Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1921-07-01

Forto hlco as tropical paradise for the benefit
p, american office seekers the Porto
ica"S would have genuine grievance If the
-''iceS Oh the island were administered for the
Denent OF the government at Washington or 70
~ puherce OF the island were under restrictions
Ia retarded local prosperity then certainly Por.
- hlco would have grievances But, happiIv I'm.
ny sam mas made good record In these respects
At"ue OetWeen Porto Rico and the United states
- DIS Tree as trade between New York and New
Jersey The production and commerce. Of the is
ANU nave increased enormously under the Amer
lean regime ' Nie1
Forto RICO has local income tax dating from
the war period, but the surtaxes are at very low
rates as compared with those Of our national in
come tax. AS regards public finance, the Porto
tlcahs are In an extremely fortunate position The
Rlands outstanding Indebtedness is only ahouf
-$luOoVOOO. All of the revenues raised by Porto
nicah taxation are applied to the islands own pur.
poses and are subject to the disposal OF the epIs-
lature In addition to these local revenues fha
United States government pays back 70 Porto Rice
Tor It's own uses all the collected by our ems
tOmhouse officers at the Islands ports on goods
from foreign countries. The Porto Ricans are not
subject to our national income or other direct
taxes, and therefore are exempt from the burdens
imposed by our immense war debt They are pro-
tected by the army and navy of the United states
but do not pay any part of the cost of maintaining
our defensive establishments
For one thing, almost the entire population must
be rehOused Families are large, and the typical
home is very small and slight structure matched
with palm leaves, primitive and SO lacking in
all that makes for comfort. convenience health
and family dignity that 1t must be condemned and
superseded as matter of public policy. The In
fuence Of excellent schools in the towns is al
ready having a marked effect upon the improve
ment Of home conditions. In San JUAN the capi
tai, the government itself is building large suburb
Of small concrete houses with suitable appoint.
ments, and selling these a longtime plan to
wOrkingmen.
It takes courage to aim high and to work toward
the realization of the largest possibilities Look.
Ing to the future, It Is easier to entertain the mo-
ton Of Independent Porto Rico associated ~.
litically with other Latin American entities s,,r
rounding the Caribbean sea. And this convention
might be fully justified If the alternative meant q
a rough and tactless attempt to Anglo-Saxonize
Porto Rico or to subject Its people to rules, Gus
toms and standards that seem to them both strange
and unpleasant But this Is an age in which ners
s0nal liberty and local dstinctiyeness seem TO he
entirely in keeping with large organizations Of
eminent of commerce, and of culture for purposes
of common welfare.
Porto Rico need not fear that she will be neg
lected Cinderella In the American household Il
is probable that she can play her part In the Garth
bean regions with more influence and success -
she abandons all thought Of q future Substitution
of her local flag for the Stars and strpes por
to Rico viii inevitably be managed by Porto RIcana
for their own welfare. There Is not the slightest
danger Of domination from Washington for tbs
benefit of continental America and TO the harm -
Porto Rico. The training and development Of the
Porto Rican people Is much more important tust
now from the standpoint Of democratic progress
than the achievement of outward forms OF a more
complete home rule. Statehood may be expected
as the ultimate thing
In theory, of course. the Porto RIcanS sboptd
choose their governor. In practice. however
II would probably be best for Porto Rico at leaat
for some time to come, that the governor should
he named by the President OF the United States
countries often victimize them