The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-05-18
DIFFERS WITH TAFT
Porto Rican Delegate Sees Danger
Ahead for Policy

Washington, May 1S.-"1 am con-
vinced that if the recommendations
for a change in the Foraker act made
by President Taft, are adopted by
congress, the Porto Rican executive
council, which is controlled by Ameri-
can officials appointed by the presf-
dent, will feel that new era Of
force and violence, such as existed in
1900 to 1902, can again be initiated
with safety" said T. Larrinaga, the
Porto Rican delegate, commenting
upon Mr.. Taft's message on the Porto
Rican situation.
Il feel that the president is honest
in his convictions" he continued, but
he has been misinformed by the rep
resentatives of the executive council
who have recently been at Washing
ton. Congress is strong and we are
weak. If congress desires to strike
blow at us, it can do SO, but the con-
sequences will be fraught with disas-
ter to the people of Porto Rico.
Before the coming Of Gov. Win
Roosevelt to stop the injustice which
ginning of civil rule, the executive
CUulCll (tUSOluISlS SOllClOllGu Lll0 clGCe
tions by force and intimidation. There
was bloodshed, for which the repre-
sentatives Of the United States gov
ernment were directly responsible.
I'm the election of 1900 the men,
bers of the federal party. now known
as the union party, decided to stay
away from the polls, because they de-
sired to prevent widespread blood
shed. That party had carried forty
four out of sixty-six municipal elec-
tions in 1899, and vet is was not rep
resented at the polls in 1900.
"The members of that party were
kept from the registry booths and the
polls by mobs. which were backed by
the police. Private houses occupied
by members of the party were entered
by this mob, and public clubs were
broken into. Two persons were killed
on the streets. A building in which
l was comforting was attacked by the
mob in San Juan within the sight of
Gov. Aliens palace, and newspaper
officers were broken into and machin-
cry destroyed. And yet there were
no arrests made. The failure of the
police to act proved oonclusively that
the government was interested in
these riots and was seeking to intimi-
date the members of the federal par
ty.
Fears Recurrence of Oppression.
"It is a recurrence Of this policy of
oppression and injustice which l am
afraid will follow the adoption of the
presidents recommendation. If con-
gress acts in the manner he suggests
and shears the lower house, the rep
resentative house, of it's rights and
privileges, the executive council will
feel that its hands have been strength
ened, and that it can adopt its former
course of intimidation.
II wish to deny the scurrilous at
tacks which have recently been made
on the lower house. These attacks, l.
am CONVINCED, were inspired by the
members of the executive council who
have been in this city. The members
of the lower house are representative
Porto Ricans. They include coffee
planters. lawyers and engineers. They
are men of education who have stu
died in the United States and the
great universities of Europe. They
are not the sort of men they are rep
resented to be. feel that Porto Rico
itself has been insulted in the at
tacks which have been made on it's
representative legislative body.
1T would seem as if the executive
council was seeking to get its friends
elected as members of the lower house
so that the great bulk of the popula-
tion will have no real representation
at all. The only way this can be ac-
complished is by intimidation, such as
have mentioned, and l do not be-
lieve that congress wishes to see any
such thing brought about
HAD TROUBLE.
Richmond. Ind, May IA con-
troversy over line fence between
two farms resulted today in the death