davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

chain several spurs diverge toward the
north coast, giving IL rugged. broken
appearance. Part OF the main range is
called Sierra iirdndc, or Barros. Its
.nortaeas. spur is known 30 the Sierra
dc Luqulllo, and that on tho northwest
is the Sierra Ia-so. There are inter-
esting caves ia these mountains, the
mos. noteworthy being those of Aguas
Buonas and Ciaies. This elevated ridge
intersectirg the island intercepts tho
northeast trade windS. blowing sroin
the Atlantic. and deprives them OF their
moisture, so that the rainfall OF the
north section is very copious. This has
the effect of reducing the rain south OF
the mountains, so that droughts pre-
vail, und the processes Of agriculture
can only bo assured os SUCCESS Dy !cri-
cation. Rut os sucn work is very inn
perfectly and unsystematically carried
on the sesul.c attained ara not salts
factory.
Porto Rico IS land OF rivers and
streams. None of them In OF course OF
any great magnitude. but of tho entire
number. 1900 40 are navisable for vary
Ing short distances FOR commercial pur-
poses. The water or the rivers aud
brooks and lakes is remarkably pure
ana wholesome, 80 MUCH SO that there
II quite an Industry ~ ts shipment for
sale 90 other West india islands.
The climate. though hot. n asrceably
tempered by the prevailing northeast
,vIncs. "A temperature az high as az
degrees has been recorded. Dut " seldom
cxcceds W i,grees In the shade during
tue hottest part OF the day. and az nlcht
q sinks 70 IS on 50 degrees. S,sh tenn
psrstule duriag nights, tspsclally IA n
warm veason woii:d b" a delightful s,ir-
Prise 10 he rccple of New york or even
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

lance OF 30 mile. across the island.
SDaniards generally are poor road build
ers, but bad az are the roads I'm Porto
Rico they are superior to those i'm Cuba.
There are several lines OF railways now
IN course OF construction, a system be-
ing projected around the island, $40
miles IN length. The telegraph system
Is also In an incomplete state. and the
service is only partially maintained.
The length Of wire In about S54 kilo-
meters. One line of cable runs to Cuba.
Mexico, Panama and the coasts of the
South American continent. Another
connects the island with st. Thomas.
Jamaica and the rest of the world.
According TO the census taken on Dec
81, 1887, the population OF the island
ther numbered S1470S. Of whom $50. .267
were white. 77.75l negroes and. PAS, $50
half castles. The women numbered more
than the men by about 1000. but the
immigrants from Spain being mostly
men the actual ratio between the two
sexes as regards the native population
would be largely In favor OF the fem
mime. The foreign residents numbered
4l,o09. OF whom $4,000 were natives of
Spain and 5000 OF other countries. Thir-
ty per cent Of the white population and
75 per cent OF the negro were classed in
the census as laborers.
The inhabitants os Porto Rico are
scattered all over the country, the land
being extremely subdivided. Efforts
have been made by the authorities to
have the people collected into villages,
but they have almost Invariably resist
ed a change which would not suit the
conditions OF their lives or tend to i'm
prove their status. AS the population
of the island has been steadily increas-
Ing since the beginning of this century,
ii the same ratio of increase has pre-
vailed since the last census was taken
as that existing before, the population
should now approximate closely to
] 900 900.
The capital city Of Porto Rico is San
Juan Bautista, founded by Ponce de
Leon In 1910. IL is located on the small
islane of Moro, now connected with
the mainland by the San Antonio
bridge, and has about $1,000 inha bitants
On the western end of this small island
Ponce de Leon built the governors pai-
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

They tell good story of Marine An
thony, the one who saluted Captain
Sigsbee and 50 coolly said. II have 10
inform you, sir, that the ship is blown
up." Arihcny was once n sergeant and
as such was attached To the marine re-
cruiting office In New York. Now, at
this position Anthony exercised consld-
erabic power over applicants. and no
made that power felt In such way
as 10 cause his reduction TO the ranks.
which was followed by his detail as
Captain Sigsbee's orderly and his conse-
quent rise TO fame.
Anthony didn't care much for for
cigners. lie was sure the marine corps
would oe the better IL native born
Americans alone composed IL. After
Anthony had been on his detail for some
time II came TO the knowledge OF the
officer that the sergeant was turning
away all men who had been born
abroad. While. according to the recent
rules In all arms Of the United States
military and naval service, q man to
be enlisted must be = citizen. such an
arbitrary proceedino ~ throwing out
all but the native born was clearly BE-
yond the power Of even Q recruiting
sergeant. SO, they cay. Sergeant An
thony was relieved Of his detail ana re-
ducad 70 the ranka
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02
He Knew His Man.

A certain punctilious lawyer who art4
as attorney for many bic New fpr<,
firms always itemizes the most ttif''rx'
details OF his accounts. which are gen
orally portentous documents. lie Wa4'
acting i'm matter for a well krpNn
merchant who rather likes a joke. Tho:
affair finished. the bill, mostly for t'l~
fling services. covered several peScs ~
foolscap. as The Items enuneratcr tn<'
most minute details. When the ciicnt'
came round to settle. he refused to er~
ter the office. but stood In the doorway
holding one end Of the voluminors doe
umert i'm the direction Of his legal ad-
wiser with the request that he would
take the money and receipt II. "ccine'
in" said the lawyer. most cordially.
Not quite" replied tho client. II know
a thing or two now. You'd charge me
rent IN 1 did"
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02
NoAs1 LIVE OF Porto Rlco AND TYPICAL ISLAND SCENES

tre oo;nia1 thet " II contrary 10 the
policr % this government and its pro-
tsse-d ohjs,t IN Going 70 war With Spai:t
10 establish re principle OF territorial.
ac.inisit'cr. St,:i others there are who
II, vsyua sort of way think that Porto
iu.'c would not be wcfti having, even
'hougl, tho Gons we're 10 Offer TO give
tile klard 20 us abe Impression ap-
cars 20 prevail shat Cuba Is the only
place In tbs Wcat Indies which IS Of
special yalus.
-tis 10 o. ccurse tho widest sort OF
e.ro-. .t Is gsii bY those who have m
''fs''gcted the subtect that more can be
raiscd on Al acre Of land IN Porto Rico
stan IN a1y Other fpot in the world.
in ad'litlUn TO this. II is also a fact that
the ciimatc Of Porto I.ico Is exception
r'y salusrious al. that tie danger
from yellow fever sxcept on the coast Is
very siigh..
= thc> stars snd stripes are TO wave
rcrSasently Ger the fertile little !s-
land, v!iich - really the garden spot OF
'hc world. sherc ;s certain 20 be mar
veioua incresrs 6, values there. for
wi.h the MULTIPLICATION OF rs.i and wap-
Oh roads which oilI ~oilow Che influx of
.trcri'Gr capital hnd American enter
rls Porto iyso, now dcspised and re-
rance ~ s,a;n sinipr- bi t,rc hight 81
fti - ,aluabiu .nii Ia COW. viii take on
a -,,a,.. yinse7re ana viii, IN the words
of 70 poet. "JIessen as The rvse."
%;c i1aLd os Pofto s,ico was De-
tr"ersd by roIur,tus 81 Nov. ic. iso'.
n'j he 'iryt spanish settlement was
'7rns" there' nv Ponce jc icon IN
IN Rae island Is tho most eastern OF
&c I-eoser An.il'cs. N ,he wcs, In
Ger -" &c "asi he Lesser Antilles
srts',d - eusss ioSar, Trinidad, vn
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

! eulturdlly II admits of great expar-
sion In this direction. Under a differ
Ont political regime and freed from
vexatious and oppressive taxation the
island would certainly become more
productive and prosperous.
Gold. copper. iron, zinc and coal
mines are known TO exist, but nave not
been Developed. There are also valua-
bile ana extensive sponge fields whlch
have scarcely been touched owing 20
the IacN OF .apital and Other sauses.
The same Is also true OF qusrries OF
white stone, granite and marble. lhele
a,e salt works at Gusnica and Salinas,
on the south coast. and at Cape Rojo, on
the west, and this constitutes the prin.
oipai mineral industry of Porto Rico.
hot springs and mineral waters arc
found az Juan Diaz. san Sebastian, san
Lorenzo and Ponce, but the most fa-
NOUS are az Coamo near the town OF
Santa Isabel.
The most predaceous quadruped on
tlis island Is the wild dog, and II chiefly
attacks pigs and other small domestic
animals Mice arc the great pests OF
the island. hut they are ixsnt down by
their natural enemies the snakes. which
reach q length OF from six 20 nine feet.
Numerous species Of ants and bees ex-
ist. rs wei as hrAilie3 or cucuzos. Oc-
~aslonally thew ~ IN great masses.
predaeing Hplendid- -ireird effects In
the ,roptal nights. Poultry Is abun-
dant, and the re9s and rivers are full
of ;he finest fsl.
Railways on the island arc so FAR In
their infancy. and cart roads are very
primitive. some Of them being little
hc;ter than tracks made by cattle.
There is however. ono line road extend
ins from san Juan 20 Ponce. a dis
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02
ing the last Ave years has been as fol-

The principel exports from the United
States axe -four. pork, lard, lumber and
shocks.
The government of the island is ad-
ministered by a captain general, assist
ed by an administrative council appoint
ed by the government az Madrid. The
revenue is about 81. .0o0. 900. considerably
more than half OF this being derived
from customs and the rest from taxa
ton. direct and indirect.
Porto Rico has been q Spanish pos
session since the days of Ponce de Leon,
who was so delighted with the beauty
and fertility of the island that he inn
agined he could there find the fountain
OF perpetual youth for which he so long
sought in vain. In 1885 San Juan was
sacked by an English feet commanded
by Drake, and three years later the
Duke OF Cumberland attacked IL and
laid 1t I'm ruins after three days of fight
Ing. IL also sustained other attacks at
various times but none OF them seri-
ousiy affected Spanish authority on the
island.
AS early as 1920 the Porto RIcans at
tempted 10 gain their independence
This was long before Cuba had made
any attempt TO get rid of the Spanish
yoke. This first rebellion was sup
pressed after a short guerilla war, as
were several other abortive attempts
II was in 1868. the year OF the great up
rising In Cuba, that the most formida-
bic outbreak occurred in Porto Rico.
After two months of severe fighting
the spanish regulars were victorious.
and the leader OF the rebels, DR. Ramon
IL. Betances, now residing in Paris. was
captured, as was also j. j. Heuna, since
a New York physician. All The prison
ers were sentenced to be shot on Nov.
4. 1868. On the day preceding that date
news reached tn. Island that Queen
Isabella had been deposed. and the po-
.itical prisoners were pardoned. They
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

principal town OF the group is Agana,
the capital OF Cuahan. II is fortified
after the spanish fashion. but II has an
excellent herbor which affords safe
anchorage excepting during the hurri-
cane season. The population OF this
capital rs 8 little more than 5000.
The natives OF the Ladroncs, accord
Ing TO the ethnologlsts. arc descended
from a rowing band OF Greeks. and i'm
support OF this theory ii is mentioned
that many of their words are pure Hell
lenic. When Magellan discovered the
islands, form OF republican govern
ment was In vogue. IL was liberal in
the extreme the few offenders against
the unwritten laws OF the land being
tried In the open air by the entire male
population. There were no real rulers
as We understand the term. The La
drores are about LOO miles from Ma
Mia and about 900 miles from Homo
lulu.
The natives OF the carollnes are much
more wariike than those OF the La
drones, and they have several times re-
belled though without success. against
the authority of Spain Some years ago.
while James G. Blaine was secretary OF
state, the wanton shelling OF some
American missionary property came
very neac to causing international COM
plications. A missionary was sem IN
Irons TO Manila. where he was promptly
released by the governor general and
all possible reparation made. The ma
tives. who are fond OF all whites ex-
cept the dons. got even month later
by killing every Spaniard on the island
OF zap. from the governor down to the
humblest private. Butcher Weyler
then held forth ic the Philippines, and
he sent an expedition. which the Caro-
line natives promptly cut to pieces.
Then larger force was dispatched. and
the Butcher had the satisfaction Of
causing blood 10 flow like water
The Caroiines are extremely fertile.
and land is SO plentiful on the hundreds
OF islands comprising the group that
one may take all he cares to cultivate.
There are one or two partly fortified
towns. and the population OF the archi-
peiago is about 90. 1000, while the area in
square miles is 10000. The natives are
OF the Malay type and are inclined TO be
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02
The Iadrone and Caroline Islands, Which
May Also Shortly Come Into
Our Possession.


| the South American coast. Inclosing on
the westward ths Caribbean sea. A
strait of 70 miles separates Porto Rico
frofn Halt. on the wess. and the dis.
tance from San Juan, the capital or the
island, 10 other strategical points Is
100 miles to the Cape Verde islands.
l,C5c miles to Key West and 1420 miles
to Hampton Roads. Porto Rico is an
island oblong In shape, los miles long.
about 3! miles broad and has an area
OF S.4o0 square miles. f
The general conformation OF the is
land In slightly unduating except for
a mountain range which traverses II
from east to west This range divides
thc islanu into two unequa. portions,
the more extensive slope being on the
north, so that the rivers flowing
through that section to the coast are
much the longer. From this mountain
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

Industrious though they have so far
had little opportunity 10 work at a
profit on account OF the mismauagement
or the Spaniards. who have encouraged
them TO drink. Twice a week on many
of the islands there. is a public debapch
led BY the chiefs and participated in by
men, women ano even children. 1t Is
no uncommon. sight 10 see numbers OF
the latter reeling toward their homes
after one of these drinking bouts. The
only missionaries In the archipelago
arc Americans. II the Carolnes shall
eventually come under our dag they
will offer an unusually tempting field
for the exploitation Of our capital ana
enterprise The Germans now practi-
caiIy control busiaess there.
NEIL MACDONALD.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

Unc;e cams brave saIlo.mcr and
boic land Iightcrc having sot the dons
On tie rua and Cuba being practically
lost 10 tho crown OF Spain. the univer-
sal cry Is. Now tDr Porto Rico!' II
sweeps from north to sorth. from east
70 west. in a mighty endencs tha. to
The hidalgos must sound like funeral
kneII for their dream of continued soy
eragnty over their erstwhile posses
sions i'm the West Indies.
Whether or not the United States will
eventually decide TO hold Porto Rico
after she shall have captured ii remains
20 be seen. There are those who be-
iieve that we cannot consistently do
anything else, while there ia very nu-
merous section Of our people who arc Of
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

About the time the pilgrim fathers
came to New England in the MaynowoS
Q62o) there arose great quarrel ana
war between two Indian tribes from =
very insignificant cause. II occurred ~
this way:
An Indian squaw, with her little go
went to visit q friend belonging to on>
other tribe. On his way the little ~
caught large grasshopper and cezs1o1
10 with him. A boy from the other txl1o
wanted Il, but neither coaxin0 noe 60
jolinG nor even threats woul4 ln1ooo
the little fellow 90 surrender hlo priDo.
\ quarrel teok place whicn oooo GroW
the nothess and fathers Int ~ oles
put4 end bef0re lone The ohie3 - oo(A
tribes weFe engaged In q strUEElo y111M
did net end until one tribe IVES oImo1@
okteru1natsd.
The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-02

Prince Edward Of Ysrk NJ q C.
llves. will inherit the throne 9 - ucu1
uost-srandmother hae been ngou10I
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-14

The general depression that pre-
walls among the manufacturers Of
cotton and wooden fabrics and among
the boot and shoe manufacturers of
New England, recalls the article Of
Roger @. Mills, published in the For
UNI for June 1890 Mr.. Mills insisted
that New England must depend
mainly on manufactures, and that
most of the materials entering into
their manufactured product are pro-
duced elsewhere. He said that q
tariff system which taxes these ma
terials, if persisted in will work the
ruin of New England. Mr.. Mills in
concluding his article said ''It re-
mains to be seen whether she will
help those who are trying to help
her, or whether she will continue to
amuse herself in aiding Pennsylvania
iron masters to build wall around
her deserted factories"
The manufactures of various kinds
which have sprung up all over the
south and in Mexico, where the raw
material for most of the man ufactur-
ers are produced, shows the wisdom
of the prophecy and the folly of New
England protectionists in aiding to
tax the materials needed to make
their products.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-14

One who made the computation as
serts that according to a recent re.
port the state banks of Dubuque hold
exactly $278 in gold and silver for
each 800 due depositors and that the
national banks, doing business more
largely in commercial paper, have
about 6 per cent in specie. Presum-
ably the banks OF Dubuque are
stronger in this respect than the
average of the banks outside OF re-
demptlon centers or large cities. Yet
the banks themselves and the very
man who made the foregoing state
ment are all staunch advocates of the
gold standard and in favor OF reduc-
ing the specie supply to one half of
the present volume. The bank of
France keeps 70 to rs per cent of its
deposits on hand in gold and silver.
Our banks have plenty of assets in
bonds, mortgages, greenbacks, pro-
missory notes and bank notes, but
why, with such an insignificant show
ing, should they make any pretense
OF being on a specie basis. much less
on gold basis2- Telegraph.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-14
Oppose Income Tax.

Senator Morgan's amendment to
the war revenue bill to force the
question AS to the legality of the in
come tax upon the Supreme Court
was defeated in the senate by vote
of SO to 35.
There was an almost unanimous
vote in favor of the measure on the
part of the republicans. There need
be no doubt as to the desire of the re-
publican party to protect wealth and
to place the burden of taxation en-
tirely upon the backs of the people.
Senator Morgan simply asked that
the secretary of the treasury be in
structed to proceed with the collection
OF income taxes under the provision
of the law of 1894, which is still on the
statute books, having never been di-
rectly repealed.
But the republicans were not will
ling to make that much of an effort
to secure from the millions of dollars
of income received by the rich men
of this nation small per cent to aid
in paying the expenses of the war.
Do the people need any further
proof that the republican party is
the protector of the rich and the
plunderer of the poor?
In the light of such pandering to
plutocracy will the people aid in
keeping such a party in power2 There
are millions of men who in voting the
republican ticket simply vote taxes
on themselves and immunity from
taxation to the "aristocrats" rolling
in wealth. Are these honest repub-
licans going to keep on voting for the
candidates of the dishonest republi-
can party?-Despatch.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-14
More Money, or More Debt?
to the Cedar Rapids Re

According to the Cedar Rapids Re
publican the only ones who are OPP
posing the proposed issue of bonds
for war purposes are he political
economists OF the Telegraph school,
who effect to believe that the govern
ment can invest a piece of blank pa
per with value by placing a stamp
on it," AS q matter of fact the Tele.
graph neither believes this nor affects
to believe 1t. While the investment
of paper or metal with the legal ten
der function makes money, it does
not in and of itself impart value
Value is the product of two factors,
supply and demand. There is I'M
limited demand for money RS medi-
UNI for the exchange OF property and
the payment of debts, and it is this
demand, acting upon the supply,
that gives value to the paper or metal
which law declares to be money. Be-
fore it is stamped the paper of which
government notes are made is worth
little because there is little demand
for it. But when it is endowed with
the money function it at once &C
quires great value because there is
general and unceasing demand for
money. What government does by
stamping pieces of paper or metal is
to permit demand to play upon them
and it is this demand, measured or
modified by the aggregate quantity
of money in circulation, that deter
mines the value. There is as ,nuch
necessity and desire on the part of
the people for greenbacks as for gold
and as the legal tender would cost
nothing for interest while the pro-
posed bond issue would cost $4,000
600 year; and a note issue would
Increase the volume of money in cir
cnlation and stimulate industry and
trade while bond issues would con.
tract the circulation and depress pro-
duction and exchange, new green
backs are ineffably preferable to new
bonds.
If the question were left to the de-
termination of the people, which, in
the judgment of the Republics,
would they declare for, more money
or more debt?-Telegraph.
Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-06-14
income Tax Decision,

Senator Teller has made a strong
statement in the senate as to the eff
feet of the Supreme Court decision
concerning the income tax.
In discussing the war revenue
measure Senator Teller said: 1.-THE
decision of the Supreme Court against
the constitutiouality of the income
tax was the most serious blow at the
sovereignty of the people since the
government was erected" and there
was no one to say him nay.
1t must be remembered in this con-
nection that the decision in question
was not the unanimous opinion of
the court. 1t was t he result of sud-
den change of position on the part of
Justice Shiras of Pennsylvania.
By this decision the power of the
government to make the rich men
contribute toward paying the ex-
pense of the war is crippled, and il
this government were engaged in
fighting first-class power the result
might be ruin.
When the democrats criticised this
decision in 1896, the republicans went
into spasms of holy horror over the
'sacrilege."
What do they think of the matter
now?
The Standard Oil Company defies
the government to make an attempt
to touch one penny of its stolen mil
lions. The Sugar Trust laughs at the
idea of contributing one cent toward
aiding the nation in carrying on the
war.
This is what the Supreme Court has
done toward destroying the nation.
Its act was an attack OF the govern
ment. and it should be reconsidered.
Dispatch.