and I recommend that during the period of our occupation of the island the duties imposed upon the importation into the United States from Cuba of the products of that island be reduced to the same rates which will be imposed upon the goods imported from Jamaica in case the Senate shall ratify the pending reciprocity treaties. . . . PORTO RICO THE MILITARY AND CIVIL GOVERNMENT OF THE ISLAND As Secretary of War, Mr. Root made two extended references to the situation in the island of Porto Rico, and the policy of the Administration as to the government of that island in passing from Spanish to American control. These were in the annual reports for 1899 and 1900. On May 1, 1900, the government of Porto Rico was transferred to the civil authorities constituted under the Act of Congress approved April 12 of that year, in accordance with Mr. Root's recommendations. Thereafter the island is not mentioned in Mr. Root's reports except that in his reports for 1902 and 1903, he dwelt upon the necessity of the construction of defensive works and of the proper fortification of the harbor of San Juan, in company with various other harbors acquired as a result of the Spanish-American War. CONDITIONS IN PORTO RICO Extract from the Report of the Secretary of War for 18991 HE year has been devoted to administering and improving the civil government of the island and instructing the people in the rudiments of self-government, and this has been done at every step in conference with the leading citizens of the island, and upon lines agreed upon between them and the military governor. The work has been retarded by the unfortunate industrial condition of the island, caused by the fact that the people were unable to find remunerative markets for their products. The prevailing distress was heightened by the terrific hurricane which swept over the entire length of the island on August 8, 1899, followed by a deluge of rain and a tidal wave on the south coast. The result of this disaster was the loss of about three thousand lives, the destruction of sugar mills, dwellings, roads, bridges, and growing crops. The principal crop of the island is coffee, and fully two-thirds of the coffee crop of the year was destroyed. Over one hundred 1 Page 17. thousand people were reduced to absolute destitution, without homes or food or means to obtain food, and at the same time the avenues of communication were destroyed, so that many of the destitute were reached with the greatest difficulty. An immediate appeal to the people of the United States through the War Department met with a prompt and vigorous response. Whenever the quantities of food furnished by private charity were insufficient to maintain the regular supply, the deficiency was made up by this Department, at an aggregate cost of $392,342.63, not including cost of transportation. For the distribution of these supplies and the succor of the unfortunate victims of the hurricane, the entire army in Porto Rico became a relief corps, and the work was prosecuted with a zeal, effectiveness, and humane spirit curiously at variance with traditional ideas of the object of a military organization. . . . During the current year 786,290 persons (practically the entire population of the island) have been vaccinated at a cost of three cents and six mills for each person. A general system of education has been established, under a board of education consisting of two Americans and three Porto Ricans; a large number of American teachers have been secured in this country, and nearly every transport that sails from New York is carrying additions to the number. Under the former government the schools afforded opportunity for education of any description for only eight per cent of the children of school age in the island. Only from ten to twelve and a half per cent of the inhabitants of the island can read and write. At the time of American occupation the jails were found crowded with prisoners who had been confined for long periods without trial, and in many cases without being informed of the charges against them. These unfortunates have either been tried or set free. The courts have been to a great extent reorganized, and their proceedings simplified and expedited. The writ of habeas corpus has been introduced. Arrangements have been made for the taking of the census in Porto Rico by the same methods applied to the island of Cuba. At the time of change of sovereignty the island was in a condition of great disorder, and for a considerable period bandits collected in the mountains and committed depredations and maintained themselves by robbing the peaceful inhabitants. These have been dispersed and punished, and order has been thoroughly restored. A number of attempts have been made to secure a general participation by the people in municipal elections and the reform of municipal governments. The results in this respect have not been very satisfactory thus far. Further experiments in the way of municipal elections are now in progress. ORGANIZATION OF THE CIVIL GOVERNMENT Extract from the Report of the Secretary of War for 19001 On May 1, 1900, the government of Porto Rico was transferred to the civil authorities constituted under the act of Congress approved April twelfth of that year. The interval of five months since the date of the last report had been employed by the military authorities of the island in improving the civil administration, accustoming the people of Porto Rico to the exercise of the powers of government, and continuing the work of relief made necessary by the deplorable condition in which the island had been left by the great hurricane of August 8, 1899. The further distribution of commissary supplies brought the total amount distributed from the time of the hurricane 1 Page 37. |