New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-11
PORTO RICAN POLITICS.
TITS N INTRODUCING A BET
plf''1 TER FORM OF GOVERNMENT
CURSE OF THE SPANISH RULE oo ,',I,'o,' F'-
TIE G lI'' 10 CONTINUE THE AUTONOMOUS


san 90 60 present time may have sone'niHs ~
tics az '.'' .aa,,ot aspect 70 Americans nut 'heS
teInpes'-'" - s ,vpiral and representing conul-
sre mt -. no encountered elsewhere III oouh-
uon 10, have been under spanish rue. ne oN
tries ~. has left behind II, with "'her uhpe@s
.,rgs q heritage OF petty par N
az -. - oroonS the natives, the bitterness VI
sninlosi' ,.,essed rather than diminished with
wAcA .-s,,e Of the government that was
the and the substitution OF PERSONA loi
the" interests IN party life. Unoer SPANS"
ne were three parueS-'he oo''s0' 80
TUE. ,--ing porinsular interests A'N"3 -
repres now a thing OF the past; the Llo-
~ or spanish Reform. party '-"' - .t,as
era ,, oc-,lpation autonomsuc s!hp0'''''
the AM. - ~ uureservedly American. party
sno 'A' ,,,-nA AZ the present day Inc IN"
IS j 10 Nv absorbed the few remaining mem
eTaS 10 conservative. or Pennsuiar' p"i w. GU"
e@s include a majority OF the upper GAS a,'N
PEI" -r+e population OF the islhhu. D"'
p"u..r 5ave many able leaders. especla'N "ii'oUs
~ men educated in the 'ni'eo a'a,' .,+h
!oO'ss 80 having commercial reIa'l'"9
rs''h- business men. The lower classes-'ne
Amer ,ior and the poorer mixed hlooo anu
r''o ,-,la tion-couut for little IN p""'ica' 0'''
- IN shapiug party pohcy. 49,, r
OF =. before the outbreak OF the late war
s,e,r AZ last conceded an autonomous XIV
VIE" . he~ West Indian colonies, the Lperal
ANA
parU - -s MANY brilliant qualities VINO h"u
Of S'.- -, attack upon the Conservative a"-
COM with such vicor and SHIT in".' "'
tlO,-' n.r 70 look TO colonial public opinion -
..,sl fo-ce IT. ner support IL was ''0",
a. = - ~onciliate him with honors thah ~ suP
eA ~, hv violence II thus happened '."' ~
ps ,1,,so7 Rivera was summoned TO SPAIN was
L s o,6 d.ne8 by the Madrid OfilciaIs' anu am
VIM NE, .,,l Premiership OF the new autonomous
ccA -, '. &c not charged that he mas sac
- ~ the least his party prlncip'es' 'noSo
..-,es did not stand in the way OF MS car yI"s
y" s-s-,s6 wishes and Spanish principles u s''
sr.ment. - >.,,.pr-u
- .r-roNOMOUs GOVERNMENT CHAf'Ih'
..,-o-,ous government with an insuiar
.-.sls.u-e and Cabinet. Win RIVERA a -
- was found IN nominal au1horllY !" wv
D. when the Americans arrived. ms govern
~ e5,,-e6 the 1udicious policy OF continuing
me- =, sovernrnent IN power so TAR as was
.o,a with the military occupation. Ihous"
Tps,..,s were more logically and consistently
- ans svmpathizers Of the United states ]"
"a 40. sae-u wise 10 overturn connp!e'e4S the "a
-, o-la- 20 put and Inexperienced ON
SUE 4,rys NJ the local and insular govern
IS or 20 recognize party divisions IA"' HaU lo
~ 20 existence under American conUo" u
.,-. VS. a clarnor FOR office from the
-, ,.- -1is soon subsidized when II was seen
- ho-el.es q few experimental appointment
posi,s, 1uri,inal officials, where the Ola loC"
-,,,s-. had practically disappeared WIN ''''
',,or di5 not give reason 70 infer tnat com
-, CONSUMPTION % Radical for Liberal ofhclals
~. civil government would bring an imnealale
,,r,,rr n .be island This was the status quo
9, least outward'y until recently
,-,.,i, .bA lnsalar Cabinet however, there hau
80, 8 new policy developing. Il may be assuHleU
,hs, =. first the party leaders who We're mus u"-
avnsc,ssly retained in power by the American au-
tho-ss FELT too uncertain Of theiT position 70 FORM
,o,cv :, once An unanticipated deiuse had oc-
- s.-snq on the old. and they waited TO see
,bs. new forms the landscape might have as
srnsd before planning for the future.
With the g-s6ual return Of confidence. however
came the formation o. definite plan or parry
action Politics are never wholly alruistc' espe-
cialy n country IKE this. and the first thing. OF
lagass ooniroa OF the Gover''1neh'
and insure The permanency OF that cchlIoA ING
impression prevailing here that Porto Rico would
s5os receive territorial rights from Congress in
creased greatly the anxiety Of the officials VINO
TO IT, crib and f. became question now deity
and effectively thar could oe secured for me party
leaders. Even in Tie United Stat,s ring means
orruutlor-subrle ana real corruption even L. l.
does MOI, ies end o. stealing public funds outright
ming ana Joyous % leas. 20 what Is sometimes .A-
psriencea in American NUM- "peli-.es began 20 ap-
=. sz1ec,ed w..B seoole no. We. stimulated 10
thai degree o. interest 81 public affairs necessary
70 llc &c .4ulIifi- OF N44FifSiI4' I-.-4N tlii4ltl
even he press Ineffective and. above all. where
the Cabinet controlled practically AL o. The mu-
ncpa- Appointments THROUGHOUT me l-land- me
great corrective here, however was tne fact that
end what IL equally Important clear-siehted
mar with ginger and backbone. a. the head Of
When a5as4- tsne 70 MS knowiedee hey were
reo'ted over no heads of The cahne-. OF course.
tons ths- the only local authority thSt repre-
sented ,he Island was being ntertered with, that
General was overriding the Legislators and civil
authority represented by he Caoine-
natter % theoretical politics legal clubbing.
'1t Of rir.t and wrong. Corrupt or Incompetent
!oca Off .a.s We're dismissed and. II necessary, a
commW'r ws put under martha law for the
tine oeire FINALLY. il seemed necessary. with a
The Introduction Of American methods in The civil
saminis ration 70 place Americans in some Of The
tal John Baton formerly United States Commits
aoner o. EDUCATION was placed IN charge OF the
I9yisior ~ prflir Works This was as necessar ~,
a. Il 90 place Americans IN charge Of local
H. tns,Ie~ noiiSe san JI,an for Instance mas no
public water supply. though one has been in
process o. instala ion for several years. The ever
rooted N every department Of the native govern
uent would eave San Juan without water 20 was n
NE streets Or flush the sewers FOR generation
II the educational field $4,000 Is spent annually
suppor, a nigh school Of some sixty 10 hun
sno employs. hat could be effectively taught in
NE States where salaries higher Dy four teach
~ and O. cost Of $500 porto Rican) per
snnum while rural teachers and elementary
schools are without money for their support Ef-
iectye reorganization in other words I'm
iersiiye some OF these vital Departments tina :
nlerfererce ov the military Governor became
GUY i is nor necessary 10 Criticlse the Porto
Neans for this Their leaders are as inteigen {
eao patriotic men the average. and eager 10 90
a. IN thair power and 10 make sacrifices for the
goo o. the island. But they were caught In the
WIS o. q system that d relic OF Spanish con-
10 from which Il required some outside assist
hen.
BLOW TO THE CABINET.
rs interference by the military government,
Ns'ger introduced a precedent that was fatal 70
~ plans o. The Cabinet Il g. 70 be sub
'7ed 70 American inspection and Interference, both
DC MS privilege OF appointing the local officials
sao IN me conduct OF the central departments. a
eial blow would be struck at its policy OF political
"liroL So The Cabinet resigned. and has attempt