The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-05-11
PORTO R|CANS
UNCRA EFUL
President Taft Criticises the
Islands Assembly.
WOULD CURTAIL POWERS

Z
Sends Special Message to Congress
Recommending an Amendment to
the Foraker Act 7 aking From the
Legislative Branch of Government
Absolute Control Over the Making
of Appropriations.
Washington, May 11.-President
Taft sent to congress special mes
sage recommending legislation at the
present extra session amending the
Foraker act, under which Porto Rico
is governed. The president directs
the attention of congress to affairs on
the island, laying particular stress on
what he terms ga situation of unus-
ual gravity developed through the
failure of the legislative assembly to
pass the usual appropriation bills,
leaving the island without support
after June 30.
Porto Ricans have forgotten the
generosity of the United States, the
president says, in the desire Of GER
tain of the islands political leaders
for power. 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 chose who have
shown themselves too irresponsible to
enjoy it,
Would Amend Foraker Act.
The president suggests to congress
the wisdom of submitting to the ap-
preparation committees the question
of qualifying some of the provisions
of the fundamental act as to the re-
spective 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 adjourn
without making the appropriations
necessary to carry on the government,
made in the previous year for the re-
spective purposes shall be available
for 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 Philip
pines and Hawaii and lit has prevent
ed in those two countries any misuse
of the power of appropriation"
The president reviews the estab-
lishment Of the present government.
for Porto Rico by the Foraker act.
He says the statute directing how ex-
penses 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 expenses other than
for salaries fixed by congress. The
president adds lit is too late to re-
verse that construction
Power Used to Attain Ends.
The president says that ever since
the institution of the present assem-
bly, the house of delegates has uni
formly held up the appropriation bills
until the last minute of the regular
session and has sought to use the
power to do so as a means of COM
polling the concurrence of the execu-
tive council in legislation which the
house desired. In the last regular
legislative assembly the attitude of
the executive council in refusing to
pass bills led the house of delegates
to refuse to pass the necessary appro-
priation bills.
Mr.. Taft discusses the acts of the
legislature and of the council in de-
tail and says the facts recited demon
strate the willingness of the repre-
sentatives of the people in the house
of delegates to subvert the govern.
ment to secure the passage of certain
legislation. The question whether the
proposed legislation should be enact.
ed into law was left by the funda-
mental act to- the joint action of the
executive council and the house of
delegates as the legislative assembly.
The house of delegates, says the pres
ident, proposes to secure this Iegisla-
ton itself without respect to the op-
position of the executive council, cor
else to pull down the government"
This growing spirit shows that too
great power has been vested in the
delegates.
Conditions on the Island.
The message presents an exhaustive
economic review of conditions on the
island, it's trade and it's wealth and
it's improved educational facilities
1t points out that "there never was
time in the history of the island
when the average prosperity of the
Porto Rican has been higher, his op-
portunity greater, his liberty in
thought and action more secure For
the first time in its history Porto Rico,
he says, is living under laws enacted
by it's own Legislature.
The president points out that if the
Porto Ricans desire change in the
form of the Foraker act this is a mat
ter of congressional consideration, de-
pendent upon the effect of such a
change on the real political progress
on the island. Such change, he
says, should be sought in an orderly
way and not be brought to the atten-
ton of congress by "paralyzing the
arm Of the existing government"
WILL RETURN TO MINNESOTA