Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1917-01-26

If a man should say that he were a
citizen of Porto Rico he would be sim
ply acknowledging that he was neither
fish. flesh nor fowl as citizen. OF
course under the United States rule
the Porto Ricans have had something
to say about their home government
but they had no such rights as citizens
of the United States enjoy. and their
status, while it involved obedience
to the laws of the United States. car
ried only a subordinate right to make
the laws under which the island was
governed.
Porto Rico was not conquered by the
United States in one sense, although it
was occupied during our war with
Spain when such Spanish soldiers as
were there were defeated In battles
that were nothing more than skir-
mishes. The Porto Ricans themselves
met the soldiers of Gen. Nelson A.
Miles with outstretched hands and
with hearts full of hospitality. Nearly
all of them were glad to get away from
the control of Spain.
Congress has been told from time
to time that the islanders expected to
be given certain rights as new men,
bers of the great republican family
which they had been denied in the
past. They are allowed today to elect
their own island house of representa-
tives, but its will is entirely subject
to that of the American appointed gov
ernOr and his executive council. An
other Edward Everett Hale might write
another "Man Without a Country
with Porto Rican as its hero.
Some Want Independence.
Through the years that have passed
when it became apparent to the Porto
RicanS that in the matter of bestow-
ing American citizenship upon them
congress intended to act very slowly, if
at all, many of the people have be-
come Indifferent to the American tie
and actually have demanded complete
independence. There is in the island
today considerable party which
hopes that the political bonds which
tie the country to the United States
today may sometime be severed. The
unionist party, however, contains a
majority of the people and these de-
sire to continue the union with the
United States, but on the basis of
American Citizenship. Apparently it
is the belief of the American con-
gress that all the Porto Ricans event
ually will become satisfied provided
citizenship be given to them.
To Aid Vocational Training.
On the point OF passage, and soon
unquestionably to receive the presi-
dents approval, is the bill which will
give federal aid TO the various states
for the promotion of vocational educa-
ton in agriculture and the trades and
industries. Irrespective of party, most
of the members of congress seem to
think this measure is be one of the
most salutary educational works ever
entered upon by the government.
In brief, this vocational educational
measure provides for financial assis-
lance from the government, to be in
creased in amount from year to year,
for any state which in its own behalf
chooses to allot a certain amount OF
money from its treasury for the pur-
pose of carrying forward the educa-
tional endeavOr. The sums which are
to be allotted by the government to
the different states for the teaching of
agricultural subjects are to be in the
proportion which the rural population
OF these states bears to the total rural
population of the United States.
The sums which are to be appor-
toned in the states for instruction in
trade and industrial subjects are to be
allotted in the proportion which the
states urban population bears to the
total urban population Of the United
States.