The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-12-14

benefit OF open market
to it has not compensated for the loss
inflicted by the closing q the markets
to it abroad. | call your attention to
the accompanying memorial on this
subject, OF the Board o. Trade OF San
Juan, and | earnestly hope that some
measur will be taken for the benefit
of the excellent and high grade Porto
Rican coffee.
In addition 10 delegations from the
Board of Trade n Chamber of Com
merce Of San Juan, | also received
delegations from the Porto Rican Fed
Grafton Of Labor. and from the Coffee
Growers association.
There is a matter TO which | wish
to call u special attention, and that
is the dssirability of comforting full
American citizenship Upon the people
of Porto Rico. I most earnestly hope
that this will be done. I can not see
how any harm car possibly result
from il, and il seems TO me a matter
of right and justice to the people of
! Porto Rico. They are loyal. they are
/ glad 10 be under our faS, they are
making rapid progress along the path
OF orderly liberty. Surely we should
! oLo Jul opp cldtI1A III N4ILI. o0A
pride in what they have done, and our
pleasure in extending recognition for
| what has thus been done. by granting
them full American citizenship.
Under the wise administration Of
the present governor and co3Incil.
| marked progress has been made in
the difficult matter of granting 10 the
people Of the island the largest meas
ure of self-goyernment that can with
safety be given at the present time. It
| would have been a very serious mis-
take to have gone any 1aster than we
have already gone in tniS direction
The Porto RicanS have complete and
absolute autonomy in all their NUM-
cipal governments. the only power
OVer them possessed by the insuiar
government being thar Of removing
corruption or Of Incompetence such as
f1cials. This power has never been
exercised a " on the clearest proof Of
corruption or Of incmpe-e1ce--such as
to jeopardize the interests Of the peo-
pie Of the island; and under such cir
cumstances it has been feaTleSSiy 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 it
self, to dispense at present. The low
er house is absolutely elective, while
the upper house is appOintive. This
scheme is working we'll; no injustice
of any kind results from it, and great
benefit to the island, and it should
certainly not be changed at this M
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, unaccompan-
oed by any disturbance; Il 30 pro
test has been made against the man
agement of the elections, althO three
contestsIare threatened Wnere the man.
iorities were very small and error wa
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 educating the citizens Of the
kSId11u II LllO III iR4SHo ~ "ANN
erty. They are providing a govern
nent based upon each citizens self
respect, and the mutual respect OF all
citizens; that is, based upon 4 rigid
observance Of the principles OF justice
and honestly. It a not been easy TO
insti! into the minds Of people unac-
crIstomed to the exercise OF freedom,
the two basic principles Of our Ameri-
--~4--. 4t~0 vD-, ootnin th0t tho ma
iOrity must rule, and the principle
that the minority has rights which
must not be Disregard or trampted
UPON. Yet real progress has Deen
made IN having these principles &C
cepted as elementary, as the rounda-
tons of successful self-government.
All the insuiar government should be
placed in one bureau, either IN the de-
partment OF war or the department o.
state. 1t is Il mistake not Sc TO ar
range our handling Of these Islands ut
Washington as to be able to take ad-
vantage of the experience gained III
one. when dealing with the problems
that from time to time arise N an
other.
In conclusion let me express ny ad-
miration for the work done oJ me
congress when il enacted the law I'M
der which the island is now beng ad-
ministered. After seeing The Island
personally. and after five years OK
perience in connection with its ID
m~inistration, it is but fair 70 those W1o
devised this law to say that it would
be wellnigh impossible to have devised
any other which in the actual work
ing would have accomplished better
results.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.