Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1898-05-19

tnre to support happy and indus
trtous population.
The people themselves are superior
in blood and industry to those OF any
island in the West Indies. Cuba not
excepted. OF q population OF 500, 900
in 1890, nearly half milton were
whites Of unmlNed blood, and but
1900 were negroes or mulattoes. or
the MIXED population quite 500. 900
are the Jeharos, an uncommon people
said to be Of Spanish stock with
drops of the native Indian blood IN
them, They are small farmers and
lahorers, The race is a fine one.
showing the regular features and small
feet of Europeans, The lobaros are
revolutionists to q 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 vet the islands resources
remain mostly undeveloped and of
10000 of white and Jeharo inhabit-
ants, less than 100000 can read and
write
The Porto RicauS have no voice In
their government. AS II is directly con-
trolled by the Spanish cortes, in which
the representatives of Porto Rico WELD
no influence. There Is no vcstiGe OF
local government
The situation is aggravated by the
unwritteu but nevertheless unhroken
rule that no native ot the island shall
hold an official position. Tho 'renin-
sulars, as the Spauiards are called,
occupy every judicial as we'll rs mill
tary post, Their number, Including
the soldiery, is somewhat under $4,000,
and almost 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 domineering manners and high
handed actions have brought upon
them the hatred Of the natives. They
come to the province with the single
object of making money and their
venality has corrupted the public serv~
ice to such an extent that bribery Ia
now necessary In procuring n decision
in every court of Justice, The taxes,
which are hurdensomo, are raised by
duties on exports az we'll as imports,
and by n series of petty personal taxes
such as none but spiritless people
would willingly stand. These include
stamped paper n toll on railroad pas
sengcrs and freight, and even on the
consumption Of food
Tho total revenue collected In a
year from this little island Ia SS,9i7,-
S75. OF this $$,29T@a6 goes directly
for maintaining the standing army and
navy, whose sole purpose Is TO keep
in subsection the people who support
them, OF the remaining $3.50. 600. but
Il small share ~ devoted to public
purposes that viii benefit the people
of the island, MS the largest portion
goes to employees Of the public works
all of whom are Spantards,
The regular military force In Porto
Rico, under the command OF the cap.
tain general, numbers 1900 men, In
two squadrons OF cavalry. They are
well armed and disciplined, aud we're
recruited in Spain. There Is also a
corps Of 500 police and fourteen bat
tallons of volunteers containing about
5000 men. The volunteers are not
natives of the island. Since the last
uprising. when battalion OF Porto
Ricans went over to the insurgents
the natives have not been called on &c
serve. The naval station consists OF
two small gunboats with rapid firing
guns. The Notifications of tho island
while impotent before modern iron
clads, serve as formidable obstacles Ia
a revolution. At 81. Johns there are
three Notifications on whose bastions
arc mounted some ancient cannon aud
sixteen Krupp guns Of 4 and 0 caliber
| These defenScs have been strength
ened during the last few weeks. but
MORO castle. which guards the en-
trance TO the harbor is an old stone
and-plaster building, no stronger than
II was a century ago. In Ponce ana
Mayaguez there are old batteries.
while small forts to oyer-awe the pop
'lIace stand at frequent intervals along
all highways. 1t is not to be won.
dered that the people OF Porto Rico,
carrying, like SInbad. the weight OF a
| spanish Oldham of-the- mountain.
nave little surplus energy to expend
III Intellectual or commercial activity