The Winslow mail., 1898-12-10
AS TO PUERTO RICO.
Obstacles Whch VIII Arise in
Uncle San's Path.
During the Transition Stage There
VIII Undoubtedly Be 3Euch
Discomfort Among the
Natives.

Natives.
There is &c room for doubt that the
more educated portion OF the Popua
ton who are posscsso1s Of real estate
or other property in Puerto Eico ap pre-
ciate that he change OF CwnersLi
of the island is to their mater al boNc
fit. 1t is also necessary to bear in rni.-,,
that tie Puerto Rjcan has always bee
treated by The Spaniard as beIongine
to an inferior caste, and the knowledge
of this fac las been most calling t.
the inhabitants there. Moreover, sueL
treatment has not been justified BY
circumstances, considerable number
of the more wealthy families cf the
island being fully equal in Refinement.
culture and general intelligence to lie
most aristocratic representatives. ana
officials sent to this country from Mad
rid.
In so far rs the Spaniaras engaged in
commerce a~e conc Arned, think tley
regard the change Of government with
squanimity. Spanish merchan' 5 III l1l Sc
countries are generally keen business
men, who do not allow their ratriot-
ism to interfere with their pockets.
and they quite realize hat in the pres
ent instance their interests and rights
will be fully protected. Al Increase
in the volume of business to lie trans
acted viii 50 far toward palliating anv
harsh feelings that may exist to-day
as the result Of recent occurrences. ard
the United States government need
have small reason - fear that the Span-
iards who remain in the island will
prove other than law-abiding and in
dustrious citizens.
As regards: foreign residents general
ly, there can be no question that they
will be better eff under United States
than under Spanish rule. They win
enjoy sounder security for life ard
property thar. has hitherto been the
ease; they viii have legal remedy in
disputes connected with commercial
transactions or other matters where
they are Nnjustly trea ted-a remedy
which the irtTicacies of the Spanish
courts have debarrcd the great major
ity of injured persons from appealing
to in the paGt
But with the mass Of the native in
habitants other considerations crop Up,
and trouble ray occur in consequence.
Among the 100000 people comprising
the lower class Of the POPULATION of
Puerto Rico the code of morality is Of
very low ~Ider. Respect for law and
order has never been ririd1y enforced
by the Spanish authorities ard this
leniency has resulted in q license as
to all moral obligations becoming al
most an ingrained part of the native
character.
From the observations Z have made
n the island am inclined to think that
the country people ere avcrse to steady
work and have small respect for in
dividuol life or property. All this will
have to suffer alteration under the new
regime. The rural population VIII have
70 work to live. anu the amount Of the
contributors they will be called upon
to Pay in the shane Of taxation viii
assuredly be heavier than hitherto,
Crime of al kinds will meet with
oiSCSON ctiN 4Iliol4--i~- - t. ititI illN
people will have to learn ana fully ap-
preciate the fact that the justice r1eted
out to them is no easy mistress to
serve under.
The transition stage while this lesson.
is being inculcatcd will in all human
probability be productive of many ele-
mcnts Of discomfort, and the United
States authorities must expect 70 cn-
counter som" unpleasant difficulties
when dealing with tlcse sources of mis-
chief In li,ne the effect Of irst cd
ministration will solve the problem
out during the process OF solution the
Americans must not forget that they
are dealing with 4 FOREIGN race. alien
n language religion and sentiment to
the dominant feat ures of their own
great republic, and they will do well
sometimes to call to mind the old Ttal-
ian proYerb of "Ee who gees slowly
gees far
The number of fo,-eieg13ers il? the is
iects the total is stated not TO exceed
)...a mo fo,GI 10 0[GtCq U0t 10 6Ibbt(l
500, including many negro irr2nlf grants
iToi1 JatI3i;a ana (CnGT west lN0IIN
colonies. F"ance is more strongly rcp-
resented, some 2,C00 persons claiming
French citizenship, Ponce being their
principal center. In most of the chief
towns French1nen are esta ablisi1ed il
both wholesale and retail business
more especially in the latter brarch
Of trade. Tho German colony although
aot very numerous. has important in
terests both in financial matters and
IN the import and export trade of the
island.
The num0cr Of Americans resident
in Puerto Rico before the war was very +,
small, but here, as. in Cuba, many of
the natives have taHer CIT rotrrai;za-
ton papers ir the United State for TIE {
purpose OF claiming protection when
ever they pei into trouble. This,alusa
Of the naturalization laws Of the Un;ted
States was not. however. carried on to
the same extent by the Puerto Ricans
as by the Cubans.-Puerto Rico Cor.
London Times.
Sincerity.
Sincerity must ALWAYS remain the