The Washington times., 1909-05-10

lion dollars. have been refunded to the
| island treasury. The loss to the reve-
| nues of the United States from free
/ admission of Porto Rican products is
| SIS, 100000 annually.
Wealth Dependent.
| The wealth of the island is directly
dependent upon the cultivation of the
soil, to cane, tobacco. coffee, and fruit,
/ for which we in America provide the
market. Without our fostering benevo-
Ience. the business of Porto Rico wound
be as PROSTATE as are some of the
neighboring West Indian Islands.
| Before American control, the trade
| balance against the island was over
S12,500, 900. while the present balance OF
trade in favor of the island is 81, 500 OOo-
| The total of exports and imports has
| increased from about So. 100000 before
| American sovereignty to $50, 900, 600 at the
present day.
/ At the date of the American occupa-
/ cultural land was about $780, 900. Now
/ the appraised value of the real property
| in the island reaches 800, 600 000
| The expenses Of government before
| American control were g, 969. 900, while
the receipts were 50, Ga 600. For the year
/ 1906 the receipts were 81. 100000, and the
! expenditure was A,oS4, 600. OF the civil
servants in the central government, 343
/ X
/ Ricans. There never was time IN the
/ history OF the island when the average
prosperity of the Porto Rican has been
/ higher, when his opportunity has been
greater, when his liberty of thought
/ and action was more secure.
Representatives Insist.
Representatives Of the House of Dele
gates insist in their appeals to Con-
gress and to the public that from the
ueo RI uf he
Ricans are new subjected under Amer
lean control to political oppression, and
to much less liberal government than
under that of Spain. To prove this trey
refer to the provisions Of a royal decree
OF 1897. promulgated in November OF
| that year.
The decree related to the government
| of Porto Rico and Cuba, and was, un-
| dOubtedly, a great step forward in
granting a certain sort Of autonomy to
the people Of the two islands. The war
| followed within few months after
| its promulge ton. and II is impossible
TO say what its practical operation
| would have been. It was a tentative
| arrangement, revOcable at the pleasure
Of the crown. and had, in its provisions
/ authority for the governor general 70
/ suspend all of the laws of the legisla-
| ture Of the islands until approved ~
i disapproved at home, and 10 suspend al
| viii all constitutional guarantees of life
liberty and property, supposed to be
the basis Of civil liberty and free insti-
Had No Power.
The insular legislature had no power
to enact laws or to amend existing
laws governing property rights or the
life and liberty Of the people. The
Jurisdiction to pass these remained in
the hands of the rational cortes, anc
Included the mass Of code laws govern
ing the descent and distribution and
transfer OF property and contracts, and
torts, land laws, notarial laws, laws
of waters and mines, penal statutes
| civil. criminal. and administrative pro-
cedure organic laws of the munich
palities, election laws. the code OF
commerce. and so forth.
In contrast with this, under Tvs pres
ent form Of government the island leg
fslature possesses practically all thf
powers Of an American Commonwealth
and the constitutional guarantees o.
its inhabitants instead Of being sub
ject TO suspension by executive dis
erection, are absolutely guaranteed BY
act Of Congress.
Laws Enacted.
The great body Of substantive law IL
force in the island. political, civil, anC
criminal code, codes Of political, civil
and criminal procedure, the revenue
= municipal electoral, franchise, educa
= tional. police and public works laws
and the like. has been enacted 9y thu
. people OF the island themselves, as m
: law can be put upon the statute book
b unless II has received the approval o
the representative lower house of TIT
. legislature. In no single case has tht
! Congress Of the United states inter
vened 70 annul or control acts OF tn
legislative assembly. For the hrst tim
\ in the history Of Porto Rico, the islam
] is living under laws enacted by It's Owl
e legislature.
5 1t is idle to compare political powe
20 OF the Porto Ricans under the roya
70 decree Of 1897, when their capacity Z
= exercise it with benefit to themselve
was never in fact tested, to that Wlicl
/ they have under the Foraker act. Tn
question We have before US is whel he
/ their course since the adoption of tn
| Foraker act does not show the nectS
p sity for withholding from them tn
: / a bsOlute power given by that Sct Z
y the legislative assembly over aDpropria
+ tions. when the house Of delegates a
| a coordinate branch Of that assembl
such absolute power. not TO support an
n maintain the government, but 20 rende
o it helpless.
Up To Congress.
II the Porto Ricans desire a chang
In the form OF the Foraker act. this is
matter for Congressional consideration
Z, dependent on the effect of such a chang
: on the real political progress in tn
. island
= Such a change should be sought in a
: orderly way. and not brought to tn
= attention of Congress by paralyzin
the arm OF the existing government
n do not doubt that the terms of tn
n existing fundamental act might be irr
p proved. certainly in qualifying some d
the provisions as to the respective juris
dictions of the executive council and IN
IS legislative assembly, and ] suggest
At Congress the wisdom Of submitting
f. the Appropriations Committees TIN
r question Of reision.
But no action Of this kind should +
Al begun until after. by special amendmef
Of the Foraker act. the absolute powe
is Of appropriation is taken away frol
N those who have shown themselves Ia
> irresponsible 10 enjoy it.
ID Desire of Leaders.
h In the desire Of certain OF their lea,
ers for political power. Porto Ricar
s. have forgotten the generosity Of n
Fr-ffo4 Ia, fte TcaIF~o,r ,trftt.