The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-06-24
Does Uncle Samuel
Want Porto Rico ?
Here Are the Facts About That Island.
Draw Your Own Conclusions.

are Jcbaros, 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 Il fine one, showing the regular
features and small feet of the Euro
peans. The Jcbaroe are revUlutlonists
to a 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 re-
main mostly undevcloped, and of the
three quarters Of a million Of white
and JebarO inhabitants less than lO0,-
900 can read and write.
MISGOVERNMENT.
The Porto Ricans have no voice in
their government, as it is directly con-
trolled by the Spanish cortcs, in which
the representatives Of Porto Rico WELD
no influence. There is no vcstige Of
local sclf-govcrnment.
The situation is aggravated by the
unwrittcn but nevertheless unbroken
rule that no native Of the island shall
hold an official position. The "Peninsu-
lars" as the Spaniards are called, oc-
Cupy every judicial as well as military
post. Their number, including the SOL
diory, is somewhat under $4,000, and al
most all of them are supported from
the pockets of the native Porto Ricans.
These alien office holders drain the
colony Of its public money. Their
manners and high-handed
actions have brought upon them the
hatred of natives. They come to the
province with the single object of maxi
ing money and their vcnality has cor
rupted the public service 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 well
as imports, and by a series of petty
personal taxes such as none but a
spiritlcss people would willingly stand.
These include stamped paper, toll
on railroad passengers and freight, and
even on the consumption Of food.
The total revenue collected in a year
from this little island is $3947.S75. OF
this S3,297,2j5 goes directly for MAIN
tanning the standing army and navy,
W ll'St Sllt IluI l'St II " hNtl III OuD-
lection the people who support hem.
OF the remaining $6jO,OOO, but a small
share is devoted to public purposes
that will benefit the people Of the ISL
and, as the largest portion goes to en-
ployes of the public works all of whom
are Suaniards.
MILITARY FORCES.
The regular military force in Porto
Rica, under the command Of the Cap
tain General, numbers 45OO men, includ-
ing two batteries of artillery and two
squadrons of cavalry. They are well
armed and disciplined and were re-
cruited by Spain. There is also a corps
of 500 police and IA battalions of volun-
teers containing about 5000 men. The
volunteers are not natives of the ISL
and. Since the last uprising, when a
battalion of Porto Ric ms went over
to the insurgents, the natives have
not been called upon to serve.
The naval station consists of two
small gunboats with rapid-firing guns.
The fortificatiOns of the island, while
impotent before modern irOnCladS,
serve as formidable obstacles to a re-
volution. At st. Johns there are three
fortitiCations on whose bastiOns are
mounted some ancient cannon and six
teen Krupp guns of and 6 calibre.
These defenCes have been strengthened
during the last few weeks; but Moro
Castle, which guards the entrance to
the harbor, is an old stone and plaster
building, no stronger than it was a
century ago. In Ponce and Mayaguez
there are old batteries, while small
forts to oVerawe the populace stand
at frequent intervals along all high
ways.
1t is not to be wondered that the
people of Porto Rico, carrying, likeSin-
bad, the weight of a Spanish Old-man-
mountain, have little surplus
energy to eXpend in intellectual or
commercial activity.