To the Senate and House of Representatives:
I beg to transmit herewith a report made to me by the Secretary of War upon the conditions found by him to exist in the island of Porto Rico during a visit made at my request. The people of Porto Rico, if we may judge by the expressions of the political parties in the island, have been anxious to secure amendments to the so-called "Foraker law," and especially a declaration by Congress making those who are now Porto Rican citizens under the Foraker law American citizens.
I commend to Congress the consideration of the report of the Secretary of War and recommend the adoption of his suggestions, which have been embodied in a bill amending the so-called "Foraker Act." This bill is at the disposition of Congress. The Secretary suggests not an act making all Porto Rican citizens American citizens with or without their consent, but an act to provide machinery by which Porto Rican citizens who shall make the proper application for citizenship to a proper court shall become American citizens upon taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. After a certain date the right to vote and to hold office is to be confined to American citizens, and only those American citizens are to enjoy the franchise who can satisfy certain educational or property qualifications. At present there is manhood suffrage in the island, and, as a very large percentage of the voters are unable to read or write, the electorate is not one which should be intrusted with the government. It is much better in the interests of the people of the island that the suffrage should be limited by an educational and property qualification.
I do not comment on the other changes in the laws recommended by the Secretary, because he sufficiently discusses them, and his arguments need no addition from me.
WILLIAM H. TAFT
Note: This Message was accompanied by a letter from the Secretary of War, in which he submitted to the President, as the fruits of his visit to Porto Rico, the following observations and recommendations:
First.--There is a general and almost universal desire and demand of all classes, interests, and political parties for American citizenship for the people of Porto Rico collectively. However, many men, both Americans and natives, of such education, character, and general knowledge of the affairs of the island as to make their judgment valuable, are of the opinion that, owing to the preponderance of illiterate persons and the tendency to boss rule, such a system would be disastrous to the health and economic and political welfare of the island, would jeopardize investments, retard healthy development, would eventuate in the enforced withdrawal by the United States of powers too hastily granted, and would therefore set back the realization of local self-government. For these reasons, the Secretary of War recommended that provision be made for admitting at any time citizens of Porto Rico to citizenship in the United States, upon application to the courts and upon swearing allegiance, with the condition that after a reasonable period no one except a citizen of the United States shall hold an elective or appointive office, and with the further condition that after the next general election no one may vote except those who are citizens of the United States and are able to read and write, or who own, directly or through a firm, taxable property, or can produce to the registration officials tax receipts of any kind not more than six months old.
Second--There is a general and insistent demand for an elective Senate. Owing to the same considerations which figured in the citizenship question--namely, the prevailing illiteracy and the tendency to vote at the behest of bosses and employers--the Secretary recommends only a partial assent to this demand, in the shape of a senate of thirteen members, five to be elective and eight to be appointed by the President of the United States, which would be regarded, he believes, as a step toward a grant of larger political power.
Third.--Owing to lack of discipline among subordinate executives, the Secretary recommends increasing the power of the governor over department heads.
Fourth.--Elections every two years being regarded as unnecessary and expensive, the Secretary recommends changing to an election every four years.
Fifth.--The sanitary conditions being unsatisfactory, the Secretary recommends the appropriation of $200,000 by Congress for the purpose of initiating a campaign against the anaemia among the Porto Ricans caused by the hookworm.
Sixth.--Individual holdings of sugar land being limited to 500 acres and it being impossible profitably to operate the essential expensive machinery to treat the product of so limited a territory, the Secretary recommends that the organic law be changed so as to permit an individual to hold 5,000 acres.
William Howard Taft, Special Message Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/207311