Century Done by
American Officials in Brief Time
Since Spanish War.

Walter J.. Ballard, Of ~Sohnectady.
n. Y, writes as follows in the Spring
field (NassJ Union of July Srd. The
article is of special interest as form
er Gov. Hunt has been named as fed
eral judge of the district of Montana
and will assume his new duties about
the first OF August:
Today Gov. William H. Hunt. of
Forto Rico, is succeeded by Gov.
Winthrop, late OF the Philippine civil
government. In ~relinquishing his re-
sponsible office, Gov. Hunt leaves be-
hind him a more than four years
record of work well done. During
ex-Gov. Aliens term of office-May
|, 1900. TO July |, 1901-Gov. Hunt
was secretary of Porto Rico, and al
so, in lieu of an attorney general for
the island, acted as chief legal adyis-
er OF the insular government in its
first year. He succeeded to the Of
flee of governor on July ], 1901, thus
today completing three years SER
vice in that capacity. This period of
service covered the hardest part of
the work of Cancellation and construc-
ton, which the American administra-
ton. with valuable native assistance,
has successfully carried out in Porto
Rico.
Remarkable changes have occurred
as a result of the policies inaugural
ed by Gov. Hunt. Quiet and indefat-
igable in his labors, he has allowed
nothing to deter him from persistent
ly striving for the betterment of the
people. AS a leader in safe, con-
sentative, yet progressive, measures,
he has gained the respect and conf
dence of all classes of Porto Ricans
Americans and Spaniards. The NOR
al tone of the people has been great
ly elevated and today Porto Rico has
a completely constructed American
civil government. Law and order are
prevalent throughout the island. the
c~onstabulary being an insular police
under the governors control. The fis-
cal system provides, by very low tax
alton, ample revenue, with a balance
of S350,000 in the treasury; there are
seventy thousand children enrolled in
the public schools; labor Is better
paid than formerly; agriculture has
developed. while commerce has ex-
banded from a total trade of 16,602,-
900 in 1900 TO 1896. 900 in 1908,
with a balance of trade in favor of
the island of $496, 000-the greatest in
its four centuries of history.
Gov. Hunt secured the adjustment
of the public lands question in a way
to secure for the island nearly all the
public lands, aggregating 100000
acres; made provision for the final
and satisfactory adjustment OF the
claims of the Catholic church TO valu-
able landed properties.
Under Spanish rule the island
maintained 2Si kilometers of roads
the most important factor in an agri-
cultural country like Porto Rico-now
there are 7O7 kilometers. mostly
roads which develop the interior OF
the island. The number of telegraph
Offices has grown from 10 to 80 sta
tons.
Municipal governments are i'm
proved and their budgets reduced; the
death rate has decreased, and TO even
the most superficial observer there is
noticeable vast Improvement in sani'
tation. cleanliness and general condi
lions.
Within the last three years the old
Spanish codes OF law have been alb
rogated and American political, civil
and penal code systems prevail. Jul
dicial reforms have also been enacted,
and today Porto Rico lives under
American judicial statutes. The is
land has its own law-making body.
1t has a model bill of rights preserv'
ing free speech. The system OF mar
riage laws has been recast on Ameri'
can lines, and the unfortunate condi'
tions of the past are being rapidly
improved.
Porto Rico now has the right to
send her young men to West Point
and Annapolis. But, best OF all, the
people are free, and enjoy the bless
ings of liberal self-government; in
stead of ~autocratic power they now
have the applied doctrine of political
| equality of men. To lay these funda'
mental bases oil permanent civil gov
eminent. and to build a sound foun-
dation and structure has been Gov.
Hunts task, aided by the preliminary
work done by eX-Gov. Allen, and the
prior military governors, Maj-Gen.
John r. Brooke. Maj-Gen. Guy V.
Henry and Brig.-Gen. George w. Day'
is. together with the other Americans
who have filed, or still fill the var.
iCus subordinate offices in the insular
government. The work was most diff
Gcult under any circumstances, but
particularly so because Porto Rico
has a million people crowded togeth-
or i'm an area of country less than
half the size Of New Jersey. that they
knew nothing Of The English langu'
age: that so per cent were illiterate
and that their government for nearly
four hundred years had been abso'
lutely autocratiC and inconsiderate OF
their moral and intellectual progress
Added to all this weight Of difficulty
was the awful hurricane OF 1899
which destroyed the islands principal
agricultural industry-cofee. Much
poverty, distress and misery was con.
seauent. and is not yet fully recovered
from.
In this work OF constructive gov
eminent there has been no scandal
of corrupt administration and no sus
picion Of public VIZ lg.
Testimony from }Jrto Rico proves
that In his four Gears work there
Gov. Hunt has shown a remarkabl!
sound Judgment, a patriotism as deeI
as 1t is lasting, and both moral ant
physical courage rarely equaled. Tha