Evening star., 1923-09-09
NEXT CONGRESS TO DECIDE
ON FUTURE OF PORTO RICO!
Commission Coming to Washington to
Demand Statement of Policy and
Request New Privileges.

ing Porto Rico an incorporated ter
ritory until she may be made state.
Ihes unionist party does not want to
oass through the stage of being an
incorporated territory, but wants full
statehood Immediately. The union
| lists cite precedent for her demand
IN the case of Texas, which was ad-
| mitted as state to the Union with
out first becoming territory. The
unlonlStS argue that under the pres
ent arrangement Porto Rico surren-
uers none of her revenue derived from
| customs duties and taxes to the fed
eral government. but that If she We're
| made territory she would give part
| of this revenue to the federal govern
! ment and gain nothing new in re-
| turn. Both parties are agreed that
Porto Rico would be willing to pay
! her share Of the federal governments
| upkeep If allowed the privileges of a
state.
Want 10 he a Part Of L. =.
Part of Porto Rico's desire to be-
come a state of the Union is born OF
| a pride which feels hurt in not be-
| ing considered ready for statehood
by this government. Part of this de-
| sire comes from natural aversion
| to being dependent upon Congress
! for her Legislation, when she con-
| siders herself we'll able to legislate
! Independently. She has outgrown
! her old desire for complete independ-
| ence. but she has developed to the
| point OF wishing to be completely
| identified with the United States and
| to enjoy its institutions to the full
| est extent. The term. IAN insular
I possession" has grown offensive TO
| many Porto Ricans. They believe the
| time has passed when they should be
! clasSed possession: they want
/ to be considered part.
! Th, interesting task facing Con-
! gr-ss. therefore, il 10 decide the fu-
i turc of the island before granting
/ full statehood. The majority party
/ OF the island wants statehood inn
/ mediately. and statehood immedi-
ately will not be forthcoming. ac-
! coIding to those familiar with this
! governments policy. There is little
| doubt of Porto Rico's eventual ad-
mittance to the Union as state. bur
| the time is not considered ripe. II
Congress will take step in the
, right direction by granting Porto
! Rico more freedom in Selt-govern-
I mcnt. with perhaps some federal aid
in worthy causes.
. Meantime government officials in
! Washington under whose supervision
! Porto Rico comes are preparing
! themselves. Secretary of War Weeks
! has been in consultation with Maj.
: Gen. Frank Mcintyre. chief of the
bureau OF insular affairs. and with
, Felix Cordova Davila. Porto Rican
resident commissioner in Congress.
who recently returned to Washing
! ton. The Porto Rican commission
F.. plans to reach the Capital in time To
see President Coolidge in the hope of
having him incorporate Il recon-
; mendaticn regarding congressional
action toward the island in his mes
sage. and the President will he ad-
vised fully on all phases of the mat
; ter before the commission arrives.
Question n Delicate One.
! Officials here regard the Porto Rican
! question one of great Importance.
which they desire to see settled in
such manner as to meet the ap-
proval not only of the people of the
United States and in Porto Rico, but
throughout all Latin America. The
Porto Rican question has long been
difficult one. presenting the deli
cate problem of giving Porto Rico
government which is best suited to
her people economically well as
politically. 1t will require careful
handling to adjust the balance salts
factorily for Porto Rico and for Porto
RicanS.
Porto Rico can rightly claim at
tention to her plea for a more liberal
recognition by citing her economic
progress. No part of the world has
advanced SO rapidly in the past
twenty years in health, road building.
foreign trade and general conditions
as Porto Rico. Her annual income
now exceeds s10.O0O000 virtuaIl.- all
Of which is available for expenditure
in Porto Rico. II must be remem-
bcred. however. that her progress has
been made under the tuition and the
guiding hand of a generous govern
ment which has given but demanded
nothing in return. 1t is question
whether this supervision could be
withdrawn Immediately in the best
interest of Porto Rico.