Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-18
ISLANDERS WHO WOULD RULE
OR RUIN DISCOURAGED az
TAFT,s MOVE.
HOPE FOR HOME RULE
Is ALMOST ABANDONED.
Two Legislative Branches Of Local
Government at Loossrhsads Over
Administration Of island and Stand
in Way Of Progress Repub.s
Iieans Favored by United States.


into most serious question by recent
developments on the island and by the
message Of President Taft.
It is the protested purpose Of this
country to spread free and democratic
institutions, and yet the president Of
the United States has said to congress
that We have gone too far in granting
power to the Porto .Ricans, and that
backward step must be taken. j.
The significance Of this is all the
greater because Porto Rico is probably
more promising field for the spread
Of f-government than any other Of
the dependencies. If the United
States can not make Roadway with this
Island, what can it do towards spread.
ing free government in the much less
civilized Philippines?
Refused to Pass Measures.
The executive council Of Porto Rico.
which corresponds in effect to the sen.
ate Of a state legislature and which
controlled by the Americans, declined
to pass measures desired by the house
Of delegates, which is the popular cleo.
tive body. For this reason, the dele.
usual appropriation bills, and LETT the
government on the financial rocks.
1t is relief from this situation which
President Taft seeks from congress.
And yet the striking fact Is that the
measures desired by the Porto Ricans
all tend towards greater measure OF
self government. The clear issue be.
tween the house of delegates and the
executive nounril 10 u,La%bor <t,o
lean officials on the island appointed
from Washington, shall yield the con-
troll of specific local matters to the
Porto Ricans.
To secure greater local self governs,
ment was the purpose of the bill di.
viding the island into counties, with
county governments. The delegates and
the members of the executive council
were in practical accord on the desira-
bility of manual training schools. But
the delegates proposed that they should
be operated, not under the control Of
the commissioner of education, an
American official, but under independ.
ent Porto Rican control. =
1t rs this which President Taft means
when he says that the bill establishl
ing manual training schools was held
contrary to the Foraker act, which Is
the organic law of the island.
BY the terms of that act, as con-
strued by the executive council all eds
ucational matters are to be admins.
tered by the commissioner Of educaa
tion-an American. And the majority
Of the council declined to pass a bin
which was considered clearly unconstis
tutional
Declared Present Debt Sufficient.
Even the agricultural bank bill Inc
volved the issue of Porto Rican con.
troll. In his message the president said
that the council declined to pass this
because funds could not we'll be raised
to give the bank a start. The island has
within q few years been bonded for
100000 for internal improvements,
and taxation Is at the rate Of l.2 per
cent or full valuation.
The Americans in control held that
this burden of debt was sufficient, and
that 1t would be imprudent to bond
further. even if money could be secured
on good terms, which was considered
doubtful.
But the bill provided that the bank
should be under Porto Rican control
and it is probably fair to say that this
at least entered into the consideration,
The bill for the appraisement Of props
erty took this responsibility out Of the
hands of the present American COM
trolled machinery, and placed It in
charge Of well-to-do Porto Ricans.3
The same tendency towards local
self-government is evident in the bill
providing that vacancies in the offices
Of mayor and councilmen should be
filled by the municipal councils instead
OF by the American governor, and in
the bill providing that judges should be
elected instead OF appointed by the
American power, as now.
Porto Ricans Discouraged.
That the Americans decline TO foster
this movement for self-government is
held up by the Porto Ricans as most
inconsistent conduct on the part Of q
free and benevolent republic.
Their view. as expressed by Tulio
Larrinaga, their resident Commissioners
IN washington, Is one Of complete ais.
couragement. While they want to
make the upper house elective, and
thus control all the legislative machin-
cry OF the island, they are confronted
with this new move of the government
'HAASAA A0AeAASA oU4lO6cS fIuelr power.
Mr.. Larrinaga stated to the cores.
pondent Of this paper that he has mo-
confidence in the purpose OF the leaders
IN congress to give the Porto Ricans
citizenship, ana he ctiaracterized as 5po.
liticai 'buncombe that plank in the Chf-
caeo platform which pledged the res
publican party to extend them that
consideration. Citizenship he holds 70
be only an appeal to the sentiment Of
the Porto Ricans, which would neither
be OF much practical help to. them nor
IN the least dangerous to the interest,
OF the United States. For It they care
because they were Spanish citizens and
because they have grown up In an ii.
mosphere which places high value upon
the sentimental side Of citisNnship
But Mr.. Larrinaga is convinced that
congress will not only refuse citizen.
ship. but will, by amending the FUrs
aker act, Insure funds under the cir.
cumstances for the island government.s
activities, and will thus take srwav the
Porto Ricans' most effective lever Tor
forcing greater measure Of sslf-eov-
ernment. - e - 4
8 4.
70 Kill Worry,
the only way to keep envy. discon. &
tent and worry thoughts out 81 ~ 3
mind + 70 replaee than With tAauehts
sfpeace. faith md Geo4 xill.
Ti + ~; 81