The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-12-11


ana moreoy s.. the bsle.l ht7ss
ing open our market TO - 10 e. snot
com pelnsated fol. the los lIe.sess ~
the closing of the markets to It
abroad can your a.tteli. dI5 TO the
- IleEnortaI On sub
tslt.s.6 81 the Board 81 Trf ~. san an.
.Jiis.li aIldE earnestly. hope mat some
measure III BE taken Tor the bens
hs a. the excellent and tigil grades
Porto Rican conee.
In addition to delegat Ions from ne
Board. Of Trade ard ehanlJ5eE RI
Commerce OF San Juan. also Fdcals
"a delegations fromsthe Porto Riean
Federation of Labor, ana from the
conee Growers Association-
Fun CitfsenshiP Asked.
Tbere Is a matter to azliiich wish
to call your special attention. and
that IS the desirability Of Seonferring
fuu American cItizenship upon the
neople Of Porto Rico. most earn
,estly hope that this VIII be done.
can not see how any harm can pos
sfblv result from 1t. and It seems to
= 81
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 sho wour apprecta-
ton OF them. our pride In what they
have done, and our pleasure in ex-
tending recognition for what has
thus been done. by granting them
fnII American citizenship.
Under the wise administration Of
the present governor and council,
marked progress has been made in
the dimcult matter Of granting to
the people 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 mistake to have gone any
faster than we have already gone m
this direction. The Porto Ricans
have complete and absolute anton
ouay In all their municipal govern
ments, the only power over them
possessed by the insular govern
ment being that of removtng corrupt
or incompetent municipal ofdcials.
This power has never been exercised
save on the clearest proof OF corrup-
ton or Of incompetence-such as to
jeopardive the interests of the peo-
pie of the island; and under such
circumstances it has been fearlessly
used to the immense benefit of the
people. 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 cleo
tive, while the upper house is APP
pointive. This scheme is working
well; no injustice of any kind results
from it, and great benefit to the
island. and 1t should certainly not be
changed at this time. The machin-
cry of the elections is administered
entirely by the Porto Rican people
themselves, the governor and council
Keeping only such supervision as is
necessary in order to insure an or
Derby election Any protest az to
electoral frauds is settled in the
courts. Here again it would not be
safe to make any change in the pres
emit system. The elections this year
we're absolutely orderly. unRccom-
panied by any disturbance; and no
protest has been made against the
management of the elections, altho
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 enlightened and most patriotic
of the people of Porto Rico In edu-
eating the citizens sof the island In
the principles of orderly liberty,
They are providing government
based upon each citizens self-respect
and the mutual respect of all citi-
zens; that Is. based upon a rigid OBJ
servance Of the principles of Justice
and honesty. It has not been easy to
.insttl into the minds Of people un-
accustomed to the exercise OF free
dom, the two basic principles of our
American system; the principle that
the majority must rule. and the prin-
cip1e that the minority has rights
which must not be disregarded or
trampled upon. Yet real progress
has been made in having these prin.
cIples accepted as elementary, as the
foundations OF successful Belf-govern.
ment.
Insular Bureau,
transmit herewith the report Of
t1,e lovarnor of Porto Rico. sent to