The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-25
GENERAL HENRY'S WORK
HIS EFFORTS TO AMERICANIzFs pom
TO RICO AND IT'S PEOPLE.
Two Letters in Which lie Announces
His Policy, as Military Governor
San Juan Overcrowded.
OF the Associated Press.

Correspondence % the Associated Press.
SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, Dec. 12-Cen GUY
V. Henry, military governor, has addressed
two letters to the president of the insuIar
Cabinet and its members announcing his fu-
ture policy. He declares that so far as pos
sible he wishes to give independence of action
TO the mayors and councils in the various
towns and to hold them responsible for the
conditions that follow. He lays especial
stress upon the necessity of cleaning the
towns and providing for them an ADEQUATE
police. 1t is his intention, he says. to an
point to the council only men who are Sc
Iected by the people or recommended by the
council itself. In regard to the method of
elections he is as yet in doubt but intimates
that the suffrage will not be restricted TO
those who can read and write, as only IA per
cent. OF the people would be able to vote
under this rule. A man in office General
Henry announces, will not be removed except
for cause. Should such removal become
necessary he expects the council 10 effect If
and will act himself only upon the failure
Of the council TO do so.
General Henry asks the mayors how MANY
instructors they can pay who can teach the
English language. He thinks that those I'M
able to teach in any other tongue than Eng
hsh can do the work by object lessons.
American women for teaching, he says. can
De OBTAINED at $50 a month in gold and are
well worth it, The generar declares it his
purpose to Introduce few American police
men to teach the native policemen their
duties and to encourage them to exercise
some authority, which at present they do
not seem DESTROYS of doing"
General Henry announces that men Should
not be put in jail unless charges are brought
against them. THE Injustice of holding
men in Jail without charges" he saws. s.or
putting them in jail and holding them there
without trial, which seems to be the custom
III this country, cannot be too strongly i'm
pressed on the people, and will not be al
lowed When civil courts fail to try the
cases of bandits and murderers | have or
gained committees whose duties will be to
bring these men to trial. The general de-
clares that politics should be discarded untn
laws are enacted to govern the island, and
that articles of an incendiary character
will not be allowed in the newspapers.
Regarding military rule, General Henry
says: 1T is the intention that the soldiers
so far as possible shall preserve law and or
der but, in the United States, soldiers
are not needed, so the idea now is to edu-
cate the people to take care of themselves
This. of course, will take time but every
official resorting to violence in order To nro
tect himself in the performance of his duty
Will be upheld by me. Soldiers who do not
respect the civil authority or try to impose
upon policemen, ii reported to the COM
handing officer of a post, will be severely
dealt with"
In his second letter, General Henry asks
that the mayors and councils of the various
towns send two delegates each to San Juan
to meet him on Dec. 10. His purpose, he
declares. is to give the people every 1ati-
tude consistent with discipline and good or
der. / wish to know what their views are
and to grant their desires as far as Jos
1t is the opinion of good many men here
that If anything is to be made out of the
Porto R1can, If he can ever be taught to be-
come proper citizen of the United States,
then General Henry is on the track that will
lead to this much desired end. The question
is clearly one of development and education
To this end he will instruct the young, and
this purpose is evidenced in the suggestion
of American teachers for that purpose
While in Ponce General Henry attended a
meeting of school children, who were adj
dressed on the subject of Christmas in the
United States and Christmas presents. The
children were asked what they would best
like for their coming Christmas presents
To the surprise of every American present,
they answered they would prefer teachers to
Janything else. This occurrence has so been
reported to President Mckinley. There is no
evidence of opposition to this general idea,
but one already begins to hear Porto Rican
opinions against the desirability of substi-
tuting English for Spanish in the schools
There are Porto Ricans who will strongly
object to any measures toward changing the
language of the island.
army officer at the head of the San Juan
department of street cleaning and city SAM
tatiOn The actual work of this department
will still remain under the jurisdiction of
the San Juan City Council, but the American
officer will infuse in them new ideas good
methods and, above all energy This meas
ure is one greatly needed, and the results
reasonably expected therefrom Will make
San Juan much more agreeable as resi-
denCe to Americans.
General Henry is becoming thoroughly ac-
quainted with the city of San Juan; almost
nXyo~ oft hp mt n n
spection with some member of his stan
San Juan is an overcrowded city. 1t is sur
pTsing to see the large number of poor VINO
infeSt the dirty tenementS in the upper parts
of the city, and it is almost impossible to
rent for residential purposes second floors
that are not directly over people VINO i've IN
sqUalOr foul air and confusion. This over
crowdng of the city makes desirable dwell
ing houses expensive. San Juan has not
been able to accommodate the three or four
hundred Americans (besides the soldiers VINO
provided for in bdrrackS). VINO. CURING
the last two months, have come mere 10 i've
and who attempt TO live decently. Artiy
and navy officers have had much difficulty IN
obtaining good quarters for their iaTIliss'
and rents are advancing rapidly, and unduly.
costs to-day about SIS a barrel! Gen. HehTy
will take steps to regulate TINS state OF al
fairs The reason of this excessive price Is
traceable to duties and high municipal tax
alton. and it is these latter WHEN the rev
Governor will change. a..
There are many people in the country qls-
tricts who are literally half starved. Ihey
are aenemic, wretchedly nouflsneu anu Sou-
sequentIy unfit for proper mental and phys
icaI effort The maintaining of the poor
classes in this debilitated CONDITION seems GO
have, been a part of SPANS governmental
these sufferers even if he finds it necessary
to issue them rationS. A knoWleuSe OI lllS
state of affairs would serve 20 alspei sonIe
ers scratching the soil for bountiful living.
PORTO RICAN NATIVES.