The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-12-12
ISLANDS AFFAIRS SUBJECT or
A SPECIAL COMMUNICATION
FROM PRESIDENT.
COUNTRY IN PROSPEROUS CONDITION
FAVoRs FULL CITIZENSHIP FOR
PEOPLE BUT NOT COMPLETE
sELF-GovERNMENT.

washington, Dec. 12.-Pres1dent
Roosevelt has sent special message
to congress treating exclusively of
Porto Rican affairs. In opening he
speaks highly of the beauty and fertil-
/ ty Of the island, as noted in his recent
visit, and tells of the great progress
made under its present admirable
government. In the matter of educa-
ton, he declares, the work of the In.
sular government is particularly note
worthy. After praising the excellent
character of the insular police and of
the Porto Rican regiment, all of whom
are natives, he continues:
I'm traversing 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 know before or since the
American occupation. The total OF
exports and imports of the island was
$45, 100000 as against $18,00O,000 in
1901. This is the largest in the isl.
and's history. Prior to the American
occupation the greatest trade for any
one year was that of 1896, when it
reached nearly $23,000,000. Last year,
therefore, there was double the trade
that there was in the most prosperous
year under the Spanish regime. There
were 210,273 tons of sugar exported
last year, of the value of $14,1S6,319;
$3.50, 1853 of tobacco and 28,290,322
pounds of coffee of the value of 3d.
481, 102. Unfortunately. what used to
be Porto Rico's prime crOp-coffee-
has not shared this prosperity. 1t has
never recovered from the disaster OF
the hurricane and, moreover, the ben.
eft of throwing open our market to It
has not compensated for the loss in.
ficted by the closing of the markets
to 1t abroad, call your attention to
the accompanying memorial on this
subject by San Juan board of trade
There is matter to which I wish
to call your especial attention and
that is the desirability of comforting
full American citizenship upon the
people Of Porto Rico. l most earnestly
hope that this will be done. 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 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 granting
them full American citizenship. -:
Opposes Complete Home Rule.
under the wise administration OF
the present governor and council
marked progress has been made in the
difficult matter of granting to the PEG.
pie 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 this direction.
The Porto Ricans have complete and
absolute autonomy in all their munic.
ipal governments, the only power over
them possessed by the insular govern.
ment being that of removing corrupt
or incompetent municipal officials. 1t
is not a power with which it would be
safe, for the sake of the island itself,
to dispense at present. The lower
house is absolutely elective, while the
upper house is appointive. This
scheme Is working well; no injustice
Of any kind results from it and great
benefit to the island and 1t should Ger.
tainly not be changed at this time.
The machinery Of the elections is ad.
ministered entirely by the Porto Rican
people themselves, the governor and
council keeping only such supervision
as is necessary in order to insure an
orderly election. Any protest as to
electoral frauds is settled In the
courts. Here again it would not be
safe to make any change in the pres
ent system. The elections this year
were absolutely orderly, unaccom-
panied 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
course, to be settled in the courts. In
short, the governor and council are
cooperating with all of the most en-
frightened and most patriotic of the
people of Porto Rico in educating the
citizens of the island in the principles
iof orderly liberty. They are provid.
ing a government based upon each
)citizen's self-respect and the mutual
respect of all citizens; that is, based
upon rigid observance of the prin-
ciples of Justice and honesty. It has
not been easy. to instill into the minds
Of people unaccustomed to the exer-
else of freedom the two basic prin-
ciples of our American system; the
principle that the majority must rule
and the principle that the minority
has rights which must not be disre-
garded or trampled upon. Yet real
progress has been made in having
these principles accepted as elemen-
ltary, az the foundations of successful
l 1fe q 80