The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-04-18
PORTO RICO HAS
GREAT LONGING
People of the Little Island
Yearn to Become Full
Pledged Citizens.
TAFT COULD NOT PROMISE
MATTER TO BE DECIDED BY
CONGRESS.

Ponce, F. r.. April l7.-Secretary Taft
and his party. Governor Winthrop and
the insular officials accompanying them
arrived here yesterday afternoon. a BAN
quet in honor of the secretary was given
by the city last night The speech OF
welcome was delivered by Augusta eau
tier president of the city council. Senior
Gautier cOmplimented Governor Winthrop
on the excellent work done during his
tenure of office.
Governor Winthrop expressed gratitude
for the confidence of the people and
promised always to lend his aid in mat
tiers affecting the island.
Hermini0 Diaz. of the executive couh-
Gil, made q long speech in which ne IN
trOduced Secretary TAFT He made
strong plea for citizenship and expressed
the hope that Secretary Taft would unite
with President Roosevelt against Speak
er Cannon. who. when here recently, gave
the Porto Ricans little hope in the mat
tel of citizenship.
Secretary Taft's Speech.
Secretary Taft then spoke vigorously
in reply. saying in part:
- gain | am urged TO make full ana
specific declaration regarding the policy
of the United States toward the people
Of Porto Rico. l am only a humble mem
Der of President Roosevelt's cabinet.
Whatever / may think or whatever may
do are matters of little Importance to
the people Of this island. / can only in
woke your attention to the fact that
President Roosevelt has visited Porto
Rico and the island has been visited by
Mr.. Root. the secretary Of state, and by
Mr.. Cannon. speaker OF the house Of
representatives. and in some respects the
most powerful man in the republic. What
those visits indicate is this: That the
people of the United States have deep
affection for the people of Porto Rico and
feel more kindly toward them and have
a greater interest in them than in the
people of Cuba or the Philippines. The
United States has gathered Porto Rico
to her bosom and given her that which
means the material progress of the Island
the benefit of the markets OF the United
States. She has given her the markets
and the prosperity she enjoys today. She
has given every Porto Rican the same
liberty enjoyed by the people of the
United States
Have Rights Enough.
You say you have not been given citi-
Zenship. President Roosevelt has recon-
mended that citizenship be given, but
there have been congressional difficulties
with reference to this matter. | am not
dealing, however, with generalities. but
with the concrete facts. ] ask what is 1t
that a Porto Rican does not enjoy that
an American enJOys2 You have every
guarantee and security which a citizens OF
the United States has under the cOnsti-
tuition. You have the writ Of habeas cor
pus and the trial by jury, and when you
are in a foreign country the same flag
protects you that protects a citizen of the
United States. Therefore, while Presi-
dent Roosevelt urges citizenship. he
urges it on the ground of gratifying the
sentiment of the people of this island.
But when you come to examine the facts
Of what you ask, the question is whether
il is not nominal rather than substaI-
Tial.'
Secretary Taft was cheered at the close
Of his remarks.
Secretary Taft is the second secretary
Of war TO visit Ponce. Secretary Alger
came here eight years ago. Mr.. Taft and
mis- party left today for Guayamas.