El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-01-20

I Haiti, calling at the same port. The
Hamburg American line has boats TO
Porto Rico. and there are Italian and
Cuban boats as well. One can 90 to
Porto Rico from the United States two
OF three times every week
Posts and Telesraphs.
The telegraphfc and postal service Of
the island, which was very poor 10
years ago. is now as good as that OF
any part Of our country. The United
States government manages the postOf-
flee, and the telegraph system is under
the government OF Porto Rico, being di-
-rected by its department Of the interior
There are 81 telegraph stations. cover
ing all the larger places, and. these are
connected by telephones with all the
smaller towns Messag es are sent BY
telegraph and transmitted from the
stations by telephone. The telephones
are owned by private parties. The ISL
and mas also good cable service. con-
meeting IL with all parts OF the world
and has wireless telegraph stations
maintained by the United States navy
IT has also street railways run By cleo
tricity, and san Juan and other towns
are lighted by the power project Of the
Generic dam.
Porto Rico Pays It's Own Bills.
When British colony pays its own
bills 1t is considered a success. That Is
what Porto Rico does now. The total
-DoA u AAAH government and All the
penses OF the island come out OF the
Porto Rtcan treasury which Is filled
oy Porto Rican taxes The United
states has no expense whatsoever. ex-
cept the keeping Of regiment OF
troops, consisting altogether of 500 or
500, the privates Of whom are Porto
hicans- The officers only are Ameri-
cans.
Ine governing is done by the natives
~ IN tlS eAcspIon OF the governor gen
eIal ana a limited number OF officials
appointed py the president There Is
legislature, consisting Of two houses
one or which, known as the executive I
council, IS appointed By the president
d no the other, the house OF delegates Is l
erected by the people. There are N I
50 in the house OF delegates. and tbev
make al the laws for the island Ths j
members are elected every two years /
seen electoral districts Each OF Z
the olstrlcts has five delegates.
both OF the houses are now In ses-
sion, the assembly having conver,e7 ~,
=, ec9ho Monday in January Tt viii sit
~ uaS = Inc executive council remains
IN session throughout the year for II is !
necessary that it confirm the appoint
ia ~ oy the governor IN order
'"sS De valid according to law.
Justice in Porto Rico.
IN the days OF the Spaniards Justice in
Forto BicO was a matter 81 BARGAIN ana
SAFE. me man who had the most mon
~ sot the decision OF the courts in his
-arVI' ana even today the Judges ara
~ - ,oltefed brides I heard Of a case
- d" men woman the other DAY called
! pOh me attorney general and asked
- JUST now much money Ii would
.ahs 70 get her son out OF prison. She
- 80 she had been saving for the past
ears. OF ever since he had COM
. llltle9 manslaughter. and that she
~ NJ she had now enough TO bu5
I'm ouI 1t was hard for the attorney
e-'S, Al 20 make her see that money
quo not compensate for crime.
LOuay the Judicial system Of Porto
$50 Is much like that OF the United
,tdles, but they cannot fine man
. iboIe than SIS or imprison him for more
nan 50 days. Their jurisdiction is linn
.eu 10 violations Of municipal ordi-
,allees and petty crimes. They are much
IKE our police judges. There are also
municipal courts, where suits are tried
"a which the rental does not exceed
,1ouO- The officers OF these are elected
~ popular vote, and each for term Of
our years Above these are the district
'OurJss the prosecuting attorneys OF
which are appointed by the governor,
ma. higher still. the supreme court
composed OF five judges appointed BY