within which to prepare for the organization of the civil government. The governor-elect was the only civil officer as yet chosen to fulfill the many duties prescribed by the organic act. In the absence of experienced persons the problem presented was to find competent civilians to discharge these official duties temporarily, and to devise some legal method of inducting them into office. In its solution, aid was sought from the military commander, and much thought was bestowed on the question in all its bearings. The civil government had to be established, within two or three days, without the aid of the experienced incumbents then holding administrative and civil positions, owing to their inability under the law to continue longer than the 30th of April.

The organic act provided "That the laws and ordinances now in force shall continue in full force and effect, except as altered, amended, or modified hereinafter, or as altered or modified by military orders and decrees in force when this act shall take effect," etc. This proved the key to the whole intricate situation, and by an application of this provision the perplexing problem was solved. Under the act of Congress it was clearly within the authority of the military governor at any time during the month of April so to alter, amend, or modify by military orders the scheme and personnel of the existing government as to make them conform, as far as possible, to the proposed organization of the civil government as contemplated by the organic law. Since Congress had not at this time passed the joint resolution above mentioned, and none but civilians could fill the civil offices, the military governor, upon the recommendation of the civil governor-elect, promulgated and published a military order changing the existing system of government so as to make it conform to the system adopted by Congress. Competent, careful, and discreet persons were selected who expressed themselves as willing to serve as acting officers pending the making of permanent appointments to the several positions, as the law required. Such an order was properly prepared and the necessary acting officers selected. (See General Orders, No. 102, in Appendix, Chapter X).

On the evening of the 30th of April, 1900, no message having been received from Washington signifying the passage of the joint resolution, the military commander, General Davis, issued the order. The gentlemen selected assembled at the executive mansion and took the oaths of office. They were the following: N. B. K. Pettingill, as acting secretary; A. F. Odlin, as acting attorney-general; J. H. Hollander, as acting treasurer; J. R. Garrison, as acting auditor; Cayetano Coll y Toste, as acting commissioner of the interior; Dr. George Groff, as acting commissioner of education.

Thus there was on the night of the 30th of April, 1900, a de facto government of competent persons, in no way disqualified, ready to be

recognized and employed by the civil governor, so soon as he should be inaugurated on the following morning. The want of any pertinent precedent was gravely felt in all these proceedings.

The peculiar situation of the island of Porto Rico, acquired as it had been by a treaty, which left the whole future disposition of the country and its people, with their government, laws, and usages in the hands of the American Congress, to be disposed of as might appear to be right and proper, had no parallel in the previous history of our country known to those intrusted with the organization of this new government. The act of Congress is very brief, and makes no direction of the manner in which the military was to be superseded by the civil government. The natives of the island speaking a foreign language were unaccustomed to self-government and strangers to free nstitutions. Taken altogether, therefore, the governor considers himself fortunate that this way was open to surmount the obstacles and clear the way for the easy transition from military to civil authority. He takes this occasion to acknowledge the valuable assistance rendered him by General Davis, and the cheerful services performed by the gentlemen who accepted the temporary appointments at his hands. His gratitude is tendered them for their timely aid on this occasion.

The transactions of the first year are naturally divided into three periods, which may be called the transition, the formative, and the progressive periods. These will be taken up in their chronological order.

The transition period begins with the close of the military government and the inauguration of the civil government on the 1st of May, 1900, and ends with the formal organization of the executive council on the 28th of June following.

The formative period begins with the organization of the executive council, and continues through their labors, in connection with the governor, passing the election of delegates provided for in the organic act, which occurred on the 6th day of November, 1900, down to the organization of the legislative assembly on the 3d of December.

The progressive period begins with the organization of the assembly and continues through the session and from the adjournment of the legislative assembly, along the subsequent events, down to the present date.

TRANSITION PERIOD.

At 9 o'clock on the morning of the 1st of May, 1900, after reviewing an impressive military and naval parade, in company with the commanding general, from the balcony of the city hall, on the principal plaza of the capital, the governor returned to the executive mansion, escorted by the municipal council of San Juan, when the inaugural ceremonies immediately took place. (See programme in Appendix,