Bisbee daily review., 1916-01-04
ISLANDERS WANT CITIZENSHIP
 THIS YEAR
People of Porto Rico Hoping Congress will Grant Them Greater Measure of Self Government.

] w WHttHtI fOIlO INlCduS dIe lO De sue cessful this year in getting the United States Congress to admit them to Am erican citizenship is the question up- permost in the minds of most Porto ] Ricans at present. Although citizen ship has been promised since the days of the Spanish-American war and Am erican occupation, seventeen years ago each Congress since that time has fail ed to pass the necessary laws. The islanders are now hopeful that the first Democratic administration since 1898 will act favorably and give them def mite status. At present Porto Ricans are merely "citizens of Porto Rico" ! In the hope that favorable legisla- tion may be obtained, Governor Ar thur Wager will spend the month of January in Washington urging Con gress to act. Bills providing a new Organic Act to take place of the tenn porary Foraker Act, which went into force in 1901, establishing civil govern ment and which has been in force ever since, have already been introduced | in Congress by Chairman Jones of the House Committee on Insular Affairs, and by Senator Willard Salisbury, of Deleware.
 'The new Organic Act should grant to the people of Porto Rico collective citizenship in the United States" said Governor Wager before sailing. T know of no simple gift that would go |, so far toward removing dissatisfaction and difficulty in Porto Rico as this simple grant of citizenship. and none | that would be attended with so little cost and risk
 People speak of citizenship as a privilege To my mind it is not privilege at all, but right It is the | necessary complement of sovereignty and should go with the flag. The peo- pie of Porto Rico must obey all the i laws of the United States, pay taxes, i are liable to military services, and i yetNthey are not citizens.
 "Citizenship does not at all imply i suffrage or the power to vote for any officer of the government or anything !. else. In the United States there are now many more citizens who have not ! the privilege of the suffrage than those who have. The people of the District of Columbia never have had the privi- i lege to vote for anlbody or anything and yet they are citizens. Most of the negroes of the South, the minors of both sexes. and as yet an immense majority of the women of the country are not permitted to vote and yet no one would think of excluding these classes from the rights of citizenship"
 The chief features of the bills to be considered by Congress, it is expected here, will provide both for blanket cit izenship and greater degree of home rule. The most important home rule feature is the provision for an elective senate of nineteen members. The pres already elected. while the present up- per house of the senate is composed ited States, and six of whom are he"
 of eleven members, all of whom arc appointed by the President of the Un of executive departments of the Insu- lar Government.
 Those most interested in the pass age of a new Organic Act for Porto Rico have been much encouraged by the Presidents recent message to Con gress in which he recommended new Legislation for both Porto Rico and the Philippines.
 At the same time Porto Ricans point out that reference to legislation for them is so closely associated with that urged for the Philippines that they fear the two may become confused and that in the fight which, they expect will develop over defining policy for Philippines independence Porto Rico may again be disappointed.
 Here in the island it is said that all difficulties which heretofore have de- veloped over legislation by Congress in behalf of Porto Rico have been cleared away. The most important single step which has been taken re gently was the adoption of a new plat form by the Unionist party. the major ity party in the island. renouneing it's independence platform and confining itself to policy of home rule. Almost invariably in the past when legislation for the island has been under consider ation at Washington and Congress seemed about ready to grant American citizenship to the people of the island long protests were forwarded to Wash ington setting forth objections to any legislation that did not provide for the ultimate independence of the island It is admitted here that these protestf have to d very large measure caused Congress to delay any definite action.
 FOR HIGH TREASON.
 ROTTERDAM, Jan. 3.-The Berlin Vorwaters announces the arrest for high treason of ten German socialists.