The herald., 1898-12-13
LOS ANGELES HERALD: TUESDAY MORNING. DECEMBER

racks kerosene torches to light their music.
The electric lights of the town are out OF
order and the row of feeble gas lamps that
surround the plaza do nothing more than
make objects dimly visible. The southern
side of the plaza is the only proper sioe
upon which to promenade. A sharp ois.
tinction concerning the proprleties are
drawn here. Only the common people Of
the town parade on the northern side OF
the plaza. Along the southern side some
enterprising man puts. long row OF rock
ing chairs and rents them out at ten cents
each for the evening. The band plays in
the center and up and down the south side
walk the best people. 1t is an endless
march to the shutting OF mems feet and the
strains of American music. Spanish words
predominate, of course, yet there is con
siderable English spoken and some bright
American girl, the wife OF an officer or the
daughter of some high official, gay and
trim in last summers dress, finds the army
men to walk with her through the prom
enaders. The town clock calls each quarter
OF hour with changing bell, and cafes on
the ground are always busy AT O'Clock
it is all over and the plaza takes on its ac-
Gust toned nightly and deserted appearance.
Lieutenant Allen c. Bakewell arrived re-
Gently in San Juan, bringing American flags
for the school children of Porto Rico. Col
onel Bakewell comes here as the volunteer
representative of Lafayette Post No. l4O,
and the flags in question are furnished by
the Post in accordance with its custom an
usage in promoting education and loyalty
in school children. Colonel Bakewell will
supply 600 flags to the island, a number sut-
ticient to give one to every public and pri-
vate school in Porto Rico. The first pre-
sentations were made at 930 this morning
on San Juan's principal plaza. There were
assembled all the teachers, principals OF the
several schools in the city, including lot
of little boys from the Orphan Asylum. The
band played patriotic airs and the flags
dotted the sunny childcrowded square with
brilliant bits of color. There were. rich
children and some poor ones. Some tsir as
Germans, others as black as they could be.
At the head of each school procession
marched the standard bearer of the colors
that in the future would bring to, its new
followers much that the flag which has gone
at last denied to their fathers in the past.
The position OF the Catholic. Church
in the island today may be called strange,
and even illogical. Merchants, farmers,
business men. civilian employees, all classes
of society, have their defenders. and those
who busy themselves with striving for their
future benefits. The newspapers are open
to all who would complain of abuses or who
sees mention of the church therein. The
church alone seems to have been forgotten
Men of the church who discuss this present
situation are fully aware of the fact that the
Government Of the United States does not
support any church or creed, and that the
Church of Rome from this time on must
stand upon its own feet and expect lively
competition in religious matters. The
clergy say there has been great change Of
feeling evidenced since the Americans took
possesson that the people seemed glad to
let the church make its fight alone and un
aided, and few come to its help and sup
port.
old faith with their old flag say the clergy
"Thev are still Catholic but the voices of a
few free thinkers are stronger than the
weak. half-hearted effort of over 100000
members"
General Brooke recently issued an order
stating that with the exception of such as
had already been abolished. all existing
Spanish duties and taxes should he collected.
Now. the moneys being collected. were esti.
mated by Spain with the idea Of paying
certain amount of them to the clergy. but
since September of this year they have not
received n cent, and are assured that they
will get nothing in the future. The clergy
ask why thev are to be elimin qted from the
payments? They are included in the esti-
mates for taxation and the taxes are being
collected the money to pay them amounting
to over 2nO. 900 pesos year.
Porto Rico is TODAY. and always has been,
entirely Roman Catholic. There is Pro
testant Church at Ponce, hut this "a the only
alien house of worship on the island, and the
followers of Protestantism have never
heen numerous. For the FIRST time in its
history. San .Iuan has heard the words of a
Protestant religious service. Rev. W. Fl.
Sloan of Mexico CITY Yesterday road this
service in Snanish and in English. DR.. Car
honel placed his spacious office ut Mr..
Sloan's disposal for this purpose, and at the
morning service in English the room was
filed, many soldiers being present.