New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-11

have had one personal interview with the com
suggested to them that If the House Of Delegates
wo4 t pass The appropriation bi without nsistng
Council would send representative of the gov
and report in respect TO the proposed legislation.
Their answer, which shows them not to be in
compromising mood. was as follows:
cI the tegisatye AsSem6y OF Porto Rico WouJ
the state of affairs down the island and the high
SHERATON the absolute resistance of tie House TO
DO any act against its own dignity and the dignity
Of The country. il is the opinion Of those commits
sioners that no ,6reement would be attained unless
the council feel disposed 10 accept the amendments
oil me house OF Delegates. 90.
extraordinary session the judicial and municipal
tb ] ne sboIisbfd and nnIp;cnsI iIdges created
in mayorsh:2s and judgeships be filed by the mu-
nicipsi bills passed by the House its last session
then the commissioners believe that the aPpropria,
ton bills will be passed in the House as introduced
in the Council without delay.
WHAT HAS BEEN DONE FOR PORTO RICO.
Porto Rico mas been the favored daughter Of the
is aie eassed to the Tinted states with the full con-
sent of the people of the island.
Under the law all lhe customs and Internsl F Peve
Pj, fr fbe ,,sfensnce Of the island government
while United States pays out of its own Treas
ury the cost of the local armythat is fun Porto
Rico regiment-the revenue vessels. the lighthouse
service the coast surveys. the harbor improve
ments the marine hospital support. the Post9efn,Se
deficit the weather bureau and the uPkeep OF the
agricultural experiment stations, c
clone DESTROYED a large part ~ Porto Rican coffee
culture: 5000 600 expended from the United
fress The Island is policed hi seven hundred
and complete tranquility Teleas. o,,. ., tho Porto
Ricane were una bic to read write and there was
@2 b 5 ls 0nsrIced for pubic Instruction
while the enrolment Of pupils in such schools as
in the island there are $50 such buildings and the
sovereigrty there expended s35.eoo in gold Tor
there is expended for this purpose total Of
When the Americans took control there were 172
miles OF macadamized road. Since then there have
mountains. making in all now total Of 624 miles
Of finely planned and admirably constructed macao
amIzed roads-as good roads as there are IN the
world
In the course OF the administration Of this island
tn. United states medical authorities discovered
disease of tropical anPmia which was epidemic and
Worn S II sd ny mPared the e1erFy of those
who suffered from il. and so often led to compiete
urostration and death that II became necessary 70
undertake its cure by Widespread goyernmentat et
fort IN, cIad TO- say tnat z,S'go ia 80 treated
at government expense. and the erect has psth
and to bring ne gne has sohs r amy
smallpox has practically disappeared.
HAS FREE TRADE.
There is complete free trade between Porto, Rico
Collected in the United states on porto Fcan prod
smSunfSs o aa ar Ts R been
10 the island treasury, The loss to the revenues
Of the United States from the free admission Of
Porto Rican products is sl5.0o0000 annually. The
wealth OF the island is directly dependent upon the
cultivation the soil To tobacco. coffee and
fruit for which we ia America provide the market
Of Porto Rico would be PROSTATE some
Of the neighboring West Indian islands BEFORE
island was over s2,500co, while the present bal
OF trade in favor of the island IS S5'oo9o The
OT2l Of
about 100000 before American sovereignty 10
s5s.otooc0 the present day At the date OF the
American occupation the estimated value OF all
agricultural land about 100000 Now the APP
reaches 100000 The expenses OF government
before American control were S2,969.GOo while the
receipts were &.644eo For the year 1900 me re
Ceipts were $4,000 and the expenditures we're
eminent. 845 are Americans and 2.5fS are native
TOTO iNICaNs- mere never was 4 'Ihle IN tl' nus
tory of the island when the average prosperity OF
the Porto Rican has been higher. when his oppor-
t Unit has las, been EreateT when his liberty OF
Representatives Of the House of Delegates insist
n their appeals TO Congress and to the public that
fP9m the standpoint Of free people the Porto
political oppression and to a much less liberal
government than under that Of Spain To prove
Of 1927 promulgated in November o. thar year The
decree related 10 the government OF Porto Rico and
Cuba. and was undoubtedly great step forward in
Of the two Islands TIE war followed within p few
months after its PRONUNCIATION. and it Impossible
70 say what its practical operation would have been
pleasure Of the Crown. and had IN its provisions
authority the Governor General TO ali
OF the laws OF the legislature Of the islands urtiI
approved or disapproved home. and 70 suspend
at viii all constitutional guarantees Of life liberty
and property. supposed be the OF civil lib
eriE and free institutions The insular legislator
had no power TO enact new laws amend exist
liberty Of the people The Jurisdiction TO pass these
remained H. the hands OF the national Cortes. and
included the mass OF code laws governing the de-
scent and distribution and transfer property and
contracts, and torts. land laws. notarial laws. laws
OF waters and mines penal statutes. civil. criminal
and administrative procedure, organic laws OF the
municipalities, election laws. the code of commerce.
and forth.
GENEROSITY FORGOTTEN
In contrast with this, under its present form OF