Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1909-05-10
TAFT SENDS SPECIAL MESSAGE |
TO CONGRESS ON PORTO RIe0
Special Legislation Needed to Help Island
Out of Its Financial Dilemma Caused
by Non-Action Of Its Legisla-
ture on Appropriation Bill

Washington, d. c., May 10.--Presi-
dent Taft today sent to Congress a
special message recommending legisla-
ton at the present extra session.
amending the Foraker act under which
Porto Rico is governed. The President
direct the attention of Congress to af-
fairs on the island, laying particular
stress on what he terms "a situation
of unusual gravity" developed through
the failure of the legislative assembly
of Porto Rico to pass the usual appro.
priation bills, leaving the island with.
out support after June 80 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 exten'
sion of political power to the Porto
Ricans. He concludes that the abso
lutte power of appropriation should be
taken away from "those who have
shown themselves too irresponsible 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 ol
the fundamental act as to the respec
tive jurisdictions of the executive
council and the legislative assembly
But no action of this kind. the Presi
dent says, should be begun until the
Foraker act is amended so that when
the legislative assembly shall adjourn
without making the legislative appro
priation necessary to carry on the gov
ernment, sums equal to the appro
priations made in the previous year
for the respective purposes shall be
available for the current revenue ant
shall be drawn by the warrant of the
auditor on the treasurer and counter
signed by the governor. Such a pro
vision applies to the legislatures of the
Philippines and Hawaii and 1T has pre-
vented In those countries any misuse
of the power of appropriation ~
The President reviews the establish
ment of the present government Of
Porto Rico by the Foraker act. He
says the statute directing how the ex.
penses Of the government are to be
provided leaves some doubt whether
this function is not committed solely
to the executive council but in practice
the legislative assembly has appro
priated for all the expenses other thar
for salaries fixed by Congress and the
President adds, lit is too late to re
verse that construction"
The President says that ever since
the institution of the present assembly
the house of delegates has uniformly
held up the appropriation bills until
the last minute of the session and has
sought to use the power to do so as a
means of compelling the concurrence
of the legislative council in legislation
which the house desired. In the last
regular legislative assembly the atti
tude of the legislative council in re-
fusing to pass bills led the house OF
delegates to refuse to pass the neces
sary appropriation bills.
Mr.. Taft discussed the acts of the
Legislature and the council in details
and says the facts recited demonstrate