Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-11

he terms a situation OF unusual gray
| ity' developed through the failure Of
the legislative assembly of Porto Rico
to pass the usual appropriation bills.
leaving the island without support af
ter June 90 next.
Porto Ricans have forgotten the
generosity of the United States, the
President says. in the desire of certain
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 ex-
tension 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 apprO-
priation committees the question of
qualifying some Of the provisions of the
fundamental act as to the respective
Jurisdictions of the extensive council
and the legislasive assembly. But no
action Of this kind, the President says,
should be begun until the Foraker act
be amended so that when the legislative
assembly shall adjourn without making
the appropriation 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 revenues,
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 ard Hawaii and ut
has prevented in those two countries
any misuse of the power of appropria-
ton"
The President reviews the establish
mont of the present government for
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 appropri
ated for all the expenses other than for
salaries fixed by Congress and the
President adds st 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 regular session and
mas sought to use the power to do SD
as a means of compelling the concur
renee of the executive council in legis-
lation which the House desired. In
the last regular legislative assembly |
the attitude of the executive council
in refusing to pass bills led the House
Il.tnp1faS fn RI &c
essary appropriation bills.
Mr.. Taft discusses the acts of the |
Legislature and of the council in detail |
and says the facts recited demonstrate |
the Willingness of the representatives |
Of the people in the House of Delegates |
to subvert the government in order to |
secure the passage of certain legfsla |
rion The question whether the pro-
posed legislation should be enacted in
TO law was left by the fundamental |
act to the joint action of the execu-
tive council and the House of Delegates
as the legislative assembly. The House
of Delegates says the President pro-
poses itself to secure this legislation
without respect to the opposition of the
executive council, cor else to pull |
Down the government"
This spirit shows that too great pow
CT ha:, been vested in the delegates.
The message presents an exhaustive |
economic review of conditions on the
island. it's trade and it's wealth, it's i'm
proved educational facilities.
1t points out that "there never was
a time in the history of the island
when the average prosperity of the
Porto Ricans has been higher. his OPP
portunity greater, his liberty in
thought and action more secure"
For the first time in it's history Por-
to Rico, he says, is living under laws
by it's own Legislature.
The President points out that if the
Porto Ricans desire change in the
form of the Foraker act this is a mat
ter of Congressional consideration, de-
pendent on the effect of such change
on the real political progress on the
island. Such change, he says should
be sought. in an orderly way and not
brought to the attention of Congress
by 'paralysing the arm of the exist
ing government
The President says that the fact of
the Porto Ricans forgetting the gen
rosity of this government "should not
be an occasion for surprise nor in deal
ing with a whole people can it be
made the basis of charge of ingrati-
tude?"
The message concludes:
"Wilen we with the consent of the
people of Porto Rico assumed guard
anship over them and the guidance
OF their destinies we must have been