The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-12
PRESIDENT ON PORTO RICO.
MESSAGE 70 CONGRESS RECON-
MENDISG CITIZENSHIP.
Grcail, Impressed hy Wha, lie saw Oh HIs
Brief Visit -IOun a Brauilfui. Fertile
and Prosperous Country Praises Work
Of ana LOca Government.

To The Senate and Rouse o. Representatives.:
On November n / visited the island Of
Porto Rico. landing at Ponce, crossing by
the old Spanish road by Cayey TO San Juan.
and returning next morning 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 troplc
Switzerland. | could not embark at San
Juan because the harbor has not been
dredged out and cannot receive an Ameri-
can battleship. | do not think this fact
acreditable TO us as a nation, aud ! earnestly
hope thai immediate provision will be
made for dredging san Juan harbor.
| doubt whether orIr reoTle as n whole
realize the beauty and fertility OF Porto
Rico, and tine progress that has been made
under ia admirable government. We have
lust cause for pride in the character of our
representatives who have administered
the tror ic islands which came under our
flag as q result of the war with Spain, and
OF no one Of them is this more true than
of Porto Rico. II would he impossible
10 wish a more faithful, a more efficient
end u more diSinterestei public service
than that now being rendered in the island
Z of Porto Rico by those in control Of the
insular government.
: | stopTed at a dozen towns all told, and
one of the notable features in every town
was the gathering or the school children,
1T MOIh llldL lstr Y hObf ~ q ANiNO
y for education has been noteworthy. The
main emphasis, as is eminentlv wise and
> proper. has been nut upon primary edu-
ration; hut in addition 10 this there il a
normal school, an agricultural school,
three industrial and three high schools.
Every effort is being made 10 secure not
only the benefits Of elementary education
20 all the Porto Ricans Of the next genera
ton. but also as far as means will permit
20 train them 80 that the industrial, agri-
cultural and commercial on~portunities of
the island can he utilized 10 The best possible
X advantage. 1t was evident AT a glance that
the teachers, both Americans and native
Porto Ricans. were devoted tO their work.
took the greatest pride in il. and were en-
deavoTing - train their IiIril-, not only IN
mind, but in what counts for far more han
mind in CITIZENSHIP thar j.. IN character.
3 was very much struck 10y the excellent
character both Of the insular police and Of
tie Porto Rican regiment. They are both
Of them bodies that reflect credit upon the
American administration Of the island.
The inSular police are under the local Porto
Rican government. The Porto Rican regi-
ment of troops must be appropriated for
bv the Congress. ] earnestly hope that
this body will be kept permanent. There
should Certainlv be troops in the island,
and II Is wise that these troops should be
themselves native Porto Ricans. II would
be from every standpoint a mistake not 10
perpetuate this regiment.
In traversing the island even the most
A''ATblN wi nv Ntl1OllrT HIIiAAh
with the evident rapid growth in the culture
both or The sugar cane and tobacco. The
fruit industry IL also growing. Last year
was the most prosperous year that the
island has ever known before or since the
American occupation. The total of exports
and import OF the island was Si5, OOO, 900,
as against $4,000 ,OUO IN 1901. This is the
largest IN the Islands history Prior to the
American occupation the greatest trade
for any one year was that ~ 1896. when It
reached nearly S23. UO. go. Last year, there
fore, there was dodble the trade that there
was in the most prosperous year under the
spanish regime There were 30, 273 tons
OF sugar exported last year, Of the value of
$l4,lS6 ,3l9; 1855 1873 Of tobacco. and Is
n ,322 pounds of coffee of the value of
sS,isl l02. unfortunately. What used 10 be
Porto Rlco's prime crop coffee-has not
shared this prosperity. IL has never re-
covered from the disaster Of th hurricane.
land, moreo;er, the benefit of throwing
open our market to II has no ompensated
Tor the loss inflicted by the closing of the
markets to II abroad. | call yOuT attention
to the accompanying memorial 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.
In addition 10 delegations from the Board
OF Trade and Chamber of Commerce of
San Juan. also received delegations from
the Porto RiCun Federation Of Labor and
from the Coffee Growers Association.
There II a matter to which wish to call
your special attention, and that il the de-
STABILITY of comforting fnli American Citi-
zenship upon the people Of Porto Rico. |
most earnestly hope that this will be lone
cannoy see how any harm can 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 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 lone
and our pleasure in extending recognition
for what has thus been done by granting
them full American citizenship.
Under the wise administr ration of the
present Governor and Council marked
progress has been made in the difficult
matter Of granting to the people of tho
island the largest measure OF self-govern-
ment that can with safety be given at the
present time. IL would nave been a very
serious mistake TO have gone any faster
than we have already gone in this direc-
ton The Porto Ricans have complete and
absolute autonomy in all their municipal
governments, the only power over them
Possessed by the insular government being
that OF removing corrupt or incompet ent
municipal officials. This power has never
been exercised save on the clearest proof
OF corruption or or incompetence-such az
20 jeopardiZe the interests OF the people Of
the island; and under such circumstances
has been fearlesslv used to the immense
benefit OF the people. II il not a power
VIII nv IL NOulu OC bdlc, LOT the sake
of the island itself, TO dispense at present
The lower house is absolutely elective,
while the upper house is appointive. This
scheme IL working well; 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 machinery of
the elections is administered entirely bv
the Porto Rioan people themselves, the
Qoyernor and Council keeping only such
Supervision as is necessary in order 20 in
9sure an orderly election. ANY protest as
70 electoral fraud 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
unaccompanied by any disturbance: and
no protest has been made against the man
agement OF the elections. alt hough three
contests are threatened where the MAORI
ties were very small and error was claimed:
the contests. OF course, to he settled in the
courts. In short, the Governor and Council
are cooperating with all Of the most enIight-
ened and most patriotic of the people of
Porto Rico in educating the citizens
OF the island in the principles Of orderly
lHarfX Thew arc nrnvidinn, a