Omaha daily bee., 1905-09-14
rANr AMER1cAN cIrIzgNsHIP.

The people Of Porto Rico are not sat !
isfied with their present political status.
They want American citizenship and II
they cannot have that they desire to
set up an independent government. At
a mass meeting OF school teachers in
San Juan a month ago it was resolved
to submit to the consideration of the
American congress and people the state
of affairs in the island and the wish Of
its people. IL was declared that either
Porto Rico should become a state of
the union or it should be made an in
dependent nation like Cuba. ANY Of
these solutions" says the appeal, would
satisfy the aspirations Of our people, as
they desire sef-government, that is, an
institution organized by Porto Rlcans
and for Porto Ricans. To the United
States congress is left the choice of the
above solutions, selecting the most con-
venient one to the high ends sought in
the western hemisphere by the Wash
ington administration"
The authors of the appeal say that
Porto Rico suffers and is tired of its i'm
posed government, that uncertainty as
to its future political status kills effort
and is harmful to public education. The
attention of congress is called to the
fact that pretended Americanization Of
our schools will be rendered useless un-
less the American government feels dis
posed to supply the insular administra-
ton with the means to educate the two
thirds part, at least, of the 100000 chill
dren of school age in Porto Rico" 1t
is stated that great sacrifices are being
made at present to accommodate the 3d.
600 pupils attending the school houses of
the island. Finally It is urged upon
congress ito uphold the principles of
justice under which the American people
have inspired in the past all their gen
erous acts and proclaim, in an unmis-
taxable manner, the political status of
the land of our BIRTH
These are the utterances Of American
teachers and they are certainly worthy
of consideration, but not much hope can
be held out to them that the aspirations
of the Porto Ricans will be realized.
Nothing is more certain than that the
island will not in this generation, II
ever, become a state of the union. The
American people would not consent to
have the Porto Ricaps participate in the
| election of a president of the United
States and in the framing of legislation
for this country. The islanders have
not yet learned the true nature Of our
institutions and it will be at least a gen.
Grafton before they intelligently under
stand II. Until that time comes It is idle
to talk about making Porto Rico state
Of the union. AS to giving it independ-
ence, that also is not to be seriously
thought Of at this time. The people are
not prepared for self-government, not
assume the obligations and responsible
ties which that would involve. The
Cuban republic is as yet an experiment.
It's permanence is by no means assured
and there are many who believe that 1t
Is surely destined to become American
territory. Porto Rico at the present
time is not as well prepared as was
Cuba for an independent govern
ment.
Perhaps the administration of affairs
in Porto Rico could be improved. Ger
tainly this government should make gen.
erous provision for education in the isl
and But Porto Ricans may as well
make up their minds that there will be
no change in their political status in the
near future.