5-
J
Conservative *
Nethersole seems determined to favor
the uiihnppy dwellers in New York. If
wo were reduced to one circus and two
Uncle Tom's Cabins a year , we should
still take them thankfully in preference
to that. It is very unpleasant reading
that comes to us about this play
"Sapho. " It is hard to see what excuse
there can be for its presentation on the
American stage , and one is moved to
hope , whether American decency or
Israelitish trade-rivalry bo at bottom of
the uprising against it , that at all events
American decency may prevail , and this
play and all like it be forever barred.
The book itself from which the play is
named is a good book. The late Alphonse
Daudet was an uncommonly human
Frenchman , and he wrote this bookwith
a good purpose , as is shown by his
dedicating it to his own sous , and with
a definite purpose , as is shown by the
time of life at which he would have
them read it. He wished to warn them ,
and all other young Frenchmen , no
doubt , that a particular custom which
obtains among young Frenchmen in the
city of Paris , of living for a few years
with a young woman with whom their
mothers would not associate , is pretty
sure to be bad for them in the end. In
the book it does turn out very badly
indeed , so that the moral is excellent ,
and must be supposed to have produced
a powerful effect upon the morals of the
present generation of young Frenchmen.
But , granting that this moral lesson
was intensified and driven irrecover
ably home to the mind of the spectator
by the exhibition which Miss Nethersole
is said to make , in the play , of her
valuable person , we would still submit
that the place for her to practice her
high and holy mission is Paris , not
America. Young men in America do
not keep mistresses. A student or
young professional man in Paris , we are
given to understand , has no female
society open to him save that of the
misbehaving ; but it is not so in this
country. A young man in any Ameri
can town , if he have no sisters of his
own , can borrow his friends' sisters and
take them buggy-riding or to the band-
concert every evening in the week. So
Miss Nethersole's moral does not apply
at all , and our eastern friends are un
doubtedly right in thinking that the
vehicle would be more obnoxious than
the medicine helpful.
The senate bill ,
THEPOBTO
BiCANiiiLr . regulating com
merce with Porto
Rico and establishing a civil government
for the island , was concurred in by the
house and signed by the president. It
applies to the group of islands known as
Porto Rico. Foreign goods upon enter
ing Porto Rico are liable to the same
duties levied upon such articles entering
the United States , with the exception
that coffeewhich is admitted free to this
country , is subject to a duty of five
cents per pound.
The following is the schedule of tariff
duties between Porto Rico and the
, . . , , , UnitedStates :
Turin Schedule. , , ml . , , .
"
"That on and after
the passage of this act all merchandise
coming into the United States from
Porto Rico and coming into Porto Rico
from the United States shall be entered
at the several ports of entry upon pay
ment of 16 per cent of the duties which
are required to be levied , collected , and
paid upon like articles of merchandise
imported from foreign countries ; and in
addition thereto upon articles of mer
chandise of Porto Rican manufacture
coming into the United States and with
drawn for consumption or sale upon
payment of a tax equal to the internal-
revenue tax imposed in the United
States upon the like articles of merchan
dise of domestic manufacture ; such tax
to be paid by internal-revenue stamp or
stamps to be purchased and provided by
the commissioner of internal revenue ,
and to be procured from the collector of
internal revenue at or most convenient
to the port of entry of said merchandise
in the United States , and to be affixed
under such regulations as the commis
sioner of internal revenue , with the
approval of the secretary of the treasury
shall prescribe ; and on all articles of
merchandise of United States manu
facture coming into Porto Rico in addi
tion to the duty above provided upon
payment of tax equal in rate and amount
to the internal-revenue tax imposed in
Porto Rico upon the like articles of Porto
Rican manufacture.
"Provided , That on and after the date
when this act shall take effect , all mer
chandise and articles except coffee , not
dutiable under the tariff laws of the
United States and all merchandise and
articles entered in Porto Rico free of
duty under orders heretofore made by
the sepretary of war , shall be admitted
into the several ports thereof , when im
ported from the United States , free of
duty , all laws or parts of laws to the
contrary notwithstanding ; and when
ever the legislative assembly of Porto
Rico shall have enacted and put into
operation a system of local taxation to
meet the necessities of the government
of Porto Rico , by this act established ,
and shall by resolution duly passed so
notify the president , he shall make
proclamation thereof , and thereupon all
tariff duties on merchandise and articles
going into Porto Rico from the United
States or coming into the United States
from Porto Rico , and from and after
such date all such merchandise and
articles shall be entered at the several
ports of entry free of duty , and in no
event shall any duties be collected after
the 1st day of March , 190,8 , on merchan
dise and articles going into Porto Rico
from the United States or coming into
the United States from Porto Rico.
"The duties collected under the above
section shall be placed at the disposal of
the president to bo used for the govern
ment and benefit of Porto Rico until the
government of Porto Rico shall have
been organized , when the moneys col
lected shall be turned into the local
treasury of Porto Rico. Goods imported
from Porto Rico and iiuder bond shall
pay only the duty imposed by this act. "
Relative to the civil government the
bill provides that : "The capital shall
_ , _ . be at San Juan.
Civil Government. _
Persons who were
Spanish subjects April 11 , 1891) ) , and who
have not elected to preserve their alle
giance to Spain , are held to be citizens
of Porto Rico and entitled to the pro
tection of the United States. The
designation of the body politic is under
the name : The People of Porto Rico.
"The laws and ordinances of Porto
Rico now in force shall continue in full
force and effect , except as altered by this
act , or by military orders , and which
are not inconsistent with the laws of the
UnitedStates. "
Porto Rican vessels will enjoy the
privileges of the coasting laws of the
United States. Property usually under
the control of the government of the
United States will so. remain , while
property acquired by treaty from Spain
will be under the control of the Porto
Rican government. Porto Ricau coins
will be retired and will not be a legal
tender after three months. The peso
will be valued at thirty cents in exchange.
The executive will be a governor ap
pointed by the president for a term of
four years , with powers similar to those
of the governors of territories of the
United States. He will report to the
president through the secretary of state.
The executive council will be the
upper branch of the legislature. It will
, . , consist of a secre-
The LeglHluturo. , , ,
tary , attorney
general , treasurer , auditor , commission
ers of interior and education , and five
other persons. They will be appointed
by the president , subject to confirmation
by the senate , for a term of four years.
Five must be native Porto Ricans.
The other branch of the legislature
will be the house of delegates , consist
ing of thirty-fivo delegates , elected
every two years by the qualified voters
of the island , which is divided into seven
districts , each district electing five
delegates. Legislation will be enacted
after the methods in vogue in other
territories.
The franchise is thus prescribed : "At
such elections all citizens of Porto Rico
shall be allowed to
The Franchise. . .
vote who have
been bona-fide residents for one year ,
and who possess the other qualifications
of voters under the laws and military
orders in force on March 1 , 1900 , sub
ject to such modifications and additional
qualifications and such regulations and
