Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-05-10
HAVE FORGOTTEN
OUR GENEROSITY
We Have Gone Too Fast in the
Extension of Political
Power to Them and
They Are IRE
SponSible.

Washington, May 10.-President
Taft. today sent 70 Congress a special
message recommending remedial leg
islation for the island of Porto Rico.
For want of a quorum the House
took no action on the message. Speak
er Cannon fought to have the mes
sage referred to the ways and means
committee, but Garrett, of Tennessee,
who wanted it referred to the com
mittee on insular affairs, opened the
question of the House rules. The
House finally adjourned after the de-
bate, without action. In the Senate
the message was referred to the COM
mittee ON Porto Rico.
President Taft's message recon-
mends legislation at the present extra
session, amending the Foraker act
under which Porto Rico is governed.
The president directs the attention of
Congress on affairs on the island, lay
ing particular stress on which he
terms "a situation of unusual gray
ity'' developed through the failure IF
the legislative assembly of Porto
Rico to pass the usual appropriation
bills, leaving the island without sup
port after June 20 next.
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 and, he adds that the
present situation indicates that the
United States has gone too fast in the
extension of political power to the
Porto Ricans. He concludes that the
absolute power of appropriation
should be taken away from those
who have shown themselves too ir-
responsible to enjoy it,
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 assem- oily.
But no action of this kind, the presi-
dent says, should be begun until tle
Foraker act is amended so that when
the legislative assembly shall adjourn
without making the legislative APP
propriations necessary to carry on
the government, sums equal to the
appropriations made in the previous
year for the respective purposes shall
be available for the current revenue
and shall be drawn by the warrant of
the auditor on the treasurer and
countersigned by the governor. Such
a provision applies to the legislatures
of the Philippines and Hawaii and lit
has prevented in those countries any
misuse of the power of appropri9-
ton"
The president reviews the estab-
lishment Of the present government
of Porto Rico by the Foraker act.
He says the statute directing how the
expenses of the government are 20
oe provided leaves some doubt wheth-
er this function is not committed sole
ly to the executive council but in
practice the Legislative assembly has
appropriated for all the expenses
other than for salaries fixed by Con-
gress and the president adds, 1t Is
too late to reverse that construction"
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 ses-
sion and has sought to use the power
TO do so as a means of compelling tne
concurrence of the legislative council
In legislation which the House de-
sired In the last regular Legislative
assembly the attitude of the legisla-
tive council in refusing to pass bills
led the House of Delegates to refuse
TO pass the necessary appropriation
bills.
Mr.. Taft discussed the acts of the
legislature and the council in details
and says the facts recited demons
trate the willingness of the represen-
tatives of the people in the House of
Delegates to subvert the government
in order to secure the passage of
certain legislation. The question
whether the proposed legislation
should be enacted into law was LEFT
by the fundamental act to the joiat
action OF the executive council and
the House Of Delegates as the leg
islative assembly.
The president says the House Gf
Delegates proposes itself to secure
this legislation without respect to the
opposition of the executive council
cor else to pull down the govern
ment"
This growing spirit shows that too
great power has been vested in the