The Holly chieftain., 1909-05-14
PRESIDENT TAFT RECOMMENDS
RESTRICTION OF HOME
RULE IN ISLAND.
IN SPECIAL MESSAGE
ASSEMBLY ADJOURNED WITHOUT
PASSING NECESSARY Ap.
PRoPRIATioN BILLS.

WashingtOn.-PreS TAFT Mon
day sent to Congress special me sage
recommending legislation at the pres
ent extra session, amending the For
aker act under which Porto Rico is
governed. The President directs the
attention of Congress to affairs on the
island, laying particular stress on what
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 sup
port after June 30th, 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 extern
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 tc the appro-
priation committees the question of
qualifying some of the provisions of
the fundamental act as to the respec-
tive jurisdictions of the executive
council and the Legislative Assembly.
That 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-
priations necessary to carry on tie
government, sums equal to the appro-
priations made in the previous year
for the respective purposes shall be
available for the current revenue and
shall be drawn by the warrant of the
auditor on the treasurer and counter.
signed by the governor. Such provi-
sion applies to the Legislatures of the
Philippines and Hawaii and 'it has
prevented in those two countries any
misuse of the power of appropriation"
The President reviews the establish.
ment 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 lea.es some doubt whether
this function is not committed solely
to the executive council, but in prac.
tice the Legislative Assembly has ap-
propriated for all the expenses other
than for salaries fixed by Congress
and the President adds 'it is too late
to reverse 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
means Of compelling the concurrence
of the executive council in legislation
which the House desired. In the last
regular Legislative Assembly the atti-
tude of the executive council in refus.
ing to pass bills led the house Of dele
gates to refuse to pass the necessary
appropriation bills.
This growing spirit shows that too
great power has been vested in the
delegates. The message presents an
exhaustive economic review of condi-
tions on the island, its trade and it's
wealth, its improved educational facil-
tiles.