The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
"roRTo" OR "PuERToY RICO.
The Spelling of the Nnme of Our New
Possession.

If the American Congress would snend a
rev minutes i'm the definite establishment of
name Tor our new possession In the West
Indies that little gem of the Antilles would
De given somewhat novel experience 1t
would then have what it does not appear to
nave had in all it's history OF four hundred
years. hXed name. It's old inhabitants, the
CARDS, had name for II, which they may
or may not have been able to spell. Since it's
earliest occupation by the Spaniards, 1t has
been Obliged TO get along as best II could
under any title which writer's and others
saw Ut TO apply to II, and even different de-
partments OF the United States government
are at odds on the subject. The Board of
Geographic Names decided during Harri-
sons administration In favor Of Puerto Rico.
The Postofiice Department has adopted
Porto Rico. The Navy Department is said
TO favor Puerto Rico, and when General
Miles In his recent report used the latter
spelling the Government Printing Office
DIR. Chanca, writing in the year 1893. calls
II Buriquen. Pedro Martin de Anglerta, in
1884, calls II Burchena. Juan de la Cosa, In
1900 calls 1t Boriquen. A writer in 1917
drops back to Buriquen. From the years 1886
to 1647 the form Of Borlquen was adopted
by the leading writers and historians. In
1885, Fray lingo Abbad, one Of the leading
authorities on the history OF the island,
turns It into Borinquen, form Of doubt
full correctness, but that which is most COM
monty used to-day by the island people. On
nearly all of the maps Of the island its
northwest corner is indicated under the title
Of Cape Borinquen. Borinquen Is the spell
ing usually adopted by the local press, and
a number OF stores In different cities display
the sign of La Borinquena." Later writ,
Emilio Castelar,, use the apparently better
authorized Boriquen, while Otto Neussel, in
1882 gives 1t Burinquen.
An effort has been made to determine the
meaning of the name by q pathological pro-
cess, with results which seem eminently
plausible. BY dividing the word into three
syllables Bo-ri-quen.. and translating them
through comparison with the same syllables
where they occur in words whose meaning
is known, a Porto Rican authority, Sr Dr.
Cayetano Coll y Toste, gives the meaning
as "Tierra del Valicnte Senor,' or, practic-
ally THE Land of the Valiant Lord" Dr.
Coils arguments appear to be reasonably
exhaustive and probably the majority of
American people will be quite ready to &C
cept his conclusions without argument.
Disposing of the tangle in the Carib name
Of the island, we Immediately run into an
ether in it's Spanish title. When ell Almi-
rante Cristobal Colon, whose name we have
twisted into Christopher Columbus, discov-
cred the island of Boriquen, on his second
voyage, he gave it the name OF San Juan
Bautista (SI. John the Baptlst), in honor or
tory. This name was applied to the island
and not to a city on its coast In a letter.
dated Nov. IA, 1863, from the King OF Spain
to ell Almirante don Diego. son of Cristobal.
reference is twice made to ia isla Gle San
Juan" 1.-The island of San juan.
A city, which is now known as San JUAN
located upon the shore Of q beautiful harbor
on the northern coast, was given the name
of Porto Rico (rich port). In process Of time
the city became San Juan de Puerto Rico,
there came a confounding Of the terms, and
the whole island became rich port" or
harhor, which is not at all fitting name for
it's general coast line.
For our use of the name Porto" Rico
there is no authority, save its establishment
by common usage in this country. In sipte
of its general establishment, 1t is Hnques-
tionably a corrupt term, with no adequate
warrant for it's adoption The proper title
is Puerto Rica, a Spanish name given by
Spaniards. But as we have expelled those
own application, have given the island an
Inappropriate title,it might not be a bad idea
for us to return to them the name Puerto
Rica" and christen the island with the long
disusad and historic and fitting title of Bort
uuen. No doubt the northeast trade winds
have blown as iefreshingly over Puerto Rico
as they wou'5 have blown over San Juan
Bautista- Tbs coffee and the sugar-cane
the banana and the cocoanut have fiourishsd
in Puerto Rico. They would undoubtedly
grow quite as luxuriantly in the territory
and potential state Of Boriquen.