The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-09-17
LaWless Acts of Private Soldiers in
Porto Rico Have Given Ameri=
cans q Bad Name.
To Treat Private Rights and Property Entitled
to No Respect From His Majesty the Volunteer
Some PerpIexing Problems to Solve.

Ponce, sept. l9.-It WOuIO DC wholly u4I-
reasonable to imagine that therelations
between the Island Of Porto Rico and
its new proprietors are to be adjusted
without a good bit OF friction. delay, and
some disappointment Some of the diff
culties are already making themselves
apparent Some Of them are of purely
social character, ard will soon pass away.
At present our largest representation here
consists of soldiers Of the volunteer army
The majority of these. with all recognition
Of their worth, are men of limited expert
ence in that larger world which ru5s off
individual corners and gives a broader
view to the individual mind. These have
come in contact with people whom they
do not understand. whose language they
cannot speak, and whose ways are IN
familiar. This has given rise to no lit
tie friction. Il IS a temporary condition
and will pass with the return Of the
troops TO their homes and their ocupA-
tiOnsc.
So. too, with the list Of disorders and
excuses which have been committed.
Few of these have hen Of a serious nature,
but many Of them have been Of a charac-
ter which would lead thtose who know but
little about the Americans TO question,
not only our morality. but even our sense
of common decency; not only our honor.
but our honesty. The appropriation Of
fruits or growing crops along the line of
march is a trivial matter. 1t smacks TOO
much of juvenility to be very seriously
regarded. The deliberate entering Of no.
tells private houses. restaurants, and bar
rooms. and the bullying refusal TO pay
for food or drinks obtained therein, are
the evasion of payment by a sneaking
withdrawal are more serious matters,
and they leave an impression which af-
fects all who come afterward. Nor are
such things among the worst that have
happened and tended TO give Americans
q bad name in the island. With few ex
ceptions these have been the acts of our
volunteers, among whose ranks. most I'M
fortunately, are some whose riehtful
place IS not in ap army Of occupation.
This sort Of thing is not confined to any
one command. The Sixth Massachusetts,
has been given an unenviable reputation.
For the benefit OF that regiment and the
am glad to say that after the most
careful investigation which I have been
able to make. and on the testimony Of
officers and men Of all ranks and grades,
from generals downward. who are fully
conversant with facts of the case ! am
assured that the Sixth has been greatly
malgned. The regiment Is not made up
of a solid body Of Christian Endeavorers
or Epworth Leaguers. any more than oru
other regiments are but its morals and
It's conduct have ben as good as those of
most Of our volunteer regiments. and they
have ben better than those OF some less
prominence has been given. From all I
can learn they were unfortunate in some
OF their officers. After ALL It IS the Off
GERS who make Il regiment and according
70 the discipline. the control and the in
fluence exerted by their comanders will
be, not only the military, but the general
moral status Of the command. The whole
unfortunate affair of the Sixth will I'M
doub-edly be fully ventilated upon its
return. and the blame for whatever has
occurred will he laid at the doors where
st belongs. But all Of these things are
OF brief duration. The early removal OF
the greater portion of the troops viii do
much toward the elimination Of problems
which properly belong o the police depart
ment though their influence. under the cir
cumstances. extends into a much wider
field.
The genuinely perpleVIng problems Of
the island are of a more important char
Rcter. Some Of the mare apprehensive
rather than actual. It is TO be remember
ed ,hat, here as elsewhere the great ma
FORTY Of the people are far less affected
10y legislation than they think they are
The financial affairs Of tsHe few may be
seriously or even vitality affected. but the
great mass of the people have only a linz