Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-01-27
Porto RIoans ana mon Neeaa.

thcy nave received so little ia OF unusual
importance because it is part Of a special
report Of the grand jury Of Porto Rico for
the October term Of the United States
District Court:
"Ihe people Of Porto Rico, " the grand
jury says "are not disloyal to the United
States, nor is there any such feeling Of
hostility toward the government OF the
United States or toward American institu-
tions as might readily be understood from
many expressions used by preiudiced or
partial newspaper and magazine CORE
spondents and writer's. On the contrary,
our experience, investigation and lnowl-
edge Of the existing situation in Porto
Rico warrants US in the assertion that
there is no more loyal, liberty loving and
law abiding people living beneath the folds
Of the American flag than the citizens Of
Porto Rico, and there is no doubt that
the greatest hope and ambition Of the
Porto Rioan people today is to be more
closely allied with and to be given a greater
measure Of participation in the admins
tration Of the governmental affairs in the
island, through whose forms, methods and
policies which are the foundation and con-
trolling feature Of the government of the
great American commonwealth. Our OBJ
servation and experience also teach us
that what the people of, Porto Rico
most desire is a close association and
afhliation with the American people and
the American government. and not a sepa-
ration or an abandonment Of that bond
which guarantees to them a safe. stable
and enduring government and an eventual
full participation not only in the benefit
10 be derived from such a government,
but in the administration thereof"
II is also q significant fact in this con-
nection that the grand jury which made
this report is largely composed Of natives
Of Porto Rico, representing the taxpaying
people Of the island.
Surely, the appeals Of these people
should not longer fall upon deaf ears, as
they have ever since their island became
our lawful territory, and they the lawful
subjects Of this government, through the
fortunes Of war. And yet it is asserted
and maintained that the people Of Porto
Rico are worse of under the rule Of the
United States than they were under the
rule of Spain.
According 10 a writer in the New York
Sun, one Of the needs Of the island is
proper methodSof transportation, although
il would seem tina there is no room for the
development Of many railroads. An
island only 100 miles long and 45 miles
wide cannot support network Of rail-
roads. One road encircling the island,
and thus touching at It's various ports,
viii meet all requirements for long time
to come. What Porto Rico wants is more
overland" roads. The construction Of
such roads, besides furnishing a means Of
existence for many who are now unem-
ployed, would bring the inner sections Of
the island into closer contact with the
coast cities. Some sections arc now
almost inaccessible. The small farmer
brings his product to market in OK carts
and on mule back, and for this he needs
good roads and many Of them, owing to
the mountainous topography Of his coun-
try.
AZ present, this writer says, the island is
stirred up by the effort 10 bring about a
change in the composition Of the Execu-
tive Council. This body is composed prin-
cipally Of the heads Of the various execu-
tive departments. 10 follows that each
member wishes to bring into prominence
resolutions favoring his own department.
and as a result general legislation suffers
But is Il time to adopt the remedy sug-
gested by Mayor Todd Of San Juan.
namely, to give Porto Rico an Elective
Council he inquiries And his answer
is: Hardly, for the reason that the per
centage OF people who would know how to
vote for the good Of their island Is still
small There are ambitions and unscru-
pulous politicians in Porto Rico. as well
as elsewhere, and these would carry with
them a large following whose vote would
place in the council men utterly unfit
morally or mentally for such position.
and as a result the elective body would be
inferior TO that now in office BE Il said
that il inoompetenty has been shown
occasionally on the part Of the American
administration, it has at least with few
exceptions been clean administration.
Money may have been wasted. but it was
in most cases done through incompetencv.
not graft. To reconstruct the Executive
Council is the demand now made by the
better element Of Porto Rico, and how TO
do it is the problem before Congress.
"lhe department heads should be ap-
pointed as heretofore by the President.
if American influence and methods are to
continue, but they should form body
separate and distinct from the Council.
With this executive feature removed the
Council would assume more legislative
characier-that is TO say, broader issues
would be considered and not so much at
tention paid to special legislation arising
from the needs Of any one department
The existence OF both an Elective Council
and cabinet of executive officers would
mean increased expenditure to tho island.
To overcome this a reduction could be
established in the salaries Of the heads Of
departments, and the political leaders of
Porto Rico, il actuated by motives Of
patriotism, could also recommend a cut
in the new Councils outlay"
These matters are pertinent. but. after
all, the great consideration is a favorable
response TO the request OF the people. as
voiced by their grand jury, ofor a close
association and aiiiliation with the Amcri-