Excerpts of the President's News Conference
03/10/1927
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...
There is no disposition in America, and certainly not on my part, to discourage any reasonable aspiration of the people of Porto Rico
The people of Porto Rico are citizens of the United States, with all the rights and privileges of other citizens of the United States
The request is made that Porto Rico be constituted as a 'free State' and not 'a mere subjected colony.'
It is hereby ordered, under authority contained in Section 5 of the Act of February 8, 1887 (24 Stat. 388), that the trust period on the fol...