Evening journal., 1896-07-30
PUERTO RICO TO ARMS
Will Make Common Cause With
Cuba Against Spain.
AN ADDRESS TO TEE ISLANDERS

NEW YORK, July 80. Tie Journal has
the following:
revolutionary address TO the residents |
of Puerto Rico was read in all the towns
OF that island. Advices from tie Island |
stated that the people are preparing for an |
uprising against Spain's oppression and !
will join hands with Cuba in Lattling fur |
liberty
The address to the Puerto Ricoans was I
issued by DIR. J. julius Henna Of New |
York city, the president of the revolu- |
tionary committee Of Puerto Rico in the |
United States.
The address reads as follows:
To the People OF Puerto Rico:
Aftor many years absence from that
beloved land. where / first saw tho light,
l still eagerly follow with hlial interest
all those events which may in any sense
affect her prosperity or misfortune while
she remains a downtrodden Spanish de-
pendenoy and one Of tho last yestiges OF
an acoursed colonial system.
1t pains me to think that Cuba--the
heroic sister isle-has within she last third
OF she present century thrice arisen against
the depredations OF this despotic system
OF government and, while she sacrifices
she precious lives of thousands OF her sons
as we'll as her immense industrial wealth
in waging desperate war for her eman-
cipatlon, Puerto Rico, who has suffered
and still suffers even greater oppression,
serves as a sort OF footstool and shield for
the nerciless tyrant, thus aitording
pompous argument to this tyrant to de-
fend the so called excellence Of her omi-
nous bondage.
Puerto Rico's Prosperity.
All the so called prosperity of Puerto
Rico and all the boasted surplus Of her
wealth serve but to tightly forge her
chains and not IN the least to further her
progress and well being nor to present
her TO the civilized world as a model Of
happiness and prosperity. Nothing Is easl-
er than to prove the foregoing assertions.
The Spanish government places the ex-
penses of Puerto Rico at 81, 374, 773 and
estimates the revenue at 81, 7lO, coo, thus
leaving a surplus Of S335s227. She affirms
that the. budget of 1894 was liqui-
dated, leaving a surplus of s265. 952; that
of lSg4-5. one OF S5sl, 29O, and that Of
1885, one OF $93s 600, which leaves
total surplus of sl750, e09 Still more
pompous is the result of the collection Of
taxes, which, in 1886, is said to have
amounted to s5,0S5, 600, when the reye-
nues were estimated at but So, 767, OO0
ANo0 Nho tllAnAHll MAADi
today eDdeavors to prove by the example
of Puerto Rico tho unjustness of Cuba in
her revolution as well as that Of the other
Spanish-American countries which eman-
oipated themselves from the mother coun-
try, should finish that dazzling picture Of
figures arranged by the government itself
by practically demonstrating that those
great revenues have benefited the taxpay-
ers by the erection Of public works and
the establishment of institutions OF gener-
al usefulness. But,this Is what the lying
Spanish bureaucracy fails to dc IN draw
ing this gaudy picture
Money Goes to spanIards.
All the money goes to support the army
OF officeholders, soldiers and policemen
who squeeze the unfortunate colony Ike
an orange. Notwithstanding the widely
proclaimed fact that the country enjoys
absolute peace and prosperity. The only
surplus left from all these revenues is the
small sum OF $3.50, 6eO.64, and this is all
these called maternal government Of Spain
assigns for public works, municipal
schools, public roads, railroad subsidies,
ships, lighthouses, mines, agriculture,
otc., including tbe salnrios of the numer-
GUS Spanish ofiloeholders, which absorb all,
or nearly all, this estimated sum.
Out OF the total revenues e8, 207, 955 are
allotted to Spain, her army officers, etc,
and only a minimum part Of tho remain
ing $780, 626is assigned TO Puerto Rico. in
asmuch as the officers Of the public works
department absorb nearly all Cf H. and
they are also SpaDiards After viewing
this sad and faithful. picture Of this true
state Of affairs in the island it were idle 10
speak Of its prosperity OF in praise Of the
administration that has Impoverished this
downtrodden colony.
The minister Of the colonies referring
to the surplus revenues for three years.
which he says amounts TO 81, 5B0, e0e,
pointing thereto as an evident proof OF the
excellence Of the Spanish administration
and the welfare of a colony whore the sad
heritage OF civil discord Is unknown, pre-
sents the darkest features OF the mourn
ful situation, contributing Herewith to
rsfute his own assertions.
Let us sao how this Spanish official
proposes TO spend these surplus revenues
in his ostimnte for ls96-97
Ordnance material, S353.ssl; engi-
neers' material, S349 300; Mauser rifles
and ammunition, Sl52, 740; purchase Of a
crulser OF the samo typo as the Destroyer,
$500 600; subsidies to narrow gauge rail-
roads for expediting military operations,
$780, 600; repairing country churches,
$50, 600; total, 81 ,635, 92l. ="
Is not this sufficient to show the rot
tenness Of the Spanish administration and
to give an idea OF the sad and degenerate
condition OF the Puerto Ricans2
Spain oPpressos, and Puerto Rico sub
mitsf From this free land 30 where my
political convictions have brought me and
whore l have voluntarily set up my abode
as an adopted citizen of glorious country
in order to beneither victim, witness nor
accomplice Of the tyrannical System which
drains the llfeblood of my beloved native
land, TO You / constantly turn my eyes
and thoughts, my hrothors, longing to sec
our mother break asunder the chains
which now bind her to ignominious slavery
and degradation.
And now, when the Spanish press and
officials are hypocritically seeking iusti-
fcation for their msdecds, comparing
Puerto Rico, the happy and faithful is
land,' with Cuba, pointing TO the latter
island as an example of base ingratitude,
amtnaturally moved by deep feeling OF
patriotic indignation 10 exLort you to III,