José Tous Soto (October 2, 1874 – March 22, 1933) was a Puerto Rican

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking ...

and former Senator and Representative.

Early years and education

José Tous Soto was born in San Lorenzo on October 2, 1874. He graduated with a law degree from the

University of Oviedo The University of Oviedo ( es, Universidad de Oviedo, Asturian: ''Universidá d'Uviéu'') is a public university in Asturias (Spain). It is the only university in the region. It has three campus and research centres, located in Oviedo, Gijón ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Political career

Party alliance

Tous began his political career with the Liberal Fusionist Party, led by

Luis Muñoz Rivera Luis Muñoz Rivera (July 17, 1859 – November 15, 1916) was a Puerto Rican poet, journalist and politician. He was a major figure in the struggle for political autonomy of Puerto Rico in union with Spain. In 1887, Muñoz Rivera became part ...

. He then joined the Republican Party.

Legislator

In 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 The House of Representatives of Puerto Rico ( es, Cámara de Representantes de Puerto Rico) is the lower house of the Legislative Assembly of Puerto Rico, the bicameral territorial legislature of Puerto Rico. The House, together with the Sen ...

from 1925 to 1930. When the Campbell Project was presented in 1922, Tous opposed to it. The project offered Puerto Rico the possible development of an autonomous state.

Leadership in the Alianza

He continued serving at the Senate, until 1924. That year, Tous and

Antonio Barceló Antonio Barceló y Pont de la Terra (1 January 1717, in Palma, Majorca – 30 January 1797, in ''idem'') (in Catalan Antoni Barceló i Pont de la Terra) was a Spanish mariner, lieutenant general (equivalent to Admiral) of the Spanish Royal Arma ...

, then Senate president, led a merging of the Republican Party with the opposing Union of Puerto Rico, forming

Alianza Puertorriqueña Alianza Puertorriqueña was a major political party in Puerto Rico. The party was founded in 1924 by the union of the liberal wing of the Republican Party and the Union of Puerto Rico advocating for more unity amongst people from different ideo ...

. 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 House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

while Barceló continued in the Senate.Historia del Poder Legislativo
on SalonHogar

Death

Tous Soto died on March 22, 1933.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tous, Jose 1874 births 1933 deaths People from San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico Members of the Senate of Puerto Rico Speakers of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico Republican Party (Puerto Rico) politicians University of Oviedo alumni