The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-25
TO THE P%ORTOR1QUENOS.
GEN. WILSON TOLD THEM or THEIR
DUTIES AND PROSPECTS.

Citizens, VGINnE Inc" OF inc AAlNh DDhe-
ats They MAJ Reap Only by the Exercise
OF self-Restraint and Proper Industry.
The following interesting remarks were
made by Gen. James H. Wilson at the coffee
plantation OF Mr.. Pierlulsi. near Ponce. Porto
Rico. Aug. 81:
GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS: It Is
with very great pleasure that / address you
thus, for now that Porto Rico has become for
ever an American dependency, we are fellow
citizens. indeed. The great republic. unlike
the governments OF Europe. has no subjects.
1t extends its rights and privileges freely and
equally to all men who reside within its far
reaching dominions. regardless OF race. color
or previous condition; makes citizens OF all
who forswear their allegiance to foreign
powers. princes and potentates and promise
henceforth to bear true faith and allegiance to
the United States.
Theexpulsion OF the Spanish power from your
beautiful and long-sufTering island. and the
hosting Of the American flag Will be followed
shortly. let us hope, by the establishment ola
stable civil government, based on the essen
tial American principle OF local self govern
mont. The government now exercising su-
preme authority In the island, you will al I'M
derstand. is q government OF conquest. In
which the will Of the military commander is
substituted for that OF the Spanish King and
OOTIe9. III OOeS NOT pTBIeuu W mJcElOEU Wlbu
the local laws except in so far as may be
necessary to protect the army OF the United
States. and to maintain peace and good order
among the people Of the island. 1t looks
to the local courts TO do justice as be-
tween man and man. and to the mod
Grafton and good sense OF tho people
themselves for the maintenance OF pub
lie tranquility and for the cultivation Of
that perfect respect for tho rights Of persons
and property which constitutes the foundation
of the American system OF government. 1t has
been wisely said by one OF the fathers OF the
republic. that " That government is best which
governs least" and this 10 the principal which
Porto Rico should keep constantly in view.
Government interference Is necessary only
when the people. instead OF combining them
selves exclusively to their W particular at:
fairs. presume to interfere with. the affairs OF
their neighbors. II every one. high and low,
rich and poor, Po~rtoriqueno and Spaniard. de-
votes himself strictly and exclusively, to his
politics and public affairs Tor the next year.
everybody will find at the end OF that time that
the island has been well GGSyerne d, and pr os;;
proclaim you worthy Of the good fortune which
has united your destinies to those OF the Great
The American Army comes here for your de-
liverance. The past is n sealed book which it
in this region 1 1 earnestly counsei you to SO con-
slider ! II t., There hno + fsnti Gn aim ,i proY Ssnpi IN d ths
in the house: Bear and iForbesr." I trust
you will profit by this homely saying and com
mend it to the consideration OF your country
men. both insulares and peninsulares. You
must live together in peace and harmony, and
the sooner you recognize this fact the betterit
Permit me to add that as soon as the Span
iards have, evacuated the island and the soyer-
eighty of the United States Is fully established.
2 military Governor will be appointed by the
ted. How long this military government will
last must depend largely upon, the people of
4egnlar F course see Of EVENTS it a should I'D P be fpilo% Sed
by a territorial government established by act
Of Congress. and this in turn should be fol-
shall make Porto Rico a Sovereign state OF
the great republic and give, 1t all the rights
States. How many years either of the proba-
t~ionary governments may last must necessa;
rilg be er 2 matter n t # oS eSSptlSe s peer,e II q, P fbs isl and
show that they are really worthy Of, s~elf:gov-
eminent the period will be nominal. but If, I'M
rights OF each other by turbulence. intolerance
or ignorance show that they are unfit for local
surely be Withheld from them.
Permit me to add before concluding that you
are likely to meet with delay in the realization
OF your hopes from two principal causes:
First, it is well known in the United States
that Porto Rico is a Roman Catholic country.
many good people against the admission OF a
purely Roman Catholic State into the Union,
particular religion as on the feeling that the
domination Of any sect would be preiudicial to
our principles Of government. We have per
haps ten millions of Roman Catholics in the
United States, but they are. scattered through
out the various States and intermingled every
has a majority. We have no established church.
and under our polity Congress can pass no act
citizen to worship God as he pIeases. The re-
s s1g is so all the heoS churches ifss are 3 Hith e6li free.
aware, Of the fact that the Roman Catholic
means used by tho spanish Government in the
island OF Porto Rico for the control of the
lar. I am also aware ~ that the n people Of the
island while nominallv Catholic are not bigots
in religion. nor can they be regarded as in any
Government has been expelled, II can, n oionger
church will necessarily have a hard struggle
III it can establish itself on the basis Of the
Protestant Denominations in the United States
will have the right e send their missionaries
advantage will remain with the Roman Catho.
lie Church. in which the people, have
rss Be- 5ss' tor 4SS S'atfSS; tie d RhsSIsSs'' ike e a @sss
realize It's full share o. the benefits arising
from the union OF the island with the great re-
public. 1t will therefore become more liberal
and independent, as well as more powerful
than II has ever been, fortunately for you.
will. from this time forth be free to make con-
vertsi establish churches. open schools. and
circulate religious newspapers and books,
and generally to show, that it is. a
worthy teacher. and guide TO a higher
and better civilization than ever prevails
where one church holds absolute sway. It
rests. with, you and the enlightened men. Of
your island to see that henceforth every soul in
Porto Rico shall be absolutely free to Join what
church it chooses. and to worship God accord
ing to the dictates OF its own conscience. No
enlightened man in the United States ever
stops TO ask a man what his religion is. All
recognize perfect freedom OF choice for every
one else. and that God. the Compassionate. is
alone the Judge.
under my command. He carried IA cavalry
sabre manfully and we'll till the Great Rebellion
was over. and then returned to his home.
entered college. graduated. became a divinity
student, and finally n home missionary. As
such he travelled over many states. visiting the
remote dis~tricts, establishing, schools. libraries