San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-08
THEY, LIKE CUBA AND THE PHIL
LIPINES, HAVE SUFFERED
ENOUGH TYRANNY.
1t Was Not Unexpected But Was
Brought About Before Scheduled
Time By The Continued
0lpreSSiveneSS Of The
Mother Country.

| New 10TH, Apti o.-lhe 1eIdlu W.
day says:
DR.. Julio Hena, president of the
Porto Rican revolutionary committee
in this city, has received private in
formation from the committee in the
island of Porto Rico to the effect that
the country has taken up arms against
the Spanish government, the uprising
having taken place in Yanto and Adj
juntas.
DR.. Hena, upon the report of the
news at once called, together all the
members of the committee and held
conference with them at his home.
No persons except members of the
committee were allowed to take part
in the meeting.
The news of the uprising, IL was re-
ported by a member that the commit
tee at meeting, had already been
known in this city by a well known
banking firm in Wall street, which has
close business connection with one
of the leading banking houses in Por-
to Rico.
When seen at late hour last night,
DR.. Hena said:
The news, though startling, did
not surprise me, as the latest mail ad-
vices from Porto Rico brought us the
information that the situation there
was becoming every day more serious.
According to our correspondent the
Spanish authorities there were acting
toward the people as they were an
Xious to precipitate matters by driv-
ing them to desperation and there
fore to arms.
The information, contained in the
cablegram we have received is meagre
in details, but we expect full partic-
ularS by the next mail Until the
question is settled decline to discuss
the matter. OF course l am willing
to add ! have received a cablegram
which reads as follows:
"'Our country is up in arms. Move
ment started at Yacuo and Album
taS'"
All the members of the committee
were very reticent after the meeting
but one of the more prominent who
would not permit his name to be pub
lished said:
THE fact is that the movement in
than was expected and agreed upon,
but no doubt circumstances of which
we know nothing about have cOmpell-
ed our brethren in Porto Rico to take
steps at once.
what seems strange to us is that
the uprising did not take place in the
Rio Grande, Carolina or LuquesitO as
the people in those districts were bet
ter prepared for action"
Referring to the chances of sue
cess of the revolution, the same men,
Der of the committee said:
'"The spirit of the people in Porto
Rico is such at the present time that
any movement to overthrow the Span
iSh yoke is most sure to succeed.
The Porto Ricans are tired of Span
ish misrule. All we want is to raise
an army of 5000 and with such an
army we can carry every place in the
island by assault.
''The Spanish garrison in Porto Rico
is composed of about 5000 soldiers
of whom two thousand are natives
and belong to the volunteer corps.
THE fleet patrolling the Porto Ri
can coast is made up of four vessels.
OF these the gunbOats IndiO, CrillO
and Ponce De Leon are of little use,
as their speed is limited. The cruis-
er Ysabel II is the only vessels of any
Importance.
''The population of Porto Rico is
about $4,000 persons, of whom about
10000 are native Spaniards. The
country is certainly anxious for rev.
olution to get rid of an aggressive
government.
''The reforms though voted by the
Spanish Cortes on March 10, 1895,
were not put in force until recently
and the practical advantages were al
legged to be of little account. Instead
they were said by the people to
drive away hope for a change for the
better in the political condition of af-
fairs in Porto Rico"