Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-11
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Washington, D. c., May 10. - Pres
ident Taft today sent to congress
special message recommending legls-
lation at the present extra session,
amending the Foraker act under
which Porto Rico is governed. The
president directs the attention or
congress to affairs on the island, lay
Ing particular stress on what ne
terms "a situation of unusual gravity
developed through the failure OF the
legislative assembly Of Porto Rico to
pass the usual appropriation bills,
leaving the island without support att
sr June so. next.
Porto Ricans have forgotten the
generosity Of the United States, the
presid ent says, in the desire of certain
Of the Islands political leaders for
power and he adds that the present
situation indicates that the United
States has gone too fast in the extern
sion Of political power to the Porto
Ricans. He concludes that the abso-
lutte power of appropriation should be
taken away from those who have
shown themselves irresponsible to en-
joy it,
The president suggests to congress
propriation committees the question
Of qualifying some Of the provisions OF
the fundamental act as to the respec-
tive jurisdictions Of the executive
council and the legislative assembly.
But no action Of this kind, the presi-
dent says, should be begun until the
Foraker act Is amended so that when
the legislative assembly shall ad-
journ without making the appropria-
tion necessary to carry on the govern
ment, sums equal to the appropriation
made in the previous year for the re-
spective purposes shall be available
for the current revenues, and shall be
drawn by the warrant of the auditor
on the treasurer and countersigned
by the governor. Such a provision ap-
plies to the legislatures of the Phil
Eppines and Hawaii and 'it has pre-.
vented in these two countries any mis-
use of the power of appropriation
Reviews Legislature.
The president reviews the estab
lishment of the present government
for Porto Rico by the Foraker act
3 He says the statute directing how the
expenses of the government are to be
provided leaves some doubt whether
this function is not committed solely
to the executive council but in prac
tice the legislative assembly has ap
propriated for all the expenses
other than for salaries fixed by con
gress and the president adds, ''It is
too late to reverse that construction.
The president says that ever since
the institution of the present assem-
bly, the house Of delegates has uni
formly held UP the appropriation bill!
until the last minute of the regula
session and has sought to use the pow
er to do so as means of compellin!
the concurrence of the executive coun
ell in legislation which the house de
sired In the last regular Legislative
assembly the attitude of the execu
tive council in refusing to pass bills
led the house Of delegates to refuse t
pass the necessary appropriation
bills.
Mr.. Taft discusses the acts of tn
legislature and of the council in detail
and says the facts recited demonstrat
the willingness of the representative
of the people in the house of dele
gates to subvert the government i
order to secure the passage of certai
legislation. The question whether tn
proposed legislation should be enac
ed into law was left by the fundamer
tafact to thetjoint action of the exec
utive council and the house of del,
gates as the legislative assembly. Th
house of delegates, says the presiden
proposes itself to secure this legislt
tion without respect to the oppositio
of the executive council cor else pu
down the government
This growing spirit shows that to
great power has been vested in th
lContinued on Page 3D.