Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-12-18
OFFICIAL PAPER OF COUNTY
URGES Citizenship
FOR PORTO RICaIIS
PRESIDENT ASKS THEY BE
GRANTED SOME RIGHTS AS
AMERICANS.
SPECIAL MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS ON SUBJECT

Rule Of Governor Winthrop and
Autonomous Government Praised
Beauty and Resources of Island
Described.
Washington, Dec. 12.-President
Roosevelt Tuesday sent to congress
special message on Porto Rico, in
which he urged full American citizen
ship for the islanders, favored keep
ing in the field regiment of native
troops, praised the rule of Governor
Winthrop and autonomous city gov
eminent and urged that provision be
made at once for the dredging of San
Juan harbor. The president describes
his visit on the island and praises the
beauties of the land
II doubt whether our people as
whole realize the beauty and fertility
Of Porto Rico, and the progress that
has been made under its admirable
government. We have just cause for
pride in the character of our represen-
tAtives who have administered the
tropic islands which came under our
flag as result of the war with Spain;
and of no one of them is this more
true than Of Porto Rico. 1t would be
impossible to wish more faithful,
| more efficient and more disinter-.
ested public service than that now be-
Ing rendered in the island of Porto
Rico by those in control of the insular
| government"
| Appeal Made to Congress.
Coming to his appeal to Congress
for the Porto Ricans Mr.. Roosevelt
says:
There is a matter to which l wish
to call your especial attention, and
that is the desirability of comforting
full American citizenship upon the
people of Porto Rico / most earnest;
ly hope that this will be done. l can
not see how any harm can possibly re-.
suit from it, and it seems to me mat
ter of 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 what 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 difficult
matter of granting to the people Of the
island the largest measure of self-gov-
eminent that can with safety be given
at the present time. 1t would have
been a very serious mistake to have
gone any faster than we have already
gone in this direction.
Can Remove Corrupt Men.
"The Porto Ricans have complete and
j absolute autonomy in all their munich
pal governments, the only power over
them possessed by the insular govern
J ment being that of removing corrupt or
incompetent municipal officials. This
power has never been exercised save
on the clearest proof Of corruption OF
: of incompetence-such as to jeopar.
die the interests of the people of the
island; and under such circumstances
It has been fearlessly used to the i'm.
mense benefit of the people. It is not
a power with which it would be safe
for the sake of the island itself, to dis.
pense at present. The lower house is
absolutely elective, while the upper
: working well; no injustice of any kind
results from it, and great benefit to
the island, and it should certainly not
be changed at this time. The machin.
cry of the elections is administered en-
tirely by the Porto Rican people them
selves, the governor and council keep.
ing only such supervision as is neces-
sary in order to insure an orderly cleo.
ton. Any protest as to electoral frauds
is settled 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, I'M
/. accompanied by any disturbance; and
no protest has been made against the
management Of the elections, although
three contests are threatened where
the majorities were very small and
. error was claimed; the contests, Of
courts, to be settled in the courts"
In conclusion the executive ex
presses his admiration for the work
done by congress when it enacted a
law under which the island is being
administered.
!, after seeing the island personally
and after five years experience in
connection with its administration, ;
he says, ut is but fair to those who
devised this law to say that it would
be well nigh impossible to have de-
vised any other which in the actual
working would have accomplished bet
ter results"
Selects Site for Powder Factory.
Washington, Dec. 1.-THE war de