La correspondencia de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 1890-1943, 1905-08-25
Porto Ricans s8gkti8ir
Independence. q
(By A. Q. Haesslbarth.) (2)

San Ju4Dv f. h Aug l.-+OpenBY
aYoWing. vile pretending 20 depl0re,
the fact thatsenti AmeFiCRniOm il ram
pant III Porto Rico, delegates from al
but one OF two Of the aixty-fiVe mum.
cipalities Of the island hRve united in
passing Z memorial 81 Congress. pray
ing That American power be checked
and that nstives ba given control Of
their own fairs. al was safely pre-
dicted the conVentiOn8c called By Mayor
Todd TO meet in San luen on OCcupa'
| tion dRy WAS seized upon % "a OppOr
tunity 80 insult Americans and the I'D.
ministFatioD here. DiAplsgipR the bad
tasta Of h0wsing sg ainat the govern.
rnent shat gave Porto Rico freedom
and has for seven years exercised .
most paternsI care.
The convention Bnplauded TO the
echo when couuci 'mRn from the city
tf San Juan, Mr.. Rivero. one time
captain Of artillery in the Spanish ar.
my and the msyOr AFecibo, Mr..
AViles, tor K the q nor and in sensati0-
nal discnuFGee attacked the sdmieistFR.
tion, denounced the American method
of vaEninQ the isIAndIo Porto R,G0.
invsighed in personal TRADES egaiost
the various heads Of Departments end
in other ways displayed thsir i'll feeling
toward the Americans in charge Of
insular f sirs.
The memorial to Congress swsepin.
/ QlY4a attscks the Fors ksT act and ask8
Congress TO amend the same 90 DlloWs:
1 That the House Of Delegates ahRll
continue ss at present elected By po.
puIRr sDffartge and composed of 35
members.
Q That instead cf the executive
cOunCiS there be constituted and cleo
tive insular senate composed Of IA se-
natOrs, two to each Of the seven dis.
tFicts of the IaIAnd.
g. That these two bodies shall pos
aesS the legislative pOWaFs granted by
the law f Apfil 10 1900. TO legiBIAti.
We assembly of Porto RICO.
4. That the ak departments now
txiatRnt Rhsll continue, thAt ID Of the
Attorney Ganersl, thu Treasurer. the
Auditor. the Commissioners G EducR-
tion and Cf she IateTi0F.
5. Thst the heads Of the six depart.
mentg shall be appointed by the Go.
V0rnor If Porto Rico, with the consent
of the InsuIar Senate
These amendments would. of C0ur
se. secure absolute control and W OuId
m,ks the Governor Q fgarehaad and
is AppointinR power q ioks. The me-
morisIists then proceed tp thus stop
tbs present governmental system:
SWe can not consent to that ffisial
Rgents bs sent to Porto Rice, who 90
. general rale are ignoFanl of the Ian
Quege, the customs. and the needs of
the country and that twe wensy four hours
sfter landing they occupy their seats
10 the Executive Council and decide
by Sheir votes. complex and intricate
probiems.1 ~
The memOriRlista to convince Con.
Qress that eli Porto Rico unites in
their clamoF declares that ethig is the
message of the whole Of Porto Rico in
its full and genuine rsputAtions, thSt
which is nearest to it'd citizens. that
which hears. day by day. the paIoita.
tlons Of pain and Of protest, the una.
nimous representation of their muni-
CipHlities. LII.
con various occaaions ths RSpp bIi
can party, and the Federal party (n.w
dissolved) addressed you. A short
time since 3 House Memorial w - pre-.
ssnted 30 you from the House Of DaIe.
gates but to-day not Q portion bat the
whole Of ths people sDes ks and inGg.
much 90 itp'ases faith il you and no.
eG generous solution and Do il sees
W th sorrow that it fiods ITSELF G. me-
PEELED TO feel anti American. it appeals
to she only body. to the only power,
which can save it in th air aupFeme
cor flct and rests and fseIs assured
that 1t viii b4 treated az one who pre-.
sents himself with friendship and res
pect snd st the same time wish dignity
and frmneas TO demand an inCOnteats.
BILE act of equity and justice.
In the excitement of Wsiling over
exiOtiDG Conditions and sucering at
Americans the convention 10 oYg 4 I'd |
ak for territorial or State rights or |
ci iGenship. All thy wApt ID to &c.
vsFn thsmselves and have Uncle Sam
pay the bills if neCessary. -
The m .morial will be prege ented TO
Congress By Delegate LHrrinsga, .
uni0nist. How much CoDgreag WillI
be shocked or how much il viii do
tcwAFds driving Rll the einiquitouaS
Americans out of Porto Rico renaina
to be seen. If Congress should fail
to tremble the Mem0rialiBts will cor.
tsinly write 70 Is again and sGain until
tnere ID esomethiog dOiDgS ID APda
sh wing Senator F0FaksF ths error Of
his ways. 1t. on the 0thsr hand. aB
certain Il fiaentiat Americans declare
not at eli lmDrobAbse CODRreGg should
abolish the House f d sIeoAte. end in.
crease the power of the G. GJyernoF-and
the Executive Council, the Fecent con-
vention members will learn the nature II
Cf boOmeraugs, Stranger thin0a then !.
thst have happened. Il
- -
= q This article was published in "The /
Syracuse Herald" on August 49, (And it
may have appeared in other papers as
Mr. Haeselbarth represents about twenty
papers H
(2) Ito whom the People oil Porto Rico
L NJ. I - :.