The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-11
President Roosevelt Asks That
Rights Of Citizens
BE Conferred Upon the Inhabi-
tants of Porto Rico.
REVIEWS HIS VISIT.
Was Struck With the Excellent
Character Of the Police.
He Saw Evidences of Prosperity
Upon Every Hand.

Washington, Dec 11.=President
Roosevelt has transmitted to congress
a special message on Porto Rico. ask
ing that body to confer citizenship
upon the inhabitants of the island
The text Of the document follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives:
on November 21 visited the island
of Porto Rico. landing at Ponce. cross
Ing by the old Spanish road by Cayey
to 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 a veritable trOpic
switzerland. I could not embark at
San Juan because the harbor has not
been dredged out and can not receive
an American battleship. do not
think this fact creditable to US as a ma
ton. and 1 earnestly hope that imme-
date provision will be made for
dredging San Juan harbor.
7 doubt whether our people as
whole realize he 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 repre-
sentatives 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 It would be
impossible to wish more faithful.
more efficient and a more disinterested
public service than that now being
rendered in the island of Porto Rico
by those in control of the insular gov
eminent
I 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
faear 4fr,v,
has been noteworthy. The main en-
phasis as is eminently wise and
proper. has been put upon primary
education; but in addition to this there
is a normal school, an agricultural
school, three industrial and three high
schools Every effert is being made to
secure not only the benefits of elemen-
tary education to all the Porto Ricans
Of the next generation, but also as far
as means VIII permit to train them so
that the Industrial, agricultural and
commercial opportunities of the island
can be utilized to the best possible ad-
vantage Tt was evident at a glance
that the teachers both Americans and
natives Porto icans, were devoted to
their work, took the greatest pride in
It, and were endeayoring to train tn cir
pupils, not only in mind, bat In what
counts for far more than mind in citi-
zenship, that is. in character.
What Struck Him.
was very much struck by the ex-
cel1ent character both of the insular
police and of the Porto Rican regiment
They are both of them bodies that re-
fleet credit upon the American admin
istratiOn of the island. The insular pO-
lice are under the local Porto Rican
government. The Porto Rican regi-
ment 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
island and it is wise that these troops
should be themselves native Porto
Isicans. It would be from every. stand