Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-05-19
POINTS ON PORTO RICO.
4 Fertile Isle That May Become Ours.
Before Long.

One OF the important questions
growing out OF the war will be the
disposition Of the island OF Porto
Rico the healthieSt OF the Antilles
and admirably adapted by its strate-
gic position for an outlying naval sta
tion, The Spanish minister to tho
United States, Senior De LONE, was
fond OF citing Porto Rico now SPANS
last possession in America, III evil
dence OF the blessings and content
producing properties Of Spanish rule
But il is neither because its people
have been happy under the Spanish
yoke, nor yet because they have not
made desperate efforts to throw 1t
of, that Porto Rico is still q dopeu-
dency OF Spain. The Porto Ricans
have long desired freedom with an
augmcntiug keenuess, and, further
more, ninc-tenths of them probably
wish to become citizens Of the United
States.
Porto Rico has been held by the
Spanish crown since the days OF
Ponce de Leon, who was So delighted
with its loneliness that he sought
there the fountain of youth for which
the island seems fitting location,
The acknowledgements of an English
expedition under Abercromhy, rather
than the loyalty of its Inhabitants.
saved the island to Spain in the
eighteenth century, and standing
army has preserved 1t for her during
the nineteenth.
AS early as 1920 the Porto Ricans
attempted TO gain their independence.
This was years before Cuba had been
fired by the torch of liberty Indeed,
at about this time the Cubans were
taking oaths of eternal allegiance to
legitimate Spanish dynasty which
they alone supported when Napoleon
had overrun Spain. This first rebel
lion was put down after short que
rilla war, Several abortivc attempts
to drive the Spaniards from the island
followed toward the middle of the
century. But they served only as n
sign of the discomfort In the hearts OF
the people.
1t was in 1865, the year OF the great
uprising in Cuba, that the most for
midablc outbreak in Porto Rico oc-
CURED. 1t is significant of Spain's
treatment of her colonies that the
leaders of the contcmporaneous rebel
lions know nothing of the intentios OF
the patriots on the sister island
In Porto Rico preparation was made
Tor "A great simultaneous rush to arms.
The Spanish government was so uni
Versally detested tina, the prospective
insurgents included large proportion
of the people In fact it was the
number of persons in the secret that
proved fatal to the plot and led to its
exposure by traitors AS n result, Il
was necessary that the insurrection
take place several weeks bfore the
patriots were prepared After two
months lighting the Spanish regulars
were victorious and the leader of the
rebels, DR. Ramon e. Retances. now
or Paris. was captured, as was also
j. j. Henna, since New York physi-
clan, then a young Porto Rican IS
years of age.
All prisoners were sentenced to be
shot on Nov. T. 1868. On Nov. g..
news reached the island of the over
throw of Queen Isabella and political
prisoners We're pardoncd. Later thoy
were banished.
These cxiles, dwelling in many
different countries, have formed the
cehters of active movements for the
freeing Of Porto Rico that have cul-
minated in a powerful organization
known as the Porto Rico Section of
the Revolutionary Party Of Cuba
The first article Of the statement of
principles of the Cuban Revolutionary
party, written by Jose Marti, declared
mat fomentlng revolution in Porto
llco and helping the Porto Ricans to
thelr independence should be an Oh
Ject coordinate with Cuban's freedom
THIS led to the organization OF the
for'o hlcahs as part of the Cuban
party. Natives Of Porto Rico in and
out OF the country are hard at work
Tor the independence of the island
votes were recently taken for officers
OF the section, and the hero OF the
rising In 49, DR.. Ramon e. Betances
was elected delegate general DR.. J.
j. Henna Is the president and the
head OF the movement in America.
me other directors Of the section are
Seniors j. DEM. Terreforte, Manuel
Besosa and r II. Todd, all OF New
YORK. Mr.. Todd Is the secretary.
The size Of the island Is about 100
by 81 miles and It's population has
reached nearly 100000. The Spanish
province includes two islands to the
east, one Of which, Viequcs, Is as large
as the Danish island Of st. Croix that
the United States contemplated pur-
chasing.
There are two fine old cities In Por-
10 Rico. st. Johns, the capital and
principal port, and Ponce. the largest
city, several miles inland The coast
IS dented into five ports OF entry where
there are towns