The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-04-23

being merely aggregations of huts,
many grass-COVered and the best houses
having tile roofs. The capital, San
Juan, has population of $4,000, but is
not the largest city, being exceeded in
size by Ponce with a population of 81
80 and San German, 80, Ala. The cities
do not differ materially from towns Of
the same size in other parts of Span
ish- America. In the harbors of all are
fOrtitiCatiOns now ancient, which could
not stand for an hour against the guns
of a modern fleet, while around San
Juan and several of the others are the
remains of the walls erected for the
protection of the cities during the wars
with England, France and the buc-
cancers. The forts are now almost in
ruins, for only under the pressure of
strong necessity did the Spaniards
erect them, or keep them up, and now
that the necessity no longer exists they
are allowed to fall into deCadence. An
American fleet would have practically
no opposition in occupying any of the
ports of the island, for these are de-
fenseless.
The earliest history of Porto Rico
was that of all the Spanish islands.
discovery, the determination of the ma
tives in war or in slavery the aban-
donment of the island by the military
adventurers who first Occupied it, it's
subsequent occupation by agriculturists
and the importation of negro slaves to
take the place of the natives. Porto
Rico, however. was a little more un-
fortunate than most of the other
islands, for the Spaniards quickly dis
covered that there was no gold in its
soil and so they went on to the con-
tinent. The planters of the early days
did not succeed in their efforts to Cul-
tivate the land, and the people of the
island were reduced to such poverty
that in the capital a special dispensa-
ton was given for the celebration of
mass at night in order that the women
might attend service, and yet not he
compelled 10 exhibit their rags on the
streets in the daytime During the last
century of peace the population has
very materially increased. In 1902
Porto Rico had 1881 people; by
1896 this number had increased to
$3.50 The Africans and the half
breed population has increased at "A
far more rapid rate, however, than the
white. At the beginning Of this CEN
dury there We're but $4,000 slaves while
the free blacks numbered 10000 and
the mulattoes $4,000 The black popu-
lation is now estimated at scarcely
more than $4,000. while the "colored"
element exceeds One-half the entire
population.
Politically the island is under the
same rule, or rather misrule, as other
Spanish provinces, being governed by
| Spaniards who come out from the
mother country with the sole idea Of
making all they can as speedily as
possible and returning to Spain. The
| leading planters are SpaniardS who
| reside only a small portion of the
year on the island. Some never leave
Spain, but allow their plantations TO
be managed in wasteful fashion by
overseers and agents. There is there
fore in Porto Rico the same element
of political unrest as existed in Cuba
before the war-a native population
impatient to control, alien landlords
and greedy officials. Twice since the
outbreak Of the Cuban war the natives
OF Porto Rico have risen in rebellion,
but on each occasion the effort has
proved abortive. There is no reason to
suppose that the Spanish administra-
tion will reform it's ways any more
than in Cuba, and the freedom of the
island from Spanish msgovernment
is questionably an event of the near
future,