 In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson, a fellow Democrat who had been a classmate of Yager's when both attended Johns Hopkins University, appointed Yager to the governorship of Puerto Rico.During Yager's administration, and with his support, the United States Congress adopted the Jones-Shafroth Act (also called Jones Act) of 1917, which conferred United States citizenship on Puerto Ricans.Yager served as governor until Wilson's presidency expired.