The Detroit times., 1909-05-10
TO CURB POWER
OF PORTO RICO
President Taft Censures House Of
Delegates in Refusing to Pass
Appropriation Bills.

WASHINGTON. May 10.--In q Wig
orous message sent to congress today
the president expressed the opinion
that the United States nps gone too
fnr In the extension OF the powers
of self-government to the people OF
Porto Rico. and recommends certain
notifications In the so-called Foraker
act. which provides for the administra.
tion OF affairs In that island.
He censures unsparingly the action
OF the house OF delegates of the Is
land III refusing to pass the appropria-
ton bills for the coming fiscal year.
end suggests the desirability to take
from this lower body OF the Porto
Rican assembly the power thus to ham,
per the government OF the island. Tho
message says In part:
An emergency has arisen In Porto
Rico which makes II necessary for
me to invite the attention or the
congress to the affairs OF that island.
and to recommend legislation at the
present extra session amending the
act under which the island IL gov
erned.
The regular session OF the legisla-
tive assembly of Porto Rico adjourned
March III last. without passing the
usual appropriation bills. A special
session of the assembly was at once
convened by the governor. but after
three days, on March Is, II again ad-
journed without making .hc appropri-
ations. This leaves the island govern
ment without provision for Its support
after June 80, next. The situation pre-
ne MT tAA fn kAr ~ a
gravity.
Established by Foraker Act.
The present government of Porto
Rico was established by what Ia known
as the Foraker act. Under that act.
the chief executive Is q governor ap-
pointed by the president and confirm
ed by the senate. A secretary-general.
a treasurer, auditor, commissioner or
the interior and commissioners OF
education, together with Ave other ap-
pointees of the president. constitute
the executive council. The executive
council must have In its membership
not less than Ave native Porto Ricans
The legislative power IL vested In the
legislative assembly. which has two
coordinate branches. The first OF
these Is the. executive council just de-
scribed and the second Is the house OF
delegates, popular and representa-
tive body with members elected by the
qualified electors Of the seven districts
into which the island is divided.
Ever since the institution Of the
present assembly the ho1se Of dele
gates has uniformly held up the ap-
preparation bills until the last minutes
Of the last session, and has sought 70
use power to do 30 as means OF
compelling the concurrence Of the leg
islative council in legislation which ths
house desired"
Refused TO Pass Bills.
The message goes on to tell how
the executive council In the last as
sembly refused to pass certain bills
that had been passed by the house Of
delegates, whereupon the latter body
refused to pass the necessary appro-
priation bill.
The facts recited," continues the
message. demonstrates tho unwilling
ness Of the representatives OF the
people in the house of delegates to
subvert the government In order TO
secure the passage of certain legisla-
ton. The house of delegates proposes
itself to secure this legislation without
respect to the opposition Of the execu-
tive council, or else to pull down the
whole government. This spirit which
has been growing from year TO year
In Porto Rico, shows that too great
power has been vested In the house
of delegates, and that Its members
are not sufficiently alive TO their oath.
taken responsibility for the mainten-
ance OF government, TO justify con-
gress In further reposing In them abb
solute power to withhold appropria-
tions necessary for the government
life.
For these reasons. l recommend an
amendment to the Foraker act. pro-
yiding that whenever tho legislative
assembly shall adjourn without max
ing the appropriations necessary tn
carry on the government, sums equal
To the appropriations made In the pre-
vious year for the respective purposes
shall be available from the current
revenues and shall be drawn by the
warrant Of the auditor on the treasury
and countersigned by the governor.
Such a provision applies &c the legis-
iatures OF the Philippines and Hawaii,
and II has prevented In those two
countries any missue Of the power OF
aupropriatiOn I"