Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 February 1901 — NEWS FROM OUR COLONIES. [ARTICLE]

NEWS FROM OUR COLONIES.

Gen. Lee, while in Little Rock, Ark., accepted the invitation of the Arkansas Legislature and addressed the House and Senate in joint session. In reference td Cuba's future he said: “The geographical position of-that beautiful islnnd is such that the United States must always keep some sort of supervision over it. Any hostile power holdiug Cuba could shut up the Gulf of Mexico. If the t’uited States withdraws its troops and complaint should go to England that English interests on the island were not protected, in leas than six or seven years we would see an English fleet sailing into Havana harbor, and if it got there it is doubtful if any other power could get possession of the island.” Gov. Allen has signed the first bill passed by both houses of the Porto liican Legislature, providing for the establishment of jury trials. A bill appropriating SIO,OOO for a Porto Rican exhibit at the Pan-American exposition to be held at Buffalo has passed both houses. The insular government took over the control of the telegraphic system on Feb. 1, when the signal corps retired. The section of the municipal code relating to the qualifications of electors requires voters to own real estate to the value of 500 pesos or to pay taxes to the amount of 30 pesos or upward and be inal?s of upwards of 23 yeaA of age, who speak, read nnd write English or Spanish. All are required to swear allegiance to the United State*. n. Phelps Whitmarsh, recently appointed governor of the province of BonRtiet, P. 1., reports that several towns In the province hnve held elections and organized local governments. The Philippine commission hns passed acts giving, in dorofeatlc products, the Jolo archipelago free trade with all Philippine ports and providing for the Issuance of lieenaes to masters and mates of seagoing vessels. • The United States cnblcship Burnside has flniehed the work of laying the cable connecting the inland of Negroa with northern Mindanao and Zamboanga. Zamboanga and Jolo will eoon be connected.