Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1906-12-14

reached nearly S2S,00u.OOO. Last year,
therefore. there was double the trade
that there was In the most prosper.
GUS year under the Spanish regime.
There were 210.273 tons Of sugar ex-
ported last year, OF the value OF $1i,.
1898; $3,555.163 OF tobacco, and
2S,2So,322 pounds OF coffee OF the value
" $3,4Sl.102. Unfortunately. what
used to be Porto aico's prime crop
coffee-has not shared this prosper
ity. 1t has never recovered from the
disaster OF the hurricane. and. more
over, the benefit OF throwing open
our market to 1t has not compensated
for the loss inflicted by the closing OF
the markets. to II abroad. I call your
attention to the accompanying memo
rial ON this Subject OF the board Of
trade OF San Juan, and earnestly
hope that some measure will be taken
for the benefit OF the excellent and
high grade Porto Rican coffee.
There Is q matter to which wish
to call your especial attention, and
that Is the desirability OF comforting
full American citizenship upon the
people of Porto Rico. l most earnest
ly hope that this will be done. I can,
not see how any harm can possibly re-,
suit from 1t, and it seems to me, q mat,
ter 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 grant
ing them full American citizenship.
Under the wise administration OF the.
present governor and council, markeds
progress has been made in the difficult
matter of granting to the people Of the.
island the largest measure of self-gov-,
eminent 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 in this direction. The Porto;
Ricans have complete and absolute;
autonomy in all their municipal gov!
ernments, the only power over theml
possessed by the insular government.
being that of removing corrupt or in,
competent municipal officials. This
on the clearest proof of corruption orr
OF ncompetence-such as to jeopar.i
die the interests of the people Of the;
island; and under such circumstances
1t has been fearlessly used to the i'm.
mense benefit of the people 1t is mott
a power with which it would be safe,l
for the sake OF the island itself, to dis
pense at present. The lower 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 time. The machin.
cry of the elections is administered en-.
tirely by the Porto Rican people them
selves. the governor and council keep.
ing only such supervision as Is neces.
sary in order to insure an orderly cleo.
ton. Any protest as to electoral frauds
is settled in the courts. Here again it
would not be safe to make any change
in the present system. The elections
this year were absolutely orderly, un-
accompanied by any disturbance; and
no protest has been made against the
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 CO.
operating with all of the most enlight'
ened and most patriotic of the people
of Porto Rico in educating the citizens
of the island in the principles OF order.
ly liberty. They are providing a gov
eminent based upon each citizens SELF.
and the mutual respect of all
citizens; that is, based upon a rigid
observance Of the principles Of justice
and honesty. 1t has not been easy to
instill into the minds of people unac.
customed to the exercise of freedom
the two basic principles of our Ameri.
can system; the principle that the ma
iority must rule, and the principle that
the minority has rights which must
not be disregarded or trampled upon.
Yet real progress has been made In
having these principles accepted as
as the foundations OF sue
cessful self-government.
| transmit herewith the report OF the
governor of Porto Rico, sent to the.
president through the secretary OF
state.
All the insular governments should
be placed in one bureau. either IN the
of war or the department
of state. 1t is mistake not SO to ar
range our handling Of these islands at
as to be able to take ad-
vantage of the experience gained IN
one, when dealing with the problems
that from time to time arise In an.
other.
In conclusion let me express my ad.
miration for the work done by the con.
eress when 1t enacted the law under
which the island is now being admin.
istered. After seeing the island per
sonally, and after five years experi-
ence in connection with its admins.
tration, 1t is but fair to those who de.
yised this law to say that 1t would be
we]l-nigh impossible to have devised
any other which in the actual working
would have. accomplished better re.
suits. THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
The White House. Dec. II. 1906.