PORTO RICO. 



PORTUGAL. 



joyed even under Spanish administration. Gov.- 

 Gen. Davis on Aug. 15 explained in a proclama- 

 tion that, while an arbitrary government over 

 any territory included within the United States 

 is not contemplated by the American Constitu- 

 tion and laws, under those laws it is impossible 

 to supply any other form of governmental control 

 than the military over territory conquered by 

 the armies of the Union until Congress shall by 

 suitable enactment determine and fix a form of 

 civil government. Two boards, composed of lead- 

 ing Porto llican citizens, were called into con- 

 sultation by the Governor General in regard to 

 governmental reforms, and both boards were of 

 the unanimous opinion that, as regarded the or- 

 ganization of the civil branch of the military 

 government, the system then in force needed to 

 be radically changed in some respects. Changes 

 had already been effected and others were in 

 preparation which would supply for the island 

 a form of government, as respects its superior 

 branches, tending ultimately to merge into the 

 Territorial form, as applied in the United States 

 to the portions of the national domain that are 

 in the transition stage preparatory to full state- 

 hood. The Territorial government was expected 

 to consist of governor, legislature, judiciary, secre- 

 tary, attorney-general, treasurer, auditor, and 

 bureaus or boards of public works, agriculture, 

 prisons, health, charities, etc. Gen. Davis was 

 instructed to direct his policy to the primary 

 purpose of adapting the laws and administration 

 to suit the transition, when ordered by Congress, 

 into full Territorial autonomy. Complete au- 

 tonomy for municipalities w r as first desired, and 

 was to be instituted as rapidly as possible, the 

 government of the towns to be as independent 

 as it is in the United States; but a bad economic 

 state existed in many municipalities, and all the 

 towns needed assistance to extricate them from 

 their difficulties. It was intended to furnish an 

 opportunity, through carefully and honestly regu- 

 lated elections, for the municipalities to govern 

 themselves, and the Governor General promised 

 to all towns absolute freedom from superior re- 

 straint as soon as they were able to govern them- 

 selves in accordance with the principles of law 

 and justice. Complaints of dishonest, corrupt, 

 and unlawful municipal administration were 

 found on investigation to be justified. A plan 

 for municipal elections was adopted by means 

 of which educated men and business interests 

 could have expression. The plan was explained 

 to the accredited leaders of the Liberal and Rad- 

 ical parties, and both gave it their approval. 



The insular commission appointed to study the 

 conditions of Porto Rico, consisting of Gen. Ken- 

 nedy, Judge Curtis, and Major Watkins, reported 

 to Secretary Root on Aug. 30, after six months 

 of investigation. It recommended a form of civil 

 government to take the place of the military 

 regime, and submitted for adoption a code of 

 laws to be put in operation by Executive decree, 

 as the enactment of general laws for the island 

 by Congress would alter its status, making it a 

 part of the constitutional territory of the United 

 States. The system of civil government does not 

 give to the Porto Ricans the elective franchise 

 for any offices, nor does the code grant the right 

 of trial by jury except in cases of felony, when 

 they have the privilege of a trial in United States 

 courts. There would be 5 supreme judges (3 

 Americans and 2 natives), 2 Federal judges, 3 dis- 

 trict judges, and 11 probate judges; an "attorney- 

 general and 1 deputy; 1 district attorney and 2 

 deputies; 1 United States marshal and 2 depu- 

 ties; a prosecuting attorney in each of the 7 judi- 



cial districts; and an interpreter for each court. 

 The commission recommended that the military 

 force remain on the island, but be kept in the 

 background. The scheme provides for a public- 

 school system under a superintendent and board 

 of education, comprising schools in all districts 

 conducted in English by American teachers, with 

 night schools for illiterate adults. All taxes that 

 bear heavily on the poor should be repealed; also 

 double taxation of nonresidents. A marriage law 

 like those in the United States was recommended. 

 The commissioners made no provision for elec- 

 tions because they were satisfied that the people 

 of Porto Rico were not ready to exen-i-e tin- 

 elective franchise, but after the new laws have 

 been in force for a few years and the schools have 

 afforded opportunities for the people to learn they 

 would become better fitted to enter upon the iron 

 of Territorial or State government. There was 

 found to be great need of currency reform. 



Gen. Davis reported in favor of the establish- 

 ment as soon as practicable of a Territorial gov- 

 ernment, but one in which the United StatM 

 should retain for some time the executive and 

 the higher judiciary, and one with restricted suf- 

 frage. He found that the first year of American 

 rule had disappointed a majority of the P<n< 

 Ricans, chiefly on account of commercial inactiv- 

 ity. Having deprived them of their former mar- 

 ket, the United States should see that they find 

 another. No sentiment in favor of independeme 

 was observable. Regulations were adopted for 

 the holding of municipal elections in .January, 

 1900, under a restricted franchise, giving the i -iglit. 

 of suffrage to about 3.000 persons in all the towns. 



PORTUGAL, a kingdom in southwest -rn Ku- 

 rope. The throne is hereditary in the family of 

 Saxe-Coburg-Braganza. The legislative power is 

 vested in the Cortes, consisting of a Chamber 

 of Peers, containing 52 hereditary, 13 spiritual, 

 and 90 life peers, and a Chamber of Deputies, con- 

 taining 120 niciiilx T-. who are elected for three 

 years by the direct vote of all citizens possess- 

 ing an elementary education or an income of 

 500 milreis. Tin- ratanilMg King is Carlos I, born 

 Sept. 28, 1863. The Cabinet of Ministers, con-ii- 

 nit.-d on Aug. 18, 1898, at the beginning of 1899 

 was composed as follows: President of the Coun- 

 cil and Minister of the Interior, Jose" Luciano de 

 Castro; Minister of Foreign Affairs, F. A. da 

 Veiga Beirao; Minister of Finance. M. A. K-piv- 

 gueira; Minister of Justice and Worship, .1. M. 

 d'Alpoim; Minister of War. (Jen. Sebastian Cus- 

 todio de Sousa Telles; Minister of Marine and 

 the Colonies, A. E. Villaqa; Minister of Public 

 Works, Industry, and Commerce, E. J. de SHI -a 

 Brito. 



Area and Population. The area of Portugal 

 is 36,038 square miles, including the Azores and 

 Madeira, which have an area of 1.510 square 

 miles. The population of continental Por1ir_ r :il 

 in 1890 was 4,660.095, and of the islands 38! > 

 total. 5.049,729. The number of marriages in 1 vni 

 was 30,580; of births. 143,908; of deaths. 110.3:{-_': 

 excess of births, 33,576; emigration, 27,980. 



Finances. The estimates for 1900 make the 

 ordinary revenue 50,773.581 milreis, and extra- 

 ordinary 1.600,000 milreis. The ordinary expen- 

 diture is estimated at 51.607,057 milni-. and 

 extraordinary at 2.312.239 milreis; total expendi- 

 ture, 53,919,296 milreis, showing a deficit of l..">4.~>.- 

 715 milreis. Of the ordinary revenue ll.8JH.60l 

 milreis come from direct taxe-. .V.277. "><><> milreis 

 from registration and stamps, 24,301,830 milreis 

 from indirect taxes. 1,122.200 milreis from addi- 

 tional taxes, 4,674,540 milreis from national prop- 

 erty and other sources, and 3,505,910 milreis are 



