Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-08
IS URGED BY GOV. COTTON
Holds Question of Paramount Pc.
litical Consideration"
TELLS OF BOSTON'S WANTS
Mayor Fitzgerald Calls at White
House With List Of Requests.
Maine Report Submitted.

President Taft today talked with Sam
tiago Iglesias, who is president of the
Free Federation Of Workingmen Of Porto
Rico, and who has for years striven to
have Porto Rican citizens given the same
rights of citizenship as citizens of this
country.
MIR. 1glesias today laid before President
Taft resolutions adopted by the Ameri-
can Federation Of Labor at its last ses-
sion at Atlanta, together with letter
from Samuel Gompers, calling attention
to the earnest desire of the federation
that citizenship be granted. Mr.. Iglesias
himself was exceedingly earnest in try
Ing to bring about relief for his fellow
workingmen and the people generally on
the island. He presented, among other
things, letter from Gov. Cotton of
Porto Rico strongly urging citizenship.
Worthy of Citizenship.
Samuel Gompers tells the President that
peated promises to give them full citizen
ship. ARE practically without a country
they may call their own He says that
both the republican and democratic par
ties. in their national conventions in 1908,
President Roosevelt sent to Congress sew
eral messages urging the passage Of a
law that would give the people Of the
island a closer relation to this country.
Gov. Cotton, in his letter. states that he
believes the granting of full citizenship
SIS the paramount political consideration
now pending in their behalf: that 1t would
have far-reaching, beneficial effect upon
their lives and activities; contribute more
~ hVr,er r,Io ftnfv
contentment and thus promote the prog
ress and prosperity Of their native land,
which has become, through the interests
OF all affected. an inSeparable part of the
United States. The people who await
this act are sympathetic, lovable and
loyal and there is nothing in their charac-
ter incompatible with our national life"
Boston's Mayor Sees President.
Mayor Fitzgerald of Boston called upon
President Taft today to request him to
take steps to prevent the proposed con-
solidation of the Eastern Steamship Com
pany, the Maine Steamship Company and
the Metropolitan Steamship Company,
into single corporation. Mr.. Fitzgerald
submitted to the President letter in
which he points out the disadvantage to
the public IL the proposed merger Is car
ried out. The, President promised to lay
the matter before Attorney General Wick
ersham for investigation The proposed
consolidation. Mr.. F1tzgerald's letter
says, will probably result in an increase
of PASSENGER and freight rates
Mr.. Fitzgerald also had a conference
with Secretary of the Navy Meyer, in
which he suggested that the annual army
and navy game now held in Philadelphia
take place at the Harvard stadium in
accommodated. Mr.. Meyer advised him
that this scheme was impracticable as
the West Point athletic authorities would
not agree to the plan. Mr.. Fitzgerald
asked Mr.. Meyer~to hold naval mObii-
Zation mex fall in Massachusetts or Cape
Cod bay similar to that held recently i'll
New York. Mr. Meyer promised to con-
slider the plan.
Il am certain said Mayor Fitzgerald,
'thst the people of Boston will vigorously
oppose Secretary Meyers plan for the sale
of the navy yards Mt Portsmouth, Boston
and New York. The plant at the Boston
yard employs a large number Of persons,
and the business interests of the city of
Boston will undoubtedly oppose the sale
or abolition OF the yard.
Report on the Maine.
Secretary Meyer accompanied by Rear
Admiral Charles E. Vreeland. L. S. N,
president of the board, which recently
went to Havana to investigate the causes
called at the White House today to pre-
sent the report of the board to President
Taft. The members Of the board returned
to Washington early this morning. and
Admiral Vreeland Immediately submitted
the report to Secretary Meyer, who in
turn took it to the White House.
While the members of the board decline
to discuss their finding, it is understood
that the Vreeland board supports the
contention of the Sampson board of 1888,
side explosion under the hull of the bat
Heship. 1t is probable that the report
will be sent to Congress shortly.
Will Be Dinner Guest.
President Taft has promised to attend
for a short time the dinner of the Amer
ican Civic Association, at $50 O'Clock
Wednesday night, in this city.
The meeting of the Lincoln commission.
to have been held at the White House
this afternoon at 8 o'clock. has been post
poned until tomorrow afternoon.
The Riverside Republican Club Of New
York has sent to the President resolu-
tions adopted by that organization de-
claring that President Taft should be
renominated and that no other man can
lead me party TO the success that is pre-
dicted.
president Taft today received a large
number Of the members of the Ohio Val
lev Improvement Association, attending
the Rivers and Harbors Congress. He also
shook hands with the members of the
board of managers of the National Sol
diers' Home.