José Tous Soto (October 2, 1874 – March 22, 1933) was a Puerto Rican politician and former Senator and Representative.
José Tous Soto | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Puerto Rico Senate from the Ponce district | |
| In office 1917–1924 | |
| 8th Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives | |
| In office 1925–1930 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 2, 1874 San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico |
| Died | March 22, 1933 (aged 58) San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Liberal Party Republican Party Alianza Puertorriqueña |
| Alma mater | University of Oviedo (JD) |
| Profession | Politician, Attorney |
Early years and education
editJosé Tous Soto was born in San Lorenzo[citation needed] on October 2, 1874. He graduated with a law degree from the University of Oviedo in Spain.
Appointed as judge
editHe was appointed Associate Judge of the District Court of Arecibo. In 1903 Soto sits as district judge of the important office of San Juan, then moving to Ponce again, where he served until 1908.
Political career
editParty alliance
editTous began his political career with the Liberal Fusionist Party, led by Luis Muñoz Rivera. He then joined the Republican Party.
Legislator
editIn 1900, he was chosen to occupy a seat in the House of Delegates of Puerto Rico, representing the district of Guayama. In 1914, he was elected for another term, this time representing the district of Ponce.
In 1917, Tous was a member of the first Puerto Rican Senate established by the Jones-Shafroth Act. He represented the District VI (Guayama).
Served as Speaker of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives from 1925 to 1930.
When the Campbell Project was presented in 1922[by whom?], Tous opposed to it.[citation needed] The project offered Puerto Rico the possible development of an autonomous state.
Leadership in the Alianza
editHe continued serving at the Senate, until 1924. That year, Tous and Antonio Barceló, then Senate president, led a merging of the Republican Party with the opposing Union of Puerto Rico, forming Alianza Puertorriqueña. The merging came as a means to unify the efforts of the politicians legislating in favor of better conditions for Puerto Ricans. As a result, Tous became a member of the House of Representatives while Barceló continued in the Senate.[1][2][3][4]
Death
editTous Soto died on March 22, 1933.
References
edit- ^ Cartas de Tous Soto y Barceló Archived 2012-03-27 at the Wayback Machine on Pomarrosas
- ^ Biografías del mes de abril on El Nuevo Día (April 13, 2010)
- ^ New York Times 1933: Jose Tous Soto Dominant Puerto Rican Political Figure Dies in his car
- ^ Historia del Poder Legislativo Archived 2012-02-01 at the Wayback Machine on SalonHogar