The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-04
OUR DUTY IN PORTO RICO.
WHAT BRIG. GEN. Guy Y. HENRY,
LATE GOVERNOR GENERAL OF
THE ISLAND SAYS.


on Their Exports, and Though Now
n Part of the United states. They
PAY as Much on Exports to This
Country "a Foreign Nntions-Ac-
ton NuSt BE Left 10 COngress-N ny
work on Public Roads Was stop
ned. and Why the Island Is sin
Under Military acknowledgements
for the Future.
New York. Sept 1.-The recent tornado
in Porto Rico was in my opinion, direct
visitation of Providence" said Brig. Gen.
Guy Y. Henry late governor general of
Porto Rico, and now on detached duty in
Plattsburgh. near President Mckinley.
III was sent by Providence TO attract the
attention of the American people to the
crying needs Of that stricken island, and
10 dispeI the growing disuust Of the Porto
Ricans toward the United States.
Both ends have been gained, and now
that thousands of dollars and shiploads
OF provisions and other supplies have been
so generously poured into the island by
Americans. discomfort there viii vanish,
and needful reforms quickly follow"
speak with such authority on Porto Rico,
its present condition, and its future, as
can Brig. Gen. Ghy V. Henry, late gov
ernor general of the island.
His distinguished services as one of
Gen. Miles commanders in the attack on
Porto Rico, his experience as governor of
the district of Ponce. and later as govern
Of 4 ieIa nd i'm
an exceptional opportunity to study the
people and the situation in this, the first
of our colonies.
From time TO time during the past few
months items have appeared in the daily
press stating briefly that the condition of
The island was not what 1t should be.
Delegates and individuals have paid I'M
official visits TO Washington from Porto
Rico, and in one instance a committee of
representative citizens journeyed from the
island to our national capital for the sole
purpose of appealing to the President for
relief from what they termed grievous
wrongs and expressions.
They stated, and with apparent truth,
that the condition of the Porto Ricans is
worse under American rule than il ever
was under Spain.
They told in detail how their markets
had been taken from them, their money
placed on a peculiar basis a high and
totally unjust tariff enforced, and as a
special grievance, how they were being
kept under military control and compelled
to see armed forces in command of their
homes, Notwithstanding the fact that they
had come into the American union gladly
and with eagerness
They Bade Us welcome.
''When you landed and drove away the
Spaniards we welcomed you with open
arms" said a member of the committee
of business men from San Juan. I'VE said
to our compatriots and our families, See,
the Americans viii take our beloved island
into the great union, and we viii be as
prosperous and happy as the states there.
We will have freedom, and business viii
increase, and Porto Rico viii laugh with
joy and plenty But il is now many
months since the Spanish flag came down
and The Stars and Stripes rose in its
place, and what is our condition? Our
people are Wretched and miserable. In
the mountain districts the very poor die
from starvation. Those who raised cattle
and coffee and had trade with Cuba
trade which brought them a competence
have had that trade ruined by an exces-
sive duty. We are a part of the United
States, yet we pay import and export
taxes the same as Spain or any other
foreign country.
I'VE are a doeile people, yet you must
regard us with suspicion and hostility,
else you would not keep our own promi-
nent men in the background and admins
ter our affairs with military officers, UNI
acquainted with our needs, our mode of
living and our character l ask you, my
friend. is all this right?'
That there are some grounds for the
complaints made in The appeal of this
Porto Rican cannot be denied In fact, it
is tacitly admitted by President Mckinley
his adj igprS Init "a there are papar-
ally two sides to every story, some ex-
cuse can be found for the apparent IN
justice being done the Porto Ricans.
in regard 10 the question of high tariff
still being enforced in the island" Brig.
Gen. Guy " Henry SAID TO the writer,
"the condition OF affairs is as follows:
When the American forces obtained con
troll of Porto Rico it was necessary 20 rec
ognize some form of government for the
time being. We did not have any ready
made principles and plans to apply at
once, SO the laws then governing the is
land were continued in force The tariff
on exports and imports was in Spanish
and il was some weeks before ii could be
translated into English.
when the translation was made, GER
tain high duties on such articles as -four
and grain were lowered, but the main
schedule was continued for the time being.
The people found themselves doubly bur
uGneu. lneN tOSN lneH Interstate trade WIN
Spain, that country having imposed an
excessive duty on al articles as soon as
the island was coded to the United States,
and they gained no free trade with the
Eatter country.
An Increase All Around.
In addition. through an unaccountable
error, the duties between Porto Rico and
America were actually increased. This is
due 10 the difference in value between the
Porto Rico peso and the American dollar,
the former being worth only GO cents. In
the payment Of dues at the custom houses
on the island, the American value is called
for so il naturally follows that the poor
Porto Rican, when called uIon 10 pay 'o1e
dollar duty on any article, must sur
render one dollar and sixty cents, or sixty
cents, Porto Rican money more than he
paid under Spanish misrule!"
On this question the United States insu-
lar commission consisting OF Robert r.
Kennedy, c. w. Watkins and II. G. Cur
tls) sent down by the President last FEB
ruary has this to say
"The people of Porto Rico find them
selves In an anomalous position. BY the