Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-11
WANTS CITIZENSHIP
FOR PORTO R|CANS
President Roosevelt Urges Upon
Congress Action in Behalf
Of Islanders
TRANSMITS a SPECIAL MESSAGE
President Tells Congress Of Conditions
as He Found Them on Recent Trip
Intelligent, Prosperous and Progress
sive-lsland Affairs as Now Admin
istered.

Washington. Dec. 11.-President
Roosevelt transmitted to congress to-
day a special message on the subject
of Porto Rico, in course of which he
urges upon congress the desirability of
granting full citizenship to the people
of the island. Tlae president tells con-
gress of the conditions as he found
them thru personal observation during
his recent trip. The message follows:
ITO the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives: OH November 81 vis-
tied the island of Porto Rico, landing
at Ponce, crossing by the old Span
ish road by Cayey to San. Juan, and
returning next morning over the new
American road from Arecibo to Ponce.
could not emb;lrk at San Juan be-
cause the harbor has not been dredg-
ed out and can not receive American
battleships l do not think this fact
creditable to US as a nation, and
earnestly hope that immediate provis-
ion will be made for dredging San
Juan Harbor.
Il doubt whether our people as a
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 chara cter of our represen-
tatives who have administered the
stropic islands which came under our
flag as a result of the war with Spain;
and OF no one of them is this more true
than of Porto Rico. It would be inn
possible to wish. more faithful. al
more efficient and a more disinterested
public service than that now being rem
dered in the island of Porto Rico by
those in control OF the insular govern
ment.
Il stopped at a dozen towns all told,
and one of the notable features in
every town was the gathering of the
school children. The work that has
been done in Porto Rico for education
has been noteworthy. The main em-
phasis, as is en1inently wise and prop
en-, has been put upon primary educa-
tion; but IN addition to this there has
ton; but III addition to this there is
normal school, All agricultural school,
three Industrial and three high schools.
Sugar and lopacco.
TN traversing the island even the
most cursory survey leaves the behold
er struck with the evident rapid growth
a fIaos ,f
and tobacco. The fruit industry is
also growing. Last year was the most
prosperous year that the island has
ever known before or since the Amer
lean occupation. The total of exports
and imports of.the island was $45,O0O,-
600, as against $18,00O,0OO in 1901 This
is the largest in the islands history
Prior to the American occupation the
greatest trade for any one year was
that of 1896, when it reached nearly
$23,O0O.OO0. Last year, therefore, there
was double the trade that there was
dr the most prosperous year under the
Spanish regime. There were 21O,273
tons of sugar exported last year, Of
the. value of $14.1S6.319; s3,555,163 of
tobacco, and 2S,ssu,322 pounds of cof-
fee of the value OF $3,481, ,102. Unfor-
funately, what used to be Porto Rico's
prime crop-coffee- not shared |
this prosperity. 1t has never recovered
from the disaster OF the hurricane, and
moreover, the benefit of throwing open
our market to it has not compensated
for the loss inflicted by the closing Of
the markets to it abroad. call your |
attention to the accompanying memo
rial on this subject, of the board Of
trade of San Juan, and earnestly hope
that some measure will be taken for |
the benefit of the excellent and high |
grade Porto Rican coffee.
A Plea for Citizenship.
There is a matter to which wish to |
call your special attention, and that is
the desirability of coiferring full Am
erican citizenship upon the people of |
Porto Rico. I most earnestly hope that |
this will be done. l can not see how
any harm can possibly result from it,
and it seems to me a matter of right
and Justice to the people of Porto Rico.
They are loyal. they are glad to he un-
der our flag, they are making rapid
progress along the path of orderly lib
erty Surely we should show our APP
probation of them, our ppide in what
they have done, and our pleasure in ex-
tending recognition for what has thus
been done, by granting them full Ann
erican citizenship
Under the wise administration of
marked progress has been made in the
difficult matter of granting to thepeo-
Pile of the island the largest measurs
pf self-government that can with safe
ty be given at the present time. 1t
would have been very suesrioiesm
would have been very serious mis-
take to have gone any faster than we
have already gone in this direction.
The Porto Ricans have complete and
absolute autonomy in all their munich
pal governments, the only power over
hem possessed by The insular govern
nent being that of removing corrupt
,r incompetent municipal officials. This
power has never been exercised save
y the ciearesl vroot OF