The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-12-11

American citizenship upon the peo-
pie Of Porto Rico. I most earnestly
nope tnat this will be done. 1 can not
see how any harm can possibly result
from it, and it seems to me a matter
or right and justice to the people of
Porto Rico. They are loyal, they are
glad to be under our flag they are
making rapid progress along the path
of orderly liberty. Surely we should
show our appreciation of them. our
pride in whot they have done. and our
pleasure in extending recognition for
what has thus been DONE by grant
ing them full American citizenship
Under the wise administration of the
present governor and council, marked
progress has been made in the diff
cult matter of granting to the people
OF the island the largest measure Of
self-government that can with safety
be given at the present time. 1t
would have been very serious mis-
take to have gone any faster than we
have already gone in tbs direction.
Inc Porto Ricans have complete and
absolute autonomy in all their NUM-
clpal governments, the only power over
them possessed by the insular govern
ment being that of removing corrupt
or corrupt or incompetent municipal
omclals. This power has never been
exercised save on the clearest proof of
corruption or of incompetence-such as
to jeopardize the interests of the peo-
pie of the sland; and under such cir
cumstances it has been fearlessly used
to the immense benefit of the people.
1t is not power with which it would
be safe, for the sake of the island it
self, to dispense with at present. The
lower house is absolutely elective,
while the upper house is appointive.
This scheme is working we'll; no injus-
tice of any kind results from it, and
great benefit to the island, and it
should certainly not be changed at
this time.
The machinery of the cleo
lions is administered entirely by
the Porto Rican people themselves, the
such supervision as is necessary in or
der to insure an orderly election. Any
protest as to electoral frauds is set
tied in the courts. Here again it would
not be safe to make any change in the
present system. The elections this
year were absolutely orderly, unac-
companied by any disturbances; and no
protest has been made against the
management of the elections, although
three contests are threatened where
the majOrities were very small and err
rOr was claimed; the contests, of
course, to be settled in the courts. In
short, the governor and council are
cooperating with all of the most en-
lightened and most patriotic of the
people of Porto Rico in educating the
citizens of the island in the principles
of orderly liberty. They are providing
a government based upon each citi-
spect Of all citizens; that is, based
upon a rigid observance Of the princi-
pies Of justice and honesty. 1t has
not been easy to instil into the minds
of people unaccustOmed to the eXer-
else of freedom, the two basic princ1
pies of our American system; the prin-
ciple that the majority must rule, and
the principle that the minority has
rights which must not be disregarded
or trampled upon. Yet real progress
has been made in having these prin-
ciples accepted as elementary, as the
foundations of successful self govern
ment.
1 transmit herewith the report of the
governor of Porto Rico, sent to the
president through the secretary of
state.
All the insular governments should
be placed in one bureau, either in the
department of war or the department
of state. 1t is a mistake not so to ar
range our handling of these islands at
Washington as to be able to take adj
vantage of the experience gained in
one, when dealing with the problems
that from time to time arise in an
other.
In conclusion let me express my ad-
miration for the work done by the
congress when it enacted the law un-
der which the island is now being adj
ministered. After seeing the island
personally, and after five years ex-
perience in connection with its ad-
ministration, it is but fair to those who
devised this law to say that it would
be we'll nigh impossible to have de-
yised any other which in the actual
working would have accomplished bet
ter results
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Dec. II, 1906.