Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-05-10
prest. Taft Sends One TO Con-
!. oress Laying Stress on Asitu-
alton Of Unusual Gravity
RECOMMENDS 7 LEGISLATION !: I: I, i Q: n.
people Of Island Have Forgotten
Generositysof the United
States.

"
condition OF Affairs Indicates This
country Has Conc Too Fast in the
Extension of Political Powers.
washington, May 10.--For the want
of q Quorum the house took no acton
81, the presidents message rsacomn M nd d,
Inc remedial Legislation for the islana
Il Porto Rico. Speaker Cannon fought
"a have tho message referred to tho
& committee on ways and means but an
affection by Mr.. Garrett of Tennessee,
Who wanted{i it sent to the committee on
,insllar affairs which has not been q p p
pointed, opened up the whole subject Of OF
the house rules. There being no such
committee, Speaker Cannon said that
in suggesting the reference he had In IN
mind the present condition of the house,
only four committees having been. ap-
/ nolnted, of which the committee on in
( sular affairs was not one,
A long argument ensued over the he
right Of tile speaker to override the
5ir,,les nnti ended with q motion by Mr.
Garrett that the speaker be directed
forthwith to appoint n committee on
,rsular affairs to consider the message.
Tho vote disclosed but 165 members.
nrescnt far short of q Quorum, Where-
mon Mr.. Payne moved an adjourn-3
ment, remarking as he did SO, that he,
hoped a quorum would be present when
the house met next time. The house
then adjourned With the presidents
message still on the speakers ia bic.
In the senate 1T was referred without
discussion To- the committee on Porto
Rico
President Taft today sent to Con-.
gersss d special message recommending
Legislation at the present extra session
amending. the Foraker act under which;
directs the attention of Cong ress to-
affairs on tho island, laying pnrtf ocular
Stress on Ssiai "a stu ton,
8of Unusual crawl n. developed through
the failure OF the legisl atiNe assembly
Of Porto Rico5lto pass the usual ap-
propriation BILLS, leaving the island
without support after June 80, next
Port Ricans have forgotten the
generosity OF the United States tho
q -
\ tain Of the islands political leaders
Z for power, and he adds that the pre-
sent situation indica ties hat the United
States has gone toosfast III the extern
sion Of political power to the Porto
Rcans. He concludes that tho aabso- I
2 Lutte power of a appropriation should iei
taken away from those who have
shown themselves oo1irreSponslplei$ 70
4 enjoy it, isl IS sj
The president suggests to Congress
the wisdom OF submitting to the APP
preparation committee the question OF
qualifying some OF the provisions OF
the fundamental act as to he re-. re-
spective jurisdiction of the executive
council and the Legislative assenlbl
Z But no action ofsthis kind, the pre Isl
dent says, should be begun until the
: Foraker act is amended so that When
the legislative assembly shall adjourn
without making the legislative p
preparation necessary to carry on the
government sums equal to the appro-
prlation made In the previous year Tor
> the respective purposes shall be avail
able from the current revenue and
shall be drawn by the warrant OF the
auditor OF the treasurer and counter
signed BY the governor. Such pfoFl-
sion applies to the legislatures of the
Philippines and Hawaii and ut has
prevented in those two countries any
Z misuse OF the power of appro ria ton.
REVIEWS SITUATION,
The president reviews the establish
ment of the present government for
Porto Rico by the Foraker act. He's ysl
The statute directing how the expens SEES
Of the government are to be provided;
leaves some doubt whether this FUND
ton is not committed solely to the eS-8
5 ecutive council, but in practisee the
4 legislative assembly has approprf ated5
( for all the expenses other than for sal :;
aries fixed by Congress and the pres,-S
dent adds, it is too late to reverse
q tllat construction
Ehe president says that ever since the
: institution Of the present assembly the.
house of delegates has uniformly held
2 up the appropriation until the last n1iii-5
ute OF tile session and has sought to
5 use the power to do SO as u means
OF compelling the concurrence OF the
executive council in lesisla ton which
me house desired. In the last rsGu-i
{ lar lesisla tive assembly the attitude OF
3 ti,,. executive GU council refusing to pass
pll,s led the house OF delegates to re-
AZ use to pass the necessary appropria-
ton bills. AZ 40 RI 81
MI. Taft discussed that. acts of the
legislature and Of the council in de-
& wv Wv. and says the facts recited demon
a .l the willingness sof the representa-
Z yves Of the people in the house of dele
s ss to subvert the government in Or
ssr TO secure the sc certain leg
s E The question whether the pro-
e i PISSED legislation should be enacted into
4sw was left blythe fundamentals act TO
! ale Joint action OF the executive council
i H,,d ne house of delegates as the legis-
ia'lye assembly.
DELEGATES AGGRESSIVE.
me house of delegates, says the pres
i iasn., proposes itself to secure this
, n,s.s. ton without respect to the OPP
s u.s. pysii,eD Of the executive council. '.or
N ~. 70 pun down the government"
s, his growing spirit shows tllaty.too
ga power has been vested in the
uslesa les, The message presents an,
so,,' economic review OF conditions
~ ~ lhe Islands, its trade and its wealth,
{ y :, edncational facilities.
~ - presents that never was d time In
s ...s. MS, tory of tn, island when the av-
h ME prosperity of the Porto Ricans
as sls peen higher. or opportunity, his.lib-
c,. s IN thought and action more SEE
Ia " y. the first time in Its history. Por-
sls,.. i. l.5 he says, is living under tho
ny NJ, enacted by It's own legislature
pa INC president points out that IL the!
thu ITO Sicans desire aid in the. form of