The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-28
THEY NEED PROPER FOOD
Porto Ricans Deprived of the
Necessaries of Life.
MUST HAVE MEAT AND FISH
The Laboring Glasses Are Inferior to
Those OF America Because They
asvs Not sufncient Nourish-
ment-To Remove Tariff.

Correspondence of the Associated Presa
San Juan de Porto Rico. Nov. 17.-Dr
Amadeo. a Porto Rican who has passed
much of his life in the United States.
recently made a study OF the foods OF
the poorer classes Of his countrymen
and has embodied some Of the results
of his labor In an open letter to Major
General Brooke. His statements have
the ring Of fact and they are interesting
In that they give an idea of what the
island laborer is and of what can fairly
United States. In the course OF his let
ter DIR. Amadeo says:
Five years ago. upon my return
from the United States, I began to
make certain comparisons between the
poor of Porto Rico and the poorer
classes among Americans. i notice a
physical inferiority among the Porto
Ricans. The blame for this should be
laid at Spain's door. for she. by rea-
saries OF life. always prevented the
poor man here from obtaining proper
nourishment.
THE science OF nourishment shows
us that man. in order to retain his
health, should consume daily about 124
grammes of nitrogenized matter. $40
grammes OF matter containing starch
and 55 grammes containing grease.
Hence the indispensability of meat. But
the laborer of Porto Rico lived on car
donates of hydrogen alone. Meat Is a
luxury he very rarely tastes.
This largely explains the condition
Of the laboring classes OF Porto Rico
the muscular system wasting away
from ineffective nourishment and the
brain inactive and dull because de-
prived OF phosphates. Moreover. ex-
elusive nourishment of this kind en-
genders severe organic troubles In the
end. dangerous and common dis
ease of the liver Is the direct result
among our people OF a diet OF bananas.
We cannot expect from men on such
diet that degree OF intelligence and ac-
tivity which would be found In men
properly nurtured. I am a country
physician. and when my patients come
to me for relief from their many in
firmities I am Obliged to say to them:
You do not need drugs and medicines.
but you do need meat and fish and
nourishment.' These are very import
ant facts to us and we sincerely hope,
as a source of possible relief, that Cen
eral Brooke will do all in his power to
secure the admission into this island
free from all customs duties salted
fish and meats from the United States
and of rice and -four.
ITO the man who works for 30 cents
in silver day. we should try to give a
market I'm which his 50 cents will buy
him proper nourishment. I believe the
regeneration of this island should be-
gin by restoring the health Of It's peo-
ple. Surely 1t would be a pity IL the In
habitants of a part of the rich Ameri-
can union should be without proper
nourishment. Such a state of affairs
was comprehensive under the Spanish
regime. but II would he hard. indeed.
20 understand under the control of a
government whose first principle Is To
care for it's people. as In Porto Rico.
care for. the people resolves itself now
into their proper nourishment.
"A majority OF the Porto Ricans are
of European extraction. They cannot
support life In roofless houses and In
the open woods. as can the black races
Of Africa. We should make II possi-
homes at least as good as those Of their
forefathers. This could be done bv
permitting the entrance free from all
restrictions and duties of the compon-
ent parts of simple houses. such as
boards. joists. iron roofing and nails.
IT consider these recommendations
which I venture to submit to be OF
prime necessity for the good Of the peo-
ple. Humanity demands their adoption.
The people or classes I'm Porto Rico
cannot be expected to appreciate their
obligations to the United States. much
less fulhll intelligently the duties Of
American citizens. because their en-
feebled mental and physical condition.
the direct result of mal-nutrition.
makes this impossible to them. We
should proceed with the work Of social
reconstruction OF this island. but In or
der to have healthy minds to work
upon we must first secure healthy
bodies. But We cannot look for healthy
bodies In a country where excessive
tariffs would continue to prevent the
poorer classes from eating bread and
meat and to compel them to resort for
sustenance to roots and bananas"