The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-09-01

far beyond the public feeling and have put
the United States in the position of the dog
in the manger; but it is dog that will not
bite, and If Bismarck wants Porto Rico, he
need not be alarmed about the hostility of
Grants administration. nor need he think
it necessary to offer Cuba as consideration
A reasonable sum of money judiciously ex-
pended in the right quarters might be effec-
tive; but Cuba is no temptation to us just at
present. If he were to offer the island, pac
flied and pros l,erous, to the Americans, they
might banker for its wealth indeed,
but with its black population, they
quarters Gen. Grants message of 1869
is quoted as showing him to be an
adherent of the Monroe doctrine, and inca
pable OF consenting to the sale of Porto
Rico TO Germany. "These dependencies"
says Grant, speaking of the Spanish colo
MES in America, "are no longer regarded as
subject to transfer from one European
power to another. When their present re-
lation of colonies ceases, they are to become
independent powers" This is all well
enough, of course. as part of the gener-
alities which Presidents message natu-
rally contains, and which are designed for
home consumption more than effect abroad.
But as a matter of fact, coming from Gen.
Grant, such sentiments mean nothing.
/ MINISTER ON FISH.
Mr.. James A. McMaster, editor of the
Freeman's Journal, has sent a pithy letter
to the New York Herald in answer to some
criticism on some of his recent statements
connected with the Porto Rico affair, from
which the following extracts are given:
NEW YORK FREEMAN's JOURNAL OFFICE
Aug. 20, 1874.
To the Editor OF The Herald:
| One of your excellent Washington cores
pondents yesterday succeeded in catching
Mr.. Fish, the aged gentlemen who is in the
| Oh al v ~ Secondary n 4 State tn him Mr. fish
stated that in his opinion, 'any man was
damned fool, /" and he did not wish to be I'M
| derstood as using these words in aprofane
| sense, "who' would pen. such an article
that in the Freeman's Journal fthis week
| in regard to the intrigue for the transferring
of Porto Rico to the German Empire by the
Serrano usurpation of the government at
Madrid. am willing that the old gentle
man may abound in his own opinion. Nor,
on the other hand, can help it if even his
Son-in-law, Mr.. Sidney Webster, and his
envoy, as American Minister to Berlin, Mr..
Bancroft Davis, join in the general opinion
| of their countrymen that Mr.. Hamilton Fish
may be blessed fool, but is, certainly, a
damned diplomatist. Mr.. Secretary Fish
has denied nothing that I have as
serted. 1 even suggested that Mr.. Ham,
ilton Fish was unconscious that he
was drifting our country into a war
| with the arrogant and top heavy German
Empire, without knowing what he was
doing
But with style, or presidents. or works OF
internal evidence, have nothing to do. /
| hold the transcript of the dispatches on the
evidence on which have received them.
| do not hold them subject TO the call OF Mr..
Hamilton Fish nor Of any one occupying
public place. Had the people of the United
States, as government, had men fitted for
their places, either in the Department of
State at Washington, or at Madrid or at
/ Rarlin II va al NO oft IONS
possible for me to make. The matter
was ''on the cards" a year ago.
L stand defiant IN a community
| that knows me, and declare that the
Overtures of the wretched Spanish Junta at
| Madrid and the response of Admiral Polo
are such as 1 have stated them to be. 1 will
compromise no one by revealing my sources
of information at present. In short time
it may be some months-when King Carlos
| VII. will be in the Escurial, and hold Mad
perhaps, tell who my informants have been.
=
But coming, some months ago, into acct
dental knowledge of the intrigues of the
overgrOwn and insolent German empire for
getting a foothOld through which to expand
its power in this Western hemisphere, my
sentiments, as a democrat of the old school,
and an adherent to its fullest extent of the
'Monroe doctrine" have led me to sound
the alarm, perfectly well authorized. That
have done, and that-to the confusion of
Serrano and OF Bismarck rejoice has so
perfectly succeeded.
JAMES A. McMAsrER.
PORTO RICO.
The New York Evening Post gives the
following sketch of this island, which has
suddenly assumed such importance: The
geographical position of Porto Rico is
greatly enhanced by the natural wealth of
| its soil. Not only is it marvellously pro-
ductive, but its mineral resources are said
to be inestimable. The island has also the
advantage of being well supplied with wood
islands of that archipelago. Many of
them, being destitute of springs, de-
pend almost altogether on the water
collected after the periodical rains,
while they have to resort for wood to dis
tant colonies. An old English author de-
scribed in the following manner the impress
| sion Porto Rico produces on the traveller:
| Among the agencies which have most con-
| tributed to its growth are the rivers, which
abound on The island. Seventeen strerms,
taking their rise in the mountains,
/ cross the valleys of the north coast, and
| fall into the sea, some of them being navi-
| gable for two or three leagues--though not
for vessels of any considerable size, on ac-
count of the bars across their mouths. There
are also few lakes, and altogether no less
than As considerable water courses. The
facilities for internal navigation, and for
driving machinery as well as for irrigation,
are thus such as hardly any other Island
under similar conditions of size, situation,
and climate can afford. Porto Rico possesses
| also
LARGE NUMBER OF HARBoRs,
in some of which ships OF heavy burden may
anchor; but many of them are not safe all
the year round. On the north coast the
anchorage is dangerous in November, De-
oember and January, except in the port of
San Juan, the capital of the island. On the
western coast the spacious bay of Aguadilla
serves the purposes of the vessels from Ha-
vana and the Gulf of Mexico; and
Mayaguez and Cabo Rojo have am
pie room and plenty of water tor large
/ Vessels -Rnt the ports on the southern