The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-12-12
Much Discomfort is Manifested
i'm Porto RicOs
Trouble OccasfOned by Rival
Political Factions.
SOCIALISM is THERE
And It's Leader is Put in Jail
Now
Just as He Was Under Spanish
Rule.

huA6s
San Juan de Porto Rico, Dec. 12.-
The past week in San Juan has shown
certain developments in the general sit
uation of the island and drifting straws
have been seen which indicate the cur
rent of a growing discomfort. There
has been much trouble all over the is
land since the American government
assumed a military protectorate con-
corning the appointments of mayors
and cOuncilnen to the different NUM-
cipalities, of which there are in all y.
Men so appointed and those already in
office have been resigning and squab-
bling among themselves and express
ing their displeasure at the appoint
ment of some colleague. The fact that
Gen. Brooke declined to grant to the
council of Ponce the privileges of the
autononist constitution which they
were arrOgating to themselves, is ever
present IN the minds of the defeated
autOnOmiStS. The accordance of this
privilege would have been for them a
great victory. The best judgment here
suStains Gen. Brooke in this action. If
the privilege was granted to one coun-
ell 1t would have to be granted to all,
and each one of Porto RicO's 70 NUM-
c1pahties, acting with the power and
latitude contemplated by the autono-
mist platform, would have brought
much confusion to the island.
The autonomist party set up a pro-
Ionged howl of discomfort, in which,
among other things, they declared that
MunOZ Rivera, leader of Gen. -Brooke's
cabinet, had betrayed them, in so much
as he had used his influence to bring
about the decision against their de-
mands.
Munoz is an element Of political dis
cord Six months ago he Electrically
declared that he would die wrapped in
the flag of Spain and he was the first
Porto Rican to swear allegiance to the
United States He is the present sec
rotary OF state and since October II the
head of Gen. BrOOke's advisory cabinet
in insular affairs. He is a capable man,
determined, energetic, forcefuI and a
schemer. He is ambitious and he prob
ably long ago determined to become the
political ruler of Porto Rico. The other
members of the cabinet are Hernandez
Lopez, Salvador CarbOneI and DR.. Coil
IOSu- These men, with the eXcep-
ton of DR.. Coil Tosti, who was re-
Gently appointed upon the resignation
of Julian BlancO, former secretary OF
the treasury, have been Gen. BrOOke'S
advisers since October IS. They all are
Liberals, of the same party as Munoz
and they owe much to MunoZ in the
past. Gen. Brooke was of necessity de-
pendent on these men in forming opin-
ions on local affairs. consequently i
was possible for them in a measure to
influence his judgment.
There is rniId-mannered man named
IglesiaS in Porto Rico who is called So
cialist and Anarchist. He advocated
an S-hour labor day; that the state
should maintain women for a period
preceding and following childbirth and
similar demands. He works in the in
terests of labor; he brought about the
strikes among the working classes for
higher wages: he has been imprisoned
under Spain and he is in prison today.
The recent strike among the typesetterS
in San Juan for an increase in wages
was of his doing. Typesetters were paid
about IS pesos a month They consid-
cred they should have more and they
struck for it. They have been absolute
~ orderly and nave IN no way WhatSO-
ever disturbed the peace. There are old
charges against Iglesias, made some
time during Spanish control in which it
is said that he maligned Mr. MunOz
and the government of Spain. Soon af-
ter the typesetters strike in San Juan,
Iglesias was summoned before MunOz
and ordered by him to leave the island
forthwith This Iglesias properly de-
clined to do. Soon after he and the edi-
tor Of a paper who supported him were
in Jail, where they have now been for
five days without trial or charges be-
ing preferred. Such measures strongly
remind the Porto Ricans of the old days
of Spanish rule and the cases mention
ed are not the only ones of arbitrary
imprisonment without the preferment
of charges.
General Brooke is about to leave Por-
to Rico. He has had much to contend
with here, and while his health is good, |
he is wearied by the hard work he has
done. The best elements in Porto Rico
are alive to his efforts in their behalf
and are truly sorry to see him go. The
last thing he did was to repeal the royal
dues on transfer of property, which |
have been a most unfair and discrimf- |
mating contribution upon the people. /
General Guy V. Henry, formerly of /
Ponce, viii succeed him as governor of /
the military department of Porto Rico. |
Men will watch General Henry's move |
ments with interest for radical change I
of policy in the administration The /
men who want this radical change are I
daily growing in number and the news /
that comes from the states that PreSi- I
dent Mckinley had decided to put /
American officers in all high civil posts /
is generally we'll accepted.
Each day seems to see more Ameri- /
cans on the streets of San Juan. The /
men came first, then came the most /
venturesome of the women; now are |
coming timid wives and even children, |
who pick up Spanish with a rapidity +
that their elders cannot attain. The
women who thus come down here must
be prepared to undergo much in the /
way of discomfort in living. Hotel ac-
Communications are at best poor indeed
and houses are scarce, dirty and almost |
ninhabitable. Of course there are /
exceptions, some fairly comfortable
houses have been obtained, but only
few, and each day they are harder to
find and their rentals advance steadily
with the demand San Juan needs
much Improvement in the matter of liv-
ing accommodations offered before an
American naval officer can feel safe in
his family.
In thousands of South American and |
West Indian towns that boast a plaza !
and a military band there is music on !
the plaza at 8 o'clock on Sunday even
ings. San Juan is one of the few such
towns where the music is American |
f7r1x- Two