Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-09


business. 1t Is not for me. but for the dis
tlnguished senator from Virginia to under
take the task of finding the legal link be-
tween the status of Porto Rico and the
American Union. There are two very dis
tinct parts to this proposition of the Amerl-
can citizenship for the people of Porto Rico:
A right and a duty. The first concerns
Congress; the second, the people of Porto
Rico.
"If the senator from Virginia, as a men,
Der of Congress, has imposed on the Porto
Rtcans the duties of a de facto American
citizen without vesting in them the rights
the people of Porto Rico or that of his COM
missioner, We Porto Ricans hold that we
have the right to be declared citizens of the
United States; that Congress should never
have imposed on the Porto Ricans any or
the duties without having granted to them
the rights of the American citizens, In the
same way that every right implies duty.
so also every duty imposed calls for a
right.
by article TX of the treaty of Paris the
natives OF PLrtO Rico were made to reiin-
quish their allegiance 10 the crown of
Spain. while the native Spaniards were al
lowed one year during which they could
choose between the Spanish nationality or
that of the territory where they reside.
And here Is another point worthy OF the
study of Congress. What is the nationality
OF the territory OF Porto Rico? Is it the
same as that If the native Inhabitants?
Then Porto Rico is not American terri
tory.
THE treaty of Paris was ratified by Con-
5ress without any referendum to the peo-
pie of Porto Rico, who therefore decline
now all moral responsibility in the perplexi-
ties that seem to have arisen in the mind
of the distinguished senator.
But on the other hand. IL the Porto
RicanS have not been given the rights of
American citizenship. they have neverthe-
less been assigned almost all their duties.
From the resident commissioner 10 the
United States and members OF the execu-
tive counsel and house OF delegates down
TO the most humble officer in the island
every Porto Rican Is obliged TO take the
oath OF upholding the Constitution of the
United States, and many Porto Ricans are
today shOuldering a rifle not only to up
hold the Constitution. but also to defend
the flag. OF the ability of the Porto Ricans
TO do that duty when the proper moment
comes. our record In the fifteenth, six
teenth. seventeenth and eighteenth CEN
turtles will readily instruct the gallant
fighter OF past campaigns now in The Sem
ate.
we Porto Ricans are today faithfully
discharglng all the duties imposed on US,
but we are also contendlng that the rights
inherent to those duties should be given
to us.
Conscious as the undersigned is OF the
fact that the task imposed upon him by
the appointment as delegate to the pan
American congress Is far superior to his
ability. yet he found himself bound to ac-
cept that honor, because il came in the
shape of a recognition by the executive
branch OF this government, that the Porto
Ricans are American citizens In re. hop
ing. at the same time, that the Legislative
branch OF which the senator from Virginia
IS distinguished member Will not be long
IN making them American citizens de jure."