The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-05-11
TO CURB POWER /,
OF PORTO RICO
President Taft Censures House of
Delegates in Refusing to Pass
j, Appropriation Bills.

WASHINGTON, May l0.-In a Wig
orous message sent To congress today
The president expressed the opinion
that the United States aas gone too
lar In the extension or the powers
OF self-government 10 the leople or
Porto Rico. and recommends certain
. notifications In the so-called Foraker
act, which provides for the administra-
lion OF AFFAIRS In that island
He censures unsparingly the action
OF the house or delegates OF the Is
land In refusing TO pass the appropria'
uon bills Tor the coming fiscal year,
and suggests the desirability To take
from this lower body of the Porto
Rican assembly the power thus TO ham
per the government of the island. The
message says In part:
An emergency has arisen In Porto
Rico which makes II necessary for
!. me TO invite the attention OF the
congress TO the affairs OF that island,
and TO recommend legislation at tho
present extra session amending the
act under which the island IL gov.
erned.
The regular session OF the legisla-
tive assembly OF Porto Rico adjourned
March IL last. without passing the
USUAL appropriation bills. A special
session OF the assembly was at once
convened by the governor. but after
three days, on March 16, II again ad-
journed without making .hc appropri-
atoms. This leaves the island govern.
iaent witho1t provision for its support
after June 80. next. The situation pre-
sented iE therefore OF IN unusual
gravity.
Established by Foraker Act.
THE present gosernment of Porto
Rico was established by what Is known
as the Foraker act. Under that act,
The chief executive Is a governor ap
pointed by the president and confirm
ed by the senate. A secretary-geReral.
treasurer auditor. commissioner or
the interior and q commissioners or
education, together with five other APP
pointees Of the president. constitute
the executive council. The executive
council must have in its membership
rot less than FIVE native Porto Ricans.
he legislative power is vested In the
legislative assembly. which has two
coordinate branches. The first OF
these is the executive council just DE-
scribed and the second Is the house OF
delegates, a popular and representa-
tive body with members elected by the
into which the island Is divided.
Ever since the institution OF the
present assembly the house OF dele
lates has uniformly held up the ap-
pre- priation bills until the last minutes
ot the last session, and has sought u
use power TO do so as a means or
compelling the concurrence OF the leg
islative council In legislation which the
house desired"
The message goes on 10 tell how |
the executive council In the last as
sembly refused TO pass certain bills
that had been passed by the house OF
delegates, whereupon the latter body
refused to pass the necessary appro-
priation bill.
THE facts recited," continues the
message. demonstrates the unwilling
Eess OF the representatives or the
yeople in the house OF delegates TO
subvert the government In order 10
secure the passage of certain legisia-
ton. The house OF delegates proposes
itself TO secure this legislation without
respect TO the opposition OF the execli-
tive council. or else to pull down the
whole government This spirit which
has been growing from year TO year
in Porto Rico. shows that too great
mower has been vested In the house
of delegates, that ITS members
are not sufficiently alive 20 their oath
taken responsibility for TIE mainten-
ance OF government. to JUSTIFY con
gress In further reposing In them Alb
s0fute power 10 withhold appropr1a-
lions necessary for the government
life.
For these reasons. | recommend an
amendment 10 the Foraker act. pro-
viding that whenever the legislative
assembly shall adjourn without max
ing the appropriations necessary tn
carry on the government sums equal
Ia Incorporation made In the pre-
vious year for the respective purposes
shall be available from the current
revenues ana shall be drawn by the
warrant of the auditor on the treasury
and 'countersigued by the governor.
Such a provision applies 20 the legis-
latures of the Philippines and Hawaii,
and II has prevented In those two
countries any missue OF the power OF
at,propriatiOn."