The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-11-14

Among the new citizens who crowded
up to buy large quantities OF stamps
was one woman most anxious to have
cashed an old lottery ticket that in days
gone by had drawn two hundred dollars.
There is a class of Porto Ricans who
are prone to kick" they seek every
Rico pays today a higher postal rate
than 1t did under Spain has been an
open field for those who chemically OBJ
ject. Formerly 1t cost five cents local
money to send a letter to countries in
the postal union; and three cents for an
island delivery. Now they must pay
five cents gold or ten cents local money
for a foreign letter, and two cents gOld
or four cents local money for an island
delivery. They do not stop to realize
that they will eventually get much
better service than formerly, a service
worth to them much more than this
difference in rates. So there have been
unreasonable complaints about the
postal service. Mr.. Van Allstyne, post
master at San Juan, and his assistants,
are doing excellent work; they have
theoretically taken hold Of a difficult
problem and there is no doubt that Mr..
Van AlIstyne will shortly organize an
some of our pOStmaSter'S difficulties and
an observance of what he is doing to
overcome them can now be seen among
the more reasonable tOWnSpeOple; they
are disposed to give him a fair show
and his ways and methods are already
scoring.
X.
editor of the Independent and now Pres
ident McKin1ey'S special commissioner
to this island, arrived here last week.
Mr.. Carroll will do here what Mr.. Por-
ter did in Cuba Mr.. Carroll will make
a personal investigation into the laws,
customs and manners of the country;
he will study the agricultural, CONNER
cial and financial questions; he will in
form himself upon the questions of gov
eminent, both municipal and general,
and during his work he will come into
close contact with all classes of Porto
RicanS and CLEAN from them the best
suggestions and ideas they have con-
corning their own affairs. Mr.. Carroll
approaches his task with a clear and
unprejudiced mind. The result of his
labors, which will be handed in a report
to President Mckinley, will have much
influence upon Porto RicO's future and
the islanders deem themselves fortunate
in having sent to them a man of Mr..
CARROTS standing and reputation His
work will occupy several months and
during his stay he will visit every town
of any Importance on the island. Mr..
Carroll has already opened an office in
San Juan.
The Spaniards have all gone. General
Ortoga and the last troops sailed on
the TRANSPORT Montevideo Sunday and
the Newark saluted the generals de-
parting vessel with thirteen guns. San
Juan is quiet. When the departing
Spanish troops were in town they were
busy changing their Porto Rican money
into the coinage of the peninsula, by
which transaction they lost heavily, and
they bought many things to remind
them of the last four hundred years.
After them came the Americans-the
Sixth immunes coming in and the Sixth
ssachusetts going out-and the Amer
lean soldier is free spender. The retail
business of San Juan doomed during
those days and now the shOpkeepers are
wishing the troops were back What
if they did wear out the walters and
break crockery? They had money and
it was the natives business to get it,
an obligation to which they strictly at,
tended
The band of the Eleventh infantry
has begun it's regular open air Sunday
night concerts in the plaza. The music
has been enthusiastically received.
These concerts have always been pop
ular and their immediate resumption by
the Americans was a good and polite
move.
Last Sunday evening saw the pro-
verbal crowd Of proverbially beautiful
senoritas on the plaza. When at the
end of the concert the band played the
Porto Rican national song, La Bor-
rinquiena," followed by the Star
Spangled Banner" the applause was
prolonged and pleasing.