New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-12
THE NEW RULE IN PORTO RICO
DIFFICULTIES THE AUTHORITIES con-
TEND AGAINST.
INsuLAR POLITICS AND OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OF LIFE AT SAN JUAN-THE ROMAN

IN San Juan has shown certain developments III
the general situation OF the island, and drifting
straws have been which indicate the cur
rent OF "A gr1wirg discomfort There has. been
much trouble all the island since the American
Government assumed military protectorate con-
corning the appointments Of Mayors ana Nouhc"-
to the different municipalities. OF when 'h''e
are in all seventy-two. Men 80 appointed ana
those already In Office have been resigning anu
squabbing among themselves and expressing their
displeasure at the appointment or some co"e"B"''
The fact that General Brooke declined to grant 70
the Council Of Ponce the privileges OF the Autoh-
omist Constitution. which they were arrogating
to themselves IL that rankles and Is ever
present in the minds of the defeated Autonomiss.
The accordance Of this privilege would have been
for them great victory. The best judgment mere
sustains General Brooke in this action. II the
privilege was Granted to one Council 1t would
have to be granted TO all, and each one or Porto
Rico's seventy-two municipalities. acting with the
mower and latitude contemplated by the Auto
nomist platform would have brought much con-
fusion to the island.
THE HEAD OF BROOKES CABINET.
The Autonomlst party set TIP prolonged howl
OF discomfort in which. among other things. they
declared that Munoz Rivera. leader OF General
Brookcs Cabinet, had betrayed them. insonuch as
he had used his influence to bring about the de-
cislon against their demands.
Munoz IL element of political dlscord SIX
months ago he Electrically declared that he would
die wrapped in the flag Of Spain. and he was the
first Porto Rcan to swear allegiance to the United
States. He is the present Secretary or state ana
since October IT, the head Of General Brooke''
Advisory Cabinet In insular affairs. lie Is a capa-
bic man. determined. energetic forceful and
schemcr. lie Is ambitious. and he probably long
ago determined to become the political ruler Oh
Porto Rico The other members OF the Cabinet
are Hernandez Lopez Salvador Carbonel ana DIT
Coll Tost. These men. with the exception oil
Or. Coll Tosti. who was recently appointed upon
the resignation Of Julian Blanco. former Secretary
OF the Treasury have been Genera BROKERS ad'
v!sers since October IS They are all Liberals OF
the same party Munoz. and they owe much 10
Munoz in the past General Brooke was oil hec'S-
si;y dependent upon these men n FORMING o."
Ions local affairs consequently II was poSs''e
for them In a measure TO innuerce his judgment.
There is a mild hammered man named lgIcsas IN
Porto Rico who is called Socialist and Anarchist.
He advocated an eight-hour labor day. that the
state should maintain women for "A period prer'd-
ing and following childbirth and similar DEMANDS.
He works I'm the interests of labor; he Drought
about strikes among the working classes Tor hlsh'r
wages: he has been imprisoned under spain ana
he is in prison to-day The recent strike among
the tvpesottors In san Juan for an increase IN
wages was Of his dons Typesatt"rs were PAID
abou. 81 pesos a month. They considered they
should have more and they struck for T. Th"F
have been absolutely orderly and have in no way
charges against Igcsias made some time during
Spanish control in which It IS said that he maga'I
Mr. MunoZ and the Government OF Spain soon
after the typcsctters strike in san Juan. lgiosai
was summoned before Munoz and ordered by him
10 leave the island forthwith This lgesIas prop
orly declined 10 do. Soon after he and the editor
Of q paper VINO supported him were in jail. where
they have now been for five days without trial or
charges being preferred Such measures strongly
remind the Porto Ricans of the old days OF Spanish
rule and the mentioned are not the only ones
OF arbitrary imprisonment without the preferment
Of charges.
SORRY TO SEE GENERAL BROOKE GO.
General Brooke is about to leave Porto Rico. He
has had much to contend with here. and. while his
health is good. he is wcaried by the hard work ne
has done The best element IN Porto Rico are
alive to his efforts I'm their behalf and are truly
sorry him go. The last thing he did was
to repeal the royal dues on transfers of property
which have been most unfair ana discriminating
contribution upon the people General Guy v
Henry. formerly .of Ponce. VII! succeed him ~
Governor OF the Military Department Of Porto Rico
Men will wat,h Governor lIenrys actions with
much interest for signs of radical change In the
present policy of administration. The men who
want this radical change are daily growing In
numbers and the news that comes from the States
that President Mckinley had decided to put Amer
lean military officers In all high CIVIL posts ~ gen
orally well accepted.
Each day seems TO see more Americans on the
streets of san Juan The men came first. then
came the most venturesome of the women; now are
coming tmid wives and even children, who pick
I'D Spanish with rapidly that their elders can
not attain. The women who thus come down here
must he prepared TO undergo mucn In the way or
discomfort I'm living. Ilotei accommodations are at
best poor indeed and houses are scarce, dirty and
almost unnhabitabe. OF course there are eXcep-
lions. some fairly comfortable houses have been
obtained. but only few. and each day they are
harder to find and their rentals advance steadily
with the demand San Juan needs much improve
ment in The mater Of living accommodations
ov.red before an American Naval Army officer
can feel safe in bringing here his family.
SUNDAY EVENING N SAN JUAN.
In thousands Of South American and West Indian
towns that boast plaza and military band
there Is music the plaza at o'clock on SUNDAY
evening. san Juan is one OF the few such towns
y,hcre the music is American This music on Sun
d,v evenings Is an old and popular Spanish GUS
tom and guiloess people 1T home are told that
upon these occasions the beautiful darA-eyed
Spanish girls ont to walk ana be ADMIRED.
This IS a stock story of the returned South AmeF!-
.,u wanGerer. s. 1t T. that men from the North
are all keen to get 20 the plaza to SEE the show
tb.y have often heard described. But the best
class OF Spanish and South American women are
t,rnd and easy Of afron and 1t Is a fact that the
last few disturbing years In cuba ana Porto Klco
have done much TO keep them indoors. To many
81 these Southern women the Sunday evening
,ro,nenade was the only outdoor break, for weeks
AT a time in the pitiful monotony Of their daily
lives.
The plaza at San Juan is absolutely bare AMI
stone-paved 1t Is long and comparatively nnrroW,:
an one side il the Town Han with IT. TWO clock
tnvers at one end is the three stories ana severely
plain facade of LA Dlputacion me otncr build
ires that face it two stories ana white. with
narrow hanging balconies. The band OF the 18th
infantry plays III the centre. and they carry with
,h.r, from their barracks Kerosene torches 10 light
,hoir music The electric lights OF the town are
o,t Of order and the Of feeble gas lamps that
surround the plaza do nothing more than MAKE
ntiacfs dimy visible. The southern side OF the
MA is the only proper side upon which 10 prom
snaf ,sharp distinctions concerning the propreiies
ara drawn here. Only the common people OF the
town promenade upon the pazas northern side.
Along the southern side some enterprSing man
sverv night puts Il long row Of rocking chairs and
IL LIZ ..l.L.