The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-18
Porto Rico Journalism.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
San Juan. Porto Rico, Jan. 2.-The life
of u Porto HiCan Journalist or editor III
Porto Rico, has been known in the past
a. career full of trials vlcissitudes
ana disgustos. There was ample reason
FOR this opinion, and even today the ed-
tor of Il local paper is subjected to pecd-
liar conditions and many difficulties.
Politics are and have been the reason
Of being of almost every Porto Rcan
newspaper. And politics in Porto Rico
nave been peculiar. They have been con-
tests filled with all sorts of bitter person
alitle5, OF ranCor and squabbling; con-
tests where principle, platform and party
idea are lost and forgotten in the fight
against your opponent as person. 1t
is seldom politician would seem to be
opposed because Of the party principle
he represents. but because of the rascal,
he bIuckguard and the rObbcr which he
is asserted to be. So newspapers spTirg
into existence with the main idea of at
tack or defense; attacks always personal,
dotenscs against the gruundless and base
insinuations of men who are no better
than they should be- etc This condi-
Non OF affairs, as can readily bC seen,
vas sufficient to bring excitement and
annoyance into the lives of editors COu-
pied with these normal and accepted cir
cumstances was always the possibility OF
government Interference and the retaia-
tion of your political opponent should he
ascend to power Both of these con
JingencicS meant imprisonment
o
1t is said. and the writer has learned
that many truthful remarks are made
in Porto Rice Notwithstanding the aver
age Americans tendency to disbelieve
all that is told him. it is said that
10 Of 10
political leader who in spite of the efforts
of his many opponents was elected to
power, imprisoned every editor in San
Juan city with the exception of two, one
being close personal friend and the
other the editor of his own organ, as
well as every editor in the whole island
who had been his enemy during the trou.
blOuS days of his campaigning. There is
no Porto RiCan editor of any prominence
or who has been long engaged in jour-
nalism, who is not thoroughly familiar
with the inside of prison walls. Papers
sprung up and grew with mushroom rHp-
idity until the editor was hailed to iGil,
then they were forgotten and today exist
only in the recollection of the fearless
young editor who is still particularly bit
ter against the man who sent him to
prison.
The war was an especially troubled and
dangerous time for journalists. As a
result Of the times and consequent trou-
hles many papers ceased to appear. some
for reasons of wise discretion. others for
reasons entirely beyond the power and
control of their editors. AS soon as the
American forces took possession of san
Juan. one after another of these journals
resumed business. some with a few re-
marks explaining the reasons of their re-
cent diSCOutinuance, others with 4 brief
outline of future policy and all with a
fOWerY Welcome to the new power in the
land. Editors We're feeling their way
under the new conditions and were an
XiOuS to learn what freedom they would
enjoy. The writer was approached Ey
several and asked to explain the meas
urc of the liberties enjoyed by the press
of the United States.
1t was not long before the press Of
Porto Rico overstepped the liberty al
lowed by the military authority in the
land. Two papers in Ponce published
scurrilous and lying articles about the
American soldiers quartered in that city.
This regiment was the First Kentucky.
They were not blamcless in the matter,
their conduct was many things that it
should not have been, but they did not
deserve the criticism meted out to !hem
BY the newspapers in question. General
Henry, then commander Of the Ponce dis
trict, called the editors of these two pa
perS to his presence. These men quickly
acknowledged to him that their remarks
about the soldiers wore not all true. Then
General Henry told the two editors some
thing about Kentuckians ana their GUS
toms when at home. He eXaCgcratod a
little, to be sure, but he had his good
reasons for SO doing. He spoke Of the
EentuCkians' objection to being SLAM
dcred and said they were people ho
often took the punishment of offenders
against the national and state honor into
their own hands. lie incidentally de-
scribed rawhide whips, told them how
they We're prepared and how they were
sometimes used, spoke of the effects of
being beaten by them. at is seldom a
man dies from such a whipping said
the general, but he is often pretty well
distigured," Then the general said he
was really sorry for the two editors. Tie
offered to give them guard of regulars
for their protection but they family an
swered they did not think it was neces-
sary. ThCt next morning one left the
country in a sloOp for st. Thomas and
the other went into hiding outside of the
city. Now that the First Kentucky reGi-
ment has gone home the latter has
again been seen in Ponce.
--O--
In General Hcnrys outline of policy
as expressed in his two letters addressed
20 the home secretary and the insul&!
cabinet he said that newspapers woulc
not be allowed to critiCise the American
military government Of Porto Rico. II
so happened that certain paper, called
El Pals, had recently done this and Gen
eTai Henry had the editor of FL Pals
brought TO the palace. The genera
there told him that such things could nol
ne and the editor promptly promised
never TO do SO agin. When the Span.
iards had to bring an editor to the pow,
ers for reasons of warning or for arrest
they sent to him n short note which re-
qucsted him TO call at his earliest oppor
tunity. This he never failed to do. The
note sent upon these occasions beeal
with the ofticiaPs name followed by the
words ''veso sus manos," which mean,
"Iisses your hands" Thus: "Seno
So and So, chief of police Of the loya
town Of ST. John the Baptist kisses your
/ hands and will you come around to tn,
office as soon ms you have time?" UpOr
receipt Of such a note an editor was
likely to grow suddenly pale, but gen
orally lit a cigarette and went to prisol
| with good grace, The American way oi
doing this same thing is q little les,
courteous, perhaps, but under our rule