The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-01-08
SECESSION" MOVE IS NOT PLANNED
 BY PORTO R|CANS
President of Island Senate Declares There Is No Plotting Against Fed
 eraI Authority
By Associated Press

washington, January T.-Porto Rico Is not planning to ''secede" from the United States and her po- litical leaders are not dictators or plotters seeking to undermine the authority of the federal government, says Antonio R. BarceIo. President of the island Senate, speaking for the Porto Rican commission in Washington, of which he Is a mem- Der. In a public statement here in answer to recent charges by mem- bers of the administration of Gov ernor E. Mont Reilly.
 "One of the reasons advanced by Gcvernor Reilly in justification for his hostility toward the majority power" says the statement, '1s that the very predominance oG that party in the island Is such as to exercise a pernieious inQuence. upon all efforts for good government; and that it's leader, Mir Barcelo has developed into dictator who is using his great power to thwart the beneficial efforts of the governor.
 The members of the commission that has been sent to Washington from Porto Rico to prefer charges looking to the removal of the gov ernor unanimously refute this charge. They claim that the union ist party is primarily a patriotic league. In it's ranks are to be found both conservative and radical ele- iaents who find a common meeting ground in the partys ideal of self government. They claim it will en- able their people to prove their capacity for government and at the same time to assume all the obliga- ttons that go with the exercise of gov erpment
 Support of Majority
 Such a patriotic organization they claim has naturally obtained the support of the great majority of self expecting and patriotic island CTS. This has ben repeatedly shown by their overwhelming victories whenever they have appealed to the verdict of the ballot. The commits sion on the other hanG character ize the membership Of the minor political parties which oppose the unionists as being divided Into two classes: first those who would be content to see Porto Rico play a servile part and secondly, those, who by lowing to a strong power willing to surrender the public con trol of the island If they would be benefited thereby"
 Under the terms of the organic act as presently amended" contin- ues the statement, "it must be ap- parent that if anything approach ing a dictatorship exists on the is- land it arises from the acts of the governor himself and a small cir cle of politicians who have been d. recting his policy. It Is ridiculous for they have exercised no powers other than those granted by the or ganic act and ratified and indorsed by the people who elected them as representatives.
 Efficient and Honest
 "Fortunately. the officials con firned by the Senate under the new organic act have shown eni, ciency, honestly and capacity and the general assembly has accom- plished great and truly construc- tive work in the social and economic reforms they have placed upon the statute books There are rev states in the union that would lay claim to higher standard than that displayed by the island iegis- lature This may be verified by the annual report of the governor wnicn is in turn made part of the annual report of the Secretary of War 10 the President.
 "The powers of the governor as provided under the Foraker act, Tn many respects, have been preserVeo in the act of 1917. The general su- pervison of public affairs Is still vested in him. he has the power to remove appointees and he enjoys an almost absolute veto power over the acts of the legislature. With such power wisely exercised, an able ana diplomatic governor could well leave to the other branches of the govern ment the exercise of powers grant ed them by the organic act, allow inS them the exercise and develop ment of their own initiative ana Emitting himself to preventing any abuse of power. This Is the proper way of assisting the people to pre- nare themselves for seif-govern- ment, otherwise, if the governor ar rogates to himself all powers, he will destroy the confidence or the people to participate In public ar fairs"
 Referring to the fire on the steam shin Tanamo, which brought Gov ernor Reilly and his party to New York on November 21, the statement said that the charge that the blaze was of incendiary origin 'betrays sucH had faith that 1t speaks for It. self"