The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-12-18
The Name of Porto Rico.


Shall the name of Porto Rico be
changed? II the island had always been
called Puerto Rico there might be some
excuse for the retention OF the name
however Inappropriate; imInemoriai Gus
tom is worthy OF respect But the extern
fsion OF the name of the principal port 10
the whole island is usage OF compara-
lively recent origin. Il is easy enough
10 see how the usage originated YES
sells clearing for this gem Of the An
TILES nine times out Of ten We're billed
Tor Puerto Rico-or. as the city became
known later. San Juan de Puerto Rico
Hence the confusion OF the name OF the
usual port OF Dissipation with that II
the island The compound name san
Juan de Puerto Rico given 10 the prin-
eipal seaport. Is The result OF another con-
fusion Columbus when he discovered the
island. gave 1.-THE name San Juan Bau-
tista est John the Baptistg. in accord
ance with his habit Of seeking sanity
patrons for his newly found countries
This appellative was soon found to be
too cumbersome for common use. even
for people as ieisurely as were the Span
iards OF that day; and in a letter dated
Zoe, addressed 10 Don Diego Colon, the
son of the Great Admiral. the King Of
Spain referred 10 the island as ia ISia
San Juan" or the Island OF san Juan.
Strange proof OF the mental topsy-turVi-
ness OF the human race that the original
Spanish name OF the island should have
been transferred 10 its capital. and the
lIanle of the latter applied 10 the island,
And what a travesty of common sense 10
call the city San Juan de Puerto Rico, in
stead of Puerto Rico de san Juan-St.
John Of the Rich Port instead OF the
Rich Port Of 81. John,
Even the name given to the island by
its immortal discoverer did not stick, and
San Juan from the very beginning was
frequently replaced by the ancient Carib
speculative Boriquen- As early as 1895 81
is referred to by DR.. Chanca as Burr
ouen." A year later Pedro Matir de An
gleria called the island ''Burichena," and
Juan de 10 CoSa in IJG0 translated the
Carib name "BOriquen." a spelling ad-
hered to by the leading Spanish writers
and historians in the Sixteenth and Sew
enteenth centuries. Fra lingo Abbad the
leading authority on the history of the
island. in 17SS adopted the form "Borin-
quen." and in this he is stiu followed
by the local newspaper press. DR.. Caye-
tsno Coll y Toste, Puerto Rican lin
gust OF note, however. in an exhaustive
brochure settled upon 'Boriquen." BY
dividing the word into three syllables.
Bo-ri-quen. and translatng them through
comparison with CaTib words containing
the same sounds and whose meaning
is known, he arrived At the conclusion
that the name meant the country OF the
Valiant Chief" DR.. Coils arguments
seemed satisfactory TO Washington Irv-
ing, at any rate, and in his writings the
island is called Boriquen. Senior CASTELAR,.
the eX-President of the short lived Span
ish republic. also employs the name Bori-
qUen in referring 10 the island. The form
Barquien still survives in the name Of 4
cape on the northwest coast. and tho
name La Borinduena is Displayed on signs
ever the shops in many cities OF thu
island.
The present time, when the island is
about 20 be legally incorporated into our
domain. would seem 10 be propitious for a
raveling of the tangle of names and mis-
nomers from which a beautiful island has
So long and so neediessly suffered. The
adoption of the aboriginal name would he
eonformable 10 American practice; and
why should not the Carib appellstive be
adaptable in remaining Puero Rico? The
aboriginal name OF Cubt has supplanted
all those which the Spanish discoveries
and couqustadOrs sought 10 fasten on
that island, and II an authoritative de-
claration be required to help along a SINH
lar process in Puerto Rico. let the fiat
go forth Boriquen or Boriquena would
be satisfactory on the score Of euphony.