Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-05-16

BesOsa and r. H. Todd, all Of New
York. Mr.. Todd is the secretary.
The size of the island is about 100
by 81 miles and its population has
reached nearly 100000. The Spanish
province includes two islands to the
east, one of which, Vieques, 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-
to Rico, st. Johns, the capital and
principal port, and Ponce, the largest
city, several miles inland The coast
is denied into five ports of entry where
there are towns.
The vegetation of the island is ex-
uberant even for the West Indies, and
the products include all the fruits and
woods of the tropics. Sugar, coffee
and tobacco are the staples The val
ue OF the exports, which is increas-
ing constantly, was more than $10,000,-
OOO IN 1890. This is far in excess of
the value of exports of any island
about the Caribbean except Cuba.
Porto Rico's mineral wealth in
cludes rich deposits of gold, iron, cop
per, coal and salt. Only the salt beds
are worked.
Animal life is abundant and varied.
Huge herds of excellent cattle swarm
over the lowland plains and in the
more temperate mountain districts the
celebrated Porto Rican horses are
bred. All things considered, no spot
in the globe is better equipped by ma
ture to support happy and indus
triouss population.
The people themselves are superior
in blood and industry to hose of any
island in the West Indies, Cuba not
excepted. Of population of 100000
in 1890, nearly half a million were
whites of ,unmixed blood, and but
1900 were negroes or mulattoes OF
the mixed" population quite 100000
are the Jebaros, an uncommon people
said to be of Spanish stock with
drops of the native Indian blood in
them. They are small farmers and
labOrers. The race is fine one,
showing the regular features and small
feet of Europeans. The Jebaros are
revOlutiOnists to man.
Nature has done more for Porto Rico
than any little island could expect Of
her; the people have the qualities OF
an industrious and highly civilized
race-and yet the islands resources
remain mostly undeveloped, and OF
100000 of white and Jebaro inhabit-
ants, less than 100000 can read and
write.
The Porto Ricans have no voice in
their government, as it is directly con-
trolled by the Spanish cortes, in which
the representatives of Porto Rico WELD
no influence. There is no vestige Of
local self-government.
The situation is aggravated by the
unwritten but nevertheless unbroken
rule that no native of the island shall
hold an official position. The PENN
sulars," as the Spaniards are called,
occupy every judicial as well as mill
tary post. Their number, including
the soldiery, is somewhat under $4,000,
and almost all of them are supported
from the pockets of the native Porto
Ricans. These alien Office holders
drain the colony of it's public money
Their domineering manners and high
handed actions have brought upon
them the hatred of the natives. They
come to the province with the single
object of making money and their
venality has corrupted the public serv-
ice to such an extent that bribery Is
now necessary in procuring a decision
in every court of justice. The taxes,
which are burdensome, are raised by
duties on exports as we'll as imports,
and by a series of petty personal taxes
such as none but spiritless people
would willingly stand. These include
stamped paper, toll on railroad pas
sengers and freight, and even on the
consumption of food.
The total revenue collected in a
year from this little island is $3,947,-
875. Of this 1922, 255 goes directly
for maintaining the standing army and
navy, whose sole purpose is to keep
in subsection the people who support
them. Of the remaining $65O,000, but
small share is devoted to public
purposes that will benefit the people
Of the island, as the largest portion
goes to employees of the public works,
all of whom are Spaniards.
The regular military force in Porto
Rico, under the command of the cap
tain general, numbers $500 men, in
Guiding two batteries of artillery and
two squadrons of cavalry. They are
we'll armed and disciplined, and were
recruited in Spain There is also a
corps of 500 police and fourteen bat
talions of volunteers containing about
5000 men The volunteers are not
natives of the island. Since the last
uprising, when a battalion of Porto
Ricans went over to the insurgents,
the natives have not been called on to
serve. The naval station consists Of
two small gunboats with rapid-fring