The herald., 1898-05-23


Porto Rico was discovered by Columbus
in November, 1893.
The island was the "Borinquen" of the
aboriglnes.
AT the time of its discovery It is estimated
that there were 100000 native Inhabitants
on the island.
The first invasion by Spain was In 1910.
In that year Ponce de Leon led an army
of invasion from Hayti and founded the
town Of Caparra.
Caparra was soon afterward abandoned
and is now the city OF Puerto viejo.
In 1911, with more success, Ponce de Leon
founded the city of San Juan Bautista, the
present capital
BY the end Of 1918 Ponce de Leon had
subdued and practically exterminated the
native population.
In 1896 San Juan was sacked by Drake.
Three years later 1893. the Duke Of Cum
berland attacked the capital and laid 1t
waste after three days fighting.
In 1915 Baldwin Heinrich attacked the
CASTILLO del Mono, but failed to take It and
lost his life In the engagement.
In 1878 the English made an equally I'M
successful attempt to capture the forts pro-
tecting the capital.
Abercrombie, In 1897, was compelled to
retire after q three days siege.
The first movement toward q declaration
of independence on the part Of the Porto
Ricans was made In 1920.
This first struggle was stubborn, but Span
ish supremacy was completely re-estab-
llshed by 1923.
AS in all of her colonies, Spain's tyranny
barbarity and misrule had become unbear-
able.
Cuba and Porto Rico have since been
striving for the same result-independenc
So-called autonomy has been thrown out
to the Porto Ricans, just as 1t has to the
Cubans, as a means Of abatlng insurrec-
tlons.
The native population, while revolving
again and again against Spanish tyranny,
has not possessed courage and persistence
like the Cuban insurgents.
On account Of its small size, about forty
by one hundred mles-the island affords
little room for maintaining, for any con-
siderable time, guerrilla warfare against
trained Spanish army.
AS the native population is SO large, II
promptly helped by expeditions from out
side, the odds would be against Spain.
The most serious attempt at revolution
was in 1868.
An uprising occurred in Lares In 1869. but
was over In day.
Several sympathetic attempts to throw
off the yoke Of Spanish oppression have
been made since the beginning of the Gu
ban struggle, notably one in April. 1897,
when insurgents fired the town Of Yauco
and operated near Adjuntas.
The leaders of the rebel bands were cap
tured and tried in secret.
The Cuban revolutionary party is pledged
not to accept independence from Spain I'M
less Porto Rico is recognized at the same
time
On account Of his inability to reconcile
the Porto Ricans to autonomy, General
Marin, bitterly hated for his oppression,
was compelled to resign as governor-gen-
eral Of the island last December. Hts
cruel regime solidified the revolutionary
population.
The island forms once province of Spain,
with laws resembling In general those Of
the mother country.
1t is under the command Of the governor
general, who is also the captain-general Of
the army, and is assisted by a cabinet.
There is the usual provincial assembly,
court Of claims, a chief engineer of public
works, a chief engineer Of mines and minor
functionaries.
The island elects three senators and If
teen deputies to the Spanish cortes, and
twenty-seven provincial deputies.
The island was declared a province of
Spain In 1870.
The population has grown from slS 900 In
| 1880 to about 100000, making II at present
one of the most thickly settled portions of
the globe In proportion to its size.
Porto Rico was Spanish penal colony
for three centuries.
Slavery on the island was abolished by
the Spanish cortes in March, 1873.