Porto Rican Politics

Secretary of War Weeks has been much worried by the little island of Porto Rico. In countries like the United States and Great Britain politics is like a great river--occasional floods, but in general a continuous flow. In countries like the Balkans it is a series of cloudbursts. In Porto Rico it is a geyser--spurting periodically. The recent Governor of Porto Rico, E. Mont Reily, left office under criticism, if not because of it. His successor, Horace M. Towner, had hardly come within range of the Porto Rican geyser before he began to be spattered with mud. Politicians in Porto Rico are divided into three parts. Of these, the Unionists are the dominant group. San Juan, the capital on the North coast, is their stronghold, and they favor Porto Rican independence. The next strongest group are the Republicans, who favor union with the United States and have connections with the Republican Party here. Their stronghold is Ponce, on the South coast. The third group are the Socialists.

Island politics are spirited and turbulent. The condition of affairs is well indicated by the fact that in 1909 it was necessary to pass an act whereby the appropriations of any year could be continued in the next if the political situation made it impossible to pass a new appropriation bill.

Governor Reily got into trouble because he chose his Cabinet from Republicans and Socialists, refusing to recognize those who demanded independence. The Unionists objected and delegations flowed into Washington protesting that the dominant party should control the entire Cabinet. When the trouble was at its height, Governor Reily came home on vacation and was injured in an accident. He returned to Porto Rico, but resigned a few months ago because of his health.

Hoping to pacify the island, the President and Secretary of War Weeks chose as Reily's successor Representative. Horace M. Towner of Iowa, Chairman of the House Insular Affairs Committee, who on arriving at his post was greeted with a tremendous ovation, " the greatest celebration that the island had ever witnessed."

The joy did not last long. Governor Towner chose a Cabinet composed principally, if not entirely, of Unionists. At once the Republicans began to storm as the Unionists had stormed previously. When Secretary Weeks went to the island recently he was forced to listen to three hours of wrangling among the local politicians before he could speak. No protesting delegations have yet arrived in Washington, but the Administration anticipates their coming.

Robert H. Todd, Representative of the Porto Rico Republicans on the Republican National Committee, refuses to go near the Governor's palace at San Juan. He offered his resignation, but the Committee cabled asking him to remain in office. Federal Judge Arthur F. Odlin, appointed by President Harding, has . threatened to resign. Reports from Washington indicate that the Administration considers the whole matter a bad business and will place no constraints on Governor Towner. The situation in Porto Rico is expected to add to the interest of President Harding's visit there on his return from Alaska via Panama in August.