Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
PLEA OF PORTO R|CANS
Labor Delegate. Earnestly
Ask for Citizenship.
CALL ON PRESIDENT TAFT
Referred by Him to Assistant Di-
rector of Census.
REQUEST FOR A CONFERENCE
Conclusions to Be Reported to the
White House-Statement by
Santiago Iglesias.

Santiago IglesiaS and Abraham Pena,
labor delegates from Porto Rico to the
recent convention of the American Fed
Grafton of Labor at Toronto, who were
presented to President Taft yesterday
afternoon by President Gompers of the
A. F. OF L., will hold conference TO-
morrow with William F. Willoughoy, as
sistant director of the census, who mas
been requested by President Tart TO
look into and report upon their petition
presented at the White House yesterday.
The President gave the Porto Ricans
a letter to Mr.. Willoughby, transmitting
their statements to him, and requesting
him to report his conclusions in order
that he may take some steps by way or
recommended to Gov. Cotton, or other-
wise, as may seem wise.
you are so recently from the island,
writes the President to Mr.. Willoughby,
that you can take the matter up without
undue delay or preliminary investiga-
ton, and / hope that it will not interfere
with your official duties to help me out
at a time when my own engagements
overwhelm me-
Plea for Citizenship.
The chief thing that the labor dele
gates urge in their petition to the Pres
ident is that the Porto Ricans be granted
citizenship. The petition sets forth that
the republican party at it's Chicago con-
vention bound itself by it's platform to
grant citizenship to the people of Porto
Rico; that President Roosevelt in several
messages to Congress recommended 1t,
and that the lack OF citizenship places
the people of Porto Rico in the shameful
position of d people without country,
and places an arm in the hands of the
reactionary element In the island which
profits by it's campaigning that the Unit
ed States wants to maintain us as in
ferior human beings
Other Features Of Petition.
Other things asked for in the petit
tion are:
THAT the school appropriation be in
creased to twice the amount now ex.
pended annually.
That the salaries of the Porto Rican
school teachers be placed on the same
scale as those paid to American teach
erS.
That the eight-hour working day
act and the labor liability act of this
country become a law of Porto Rico
and enforced by the different heads OF
the insular departments.
THE radical abollsnment of convict
Payment to Workmen engaged IN
government in Porto Rico Of living
wages and proper increase over the 90
and 60 cents ten hours a day scale.
THAT the President OF the United
States recommend To the Governor VI
Porto Rico to cause the Introduction OF
bills in the executive council Of Porto
rico tending to the enactment OF the
following acts by the executive council
and insuiar legislature:
IAN TO protect the AGRICULTURAL
laborer working in sugar and others
from the merciiessness of trusts, sugar
factories, that is to say:
An act providing tor thorough in
spection of factories, shops, apartment
buildings and all kinds of establish
mellIs or the purpose o. Improving the
sanitary conditions thereof.
''Ihe establishment of branch of the
labor bureau In Porto Rico for the
benefit of the people of the island, and
The enactment OF law prohibiting
the employment of children under the
age of fourteen years in factories,
workshops and like establishments; and
be 1t further
Statement by Iglesias.
This petition of the Porto Rican dele
cation is an appeal for help" said Dele
gate Iglesias. ELEVEN years ago 1u.uJo
soldiers, under the command Of Gen.
Miles,, disemparked in the Island Of PortU
kico, ana the people there welcomed them.
Iney thought the army had come to give
tnem the rights ana privileges you are
enjoying in tne United States. lie puD-
iIsiieo d MANIFESTO TO all the people OF
Porto Rice giving them the assurance
that those rlgnts would De granted ny tne
Congress OF me United states as soon as
possible. But ten years nave passed and
the principal rights you enjoy have not
been granted to the people OF Porto Rico.
a'rha enemies of the DlIed STATES have
tried to create dissatisfaction among the
working people as well as others, because
the United States Congress has not recog-
niZed us as a part of our country-because
the United States is the country of Porto
Rico. People who come from every other
part of the world can become citizens of
the United States; but the people Of Porto
Rico. who took the flag of the United
States their own ten years ago, cannOl
now become citizens Of the United States.
The government of the United States sent
capital to US to do business, they sent Of
ficials to rule the country and they compel
us to respect every law and regulation of
the American government, but they do
not recognize us as citizens Of the United
States.
Not Regarded as Discreditable.
"This Is not to the discredit of the
working people Of the United States. be-
cause the American Federation of Labor
has spent seven years trying to improve
the conditions of the people there, and
it shows that the working people do not
approve of the position of the admins
tration. The American Federation of
Labor has advocated the rights of the
Porto Rican people. and 1t is the only
organization there that sees the neces-
sity of Porto Ricans becoming citizens.
The politicians are the ones who prevent
II. We are sure that when the Congress
of the United States recognizes us as citi-
zens we can go and on to attain in
our country the same position you have
attained In this The old political parties
are making propaganda against the
American government, and the American
the American sentiment, for the Ameri-
canization of the people Of Porto Rico,
than even the government of the United
States.
Says Gompers Knows.
Five years ago President Gompers was
in Porto Rico. He went over all the
country-in the mountains and in the
large and small towns-and he knows the
condition of the people. l want the ques-
ton of the citizenship of the people of
Porto Rico to be made matter of pub
lie propaganda until it is attained. It is
wrong. it is unjust, that the people Of
Porto Rico, who have been under the flag
Of the United States for ten years, can
not become citizens Of the United States
when the people of all other countries
cam
The Porto Rican delegates will remain
In WaShine tOn for a month and endea Wv