Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-12-11
FULL CITIZENSHIP
. FOR PORTO 2|CANS
President. in Special Message to
Congress, Urges That il
Be Granted.
is A MATTER or JUSTICE.
Was Charmed With the Island, Which
He Terms u Verltable Tropic
Switzerland.

Washington, Dec. 1.-THE presidents
message to Congress giving tho result
of his recent observation in Porto Rico
and making recommendations concern
ing the government Of that island was
read to the senate today. The message
was as follows:
THE SPECIAL MESSAGE.
To tho Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives.
on Nov. 81 / visited the island of
Porto Rico, landing at Ponce, crossing
by the old Spanish road by CaYey 70
San Juan. and returning next morn
ing over the new American road from
Arecibo To Ponce: the scenery was
wonderfully beautiful especially
among the mountains Of the interior,
which constitute Il veritable tropic
Switzerland | could not embark at
San Juan because the harhOr has not
been dredged out and cannot receive
an American battleship | do not
think this fact creditabc to us rs
nation, and ! earnestly hope that inn
mediate provision will be made for
dredging San Juan harbor.
PORTO RICO BEAUTIFUL
| doubt whether our people as
whole realize the beauty and fertility
Of Porto Rico. and the progress that
has been made under It's admirable
government We have just cause for
pride in the character OF our repre-
sentatiVes who have administered the
tropic 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. 1t would
be impossible 10 wish more faithful,
"a more efficient and a more disinter-
ested public service than that now
being rendered in the island of Porto
Rico by those in control Of the insu-
lar government
| stopped at 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 educa-
ton has been noteworthy. The main
emphasis, as Is eminently wise and
proper. has been put upon primary
education, but in addition TO this
there is q normal school, an agricul-
tural school. three Industrial and
three high schools, Every effort Is be-
ing made to secure not only the bene-
ITS OF elementary education to all the
Porto Hicans OF the next generation,
but also as far as means will permit
TO train them so that tha industrial,
agricultural and commercial oppor-
tunities of the island can be utilized
10 the best possible advantage. II
was evident al glance that the
teachers, both Americans and native
Porto Hicans. were devoted To their
work, took the greatest pride in IL,
and were endeayoring TO train their
pupils not only In mind, but in what
counts Tor far more than mind In
citizenship. that is in character
PORTO RICAN TROOPS,
was very much struck by the ex-
cellent character both of the insular
police and of the Porto Rican regiment.
They are both of them bodies that re-
iiect credit upon the American admin
istration of the island The insular
police are under the local Porto Rican
government. The Porto Rican regiment
of troops must be appropriated for by
the Congress. I earnestly hope that
this body viii be kept permanent. There
should certainly be troops in the is
land. and Il Is wise that these TROOPS
should be themselves native Porto Ri
cans. 1t would be from every stand
point a mistake not to perpetuate this
regiment.
In traversng the island even the
most cursory survey leaves the be-
holder struck with the evident rapid
growth in the culture both of the sugar
cane 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
American occupation The total of ex-
ports and imports OF the island WAS
S450o0.o0O as aaginst $4,000 900 In 1901.
This is the largest in the islands his
tory. Prior to the American occupa-
ton the greatest trade for any one
year was that of 1896, when il reached
nearly s23.OOO.oO0 Last year, there
fore, there was double the trade that