Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1906-12-14
PORTO RICANS
TO BE CITIZENS
PRESIDENTS SPECIAL MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS ADVOCATES STEP
AFTER PRAISING ISLAND.
FORINSULAR CONCENTRATION.
Saws Governments of Various Possessions
Should Be More Close, So That Ad-
ministration Will Be Aided

|
praised Porto Rico, it's resources and its
government, asks citizenship for it's resi-
dents, and advocates concentration OF all
the United States insular governments
| in one bureau.
The message follows:
On November q / 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, especial
ly among the mountains of the interior,
which constitute a veritable tropic Switzer-
land. l could not embark at San Juan be-
cause the harbor has not been dredged out
and cannot receive an American battleshlp.
| l do not think this fact creditable to us as
| a nation, and / earnestly hope that imme-
| date provision will be made for dredging
San Juan harbor.
doubt whether our people as whole
realize the beauty and fertility of Porto
| Rico and the progress that has been made
under it's admirable government. We have
| just cause for pride in the character of our
representatives who have administered the
tropic islands which came under our flag as
result of the war with Spain: and of no
one of them is this more true than of Porto
Rico. 1t would be impossible to wish a
more faithful, more efficient and more
disnterested public service than that now
being rendered in the island of Porto Rico
| by those in control of the fnsular govern
ment.
l stopped at dozen towns all told, and
one of the notable features in every town
was the gathering of the school children.
The work that has been done in Porto Rico
| for education has been noteworthy The
main emphasis, as is eminently wise and
proper has been put upon primary educa-
| ton: but in addition to this there is
NAL school, an agricultural school, three in
| dustrial and three high schools. Every eff
| fort is being made to secure not only the
| benefits of elementary education to all the
Porto Ricans of the next generation, but
also as far as means will permit to train
them so that the industrial, agricultural and
commercial opportunities of the island can
be utilized to the best possible advantage.
1t was evident at glance that the teach
ers, both Americans and native Porto
the greatest pride in it, and were endeavor
| ing to train their pupils, not only In mind,
but in what counts for far more than mind
! in citizenship that is, in character
Police in Good Shape.
1 very much struck by the excellent
character both of the insuar police and of
the 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 by
the Congress: | earnestly hope that this
certainly be troops in the island, and it is
wise that these troops should be themselves
native Porto Ricans. 1t would be from
every standpoint a mistake not to perpetu-
ate this regiment
In traversing the island even the most
| cursory survey leaves the behoder struck
with the evident rapid growth in the culture
| both of the sugar cane and tobacco. The
| fruit industry is also growing. Last year
was the most prosperous year that the
| island has ever known before or since the
and imports of the island was S45, 100000 as
against $18,OOO,0o0 in 1901. This is the larg-
| est in the islands history.
Prior to the American occupation the
| greatest trade for any one year was that
of 1895. when 1t reached nearly twenty
three millions of dollars. Last year, there
FORE there was double the trade that there
was in the most prosperous year under the
Spanish regime. There were 21O,273 tons
Of s14 1se, sic; 1896, 1s$ Of tobacco, and
% 200, 1922 pounds of coffee of the value of
So, 4S1, 1O2. Unfortunately, what used to
be Porto Rico's prime crop-coffee-has not
| shared this prosperity. 1t has never re-
covered from the disaster of the hurricane,
and moreover, the benefit of throwing open
| our market to it has not compensated for
| the loss inflicted by the closing of the mar
kets to it abroad. [ call your attention to
| the accompanying memorial on this sub
ject, of the board of trade of San Juan,
and l earnestly hope that some measure
| will be taken for the benefit of the eX-
| cellent and high grade Porto Rican cot
In addition to delegations from the board
Of trade and chamber of commerce of San
Juan, l also received two delegations frsm
the Porto Rican Federation Of Labor, and
from the Coffee Growers association.
For Full Citizenship.
There is a matter to which I wish to call
your especial attention, and that is the de-
STABILITY of comforting full American citi-
zenship upon the people of Porto Rico l
most earnestly hope that this will be done.
1 can not see how any harm can possibly
result from it, and 1T seems to me 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
| w
citation of them, our pride In what they
have done, and our pleasure in extending
| recognition for what has thus been done,
ship.
Under the wise administration of the
present governor and council, marked
progress has been made in the difficult
matter of self-government that can with
safety be given at the present time: 1t
| would have been q very serious mistake to
| have gone any faster than we have al
ready gone in this direction. The Porto
Ricans have complete and absolute autono-
my in all their municipal governments, the
| only power over them possessed by the in
| sular government being that of removing
corrupt or incompetent municipal officials.
| This power has never been exercised save
| on the clearest proof OF corruption or Of
| incompetence---such as to jeopardize the
interests of the people of the island and
under such circumstances it has been fear
! leSsly used to the immense benefit of the
| people 1t is not power with which it
| would be safe. for the sake of the island
itself. to dispense at present The lower
house is absolutely elective, while the up
! per house Is appointive.
This scheme is working we'll; no injus
tice of any kind results from it, and great
| benefit to the island. and it should GER
| tainly not be changed at this time. The
machinery of the elections is administered
entirely by the Porto Rican people them
selves, 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 i'll
| the courts.
Not for Entire Change.
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, although three
| contests are threatened where the majori-
! ties were very small and error was claimed;
| the contests, of course to be settled in the
| courts. In short. the governor and coun-