The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-08
coNE PRECoNCEIVED IDEAS.
mn RICO NOT ALL THAT AAIERI-
c,Ns EXPECTED 1T TO BE.

no. the Advent of the Americans
n.,urht All That the Porto Ricans
Looking Professionalism OF
rr,oDs Made n Bad Impression.
n.nu,u.crs who Went There to Sell
nam Goods Returned Disguised.
c,.paes in the situation.
,-.sos-dence of the Associated Press.)
-, Juan, Porto Rico, Dec. 24.-Tne
pi.ln business man is of keen intel
nc and Of quick perceptions. His re-
''..,,s I'M The past have been largely with
,..,,litshed and reliable European con-
rr. ana today he is making compari-
~. b.lween the pioneers of American
-,,n,er.r" who, with baggage and sam
~ trunk are daily landing upon the
homes of his island home. and the business
or the continent, whom he has known
10 the past.
The result Of this keen scrutiny and COM
p,rsou is not Overwhelmingly favorable
- tbs American pioneer, it has, in fact,
.-o,ght INTO life the old Spanish word bus
,orss Buscar to hunt, to seek; bus
.,rss hunters. seekers, Adventures, and
como even say the term means cheats and
plfer1rs.
The Porto Rican is hard to fool. Be
cause his island is in a far-away corner OF
tts West Indies, the location of which
has only lately become known to the ma
ior.ty of Americans not in schools, and
because he has lived quietly at home and
attended TO the business and pleasures OF
community Of some 500, 600 people, he is
hone the less a pretty good judge of man
and manners. The Americans who are to-
day in evidence upon this island have been
weighed ana found wanting.
Intelligence Underestimated.
Commercially, we are making the same
mistake here that we have already made
in another Latin American country, and
that has been to underestimate the intel
Igence the perception and the culture OF
the business men thereof.
As the Porto Rican is quick TO detect
the roughness, the bad manners, the lack
Of courtesy, the receptions and the guile
3f some of his recent visitors, so is he
equally quick to perceive contrary quail
it's ii OllltiS diliOAi5 NlNlil N}il the uISt
points he is perhaps over-sensitive and
may be said 10 fail in appreciation of the
rough diamond. On the other hand there
are qualities present in the Anglo-Saxor
gentleman of breeding that are as incom-
prehens BE to the man of this capital as
is the idea of cold and snow to the ig-
norant laborer of this tropical island.
In the beginning, the Porto Rican over
estimated US, and part of the awakening
b. is now experiencing is a natural reac-
ton. I'm the beginning, the word American
stood for all that was best in the way OF
government, civilization advancement, ed
ucation manners and commerce. Our
country and its Institutions was looked ur
70 by the masses in a way that is difficult
10 understand to-day.
We're Regarded as Superior.
Americans fresh from the states were
regarded as almost superior beings; when
We landed here before the war, the island
ers invested us with a giamor of the Won
GERS in Washington and New York that we
had but recently gazed upon. Anything
and everything American was considered
to be prominently the best of It's kind
10 the beginning our welcome was based
upon these conceptions. 1t was thought
mat the passing of Spain and the accept
anee Of the Stars and Stripes would carry
win 1t some magical influence from the
great country up north, sufficient in itself
10 put an end to all that was unjust and
wrong ana TO straighten out the affairs OF
'hls unhappy island as with a fairy
wand From this unreal mental attitude
theIe has come the consequential awaken
ing which has been furthered and forced
70 the other extreme by the representa-
uVes OF the United States who are now in
evidence in Porto Rico.
ROwdyism of Troops.
The misbehavior of the American troops
came hrst 1t was disappointing 10 discov-
ef mat the saviors of the country behaved
win unmistakable rowdyism. This was
hardly in accordance with preconceived
IDEAS. But the misdemeanors seemed to
continue, and, although we found manv
saunch defenders, men and women. too
VINO said that it was unfair 10 Judge an
army by the actions of some few of IT'S
eolulerS' and much more unjust to Judge
peop'e by volunteer soldiers recruited
nV,i lhe lower and worst classes; that
soluie'S on a campaign were never known
or tnelr gentle manners, that things
"oui0 soon be better, etc, talk of our
uhdlSeiplined troops prevailed in the local
papers ana examples of their misdoings
mouth "O'N u
'oue men reasoned that these actions
80 IN truth, no fair criterion of a peo-
~ such men could perceive the self-re-
tyec'ug men in the army. In a way that
az as palmetto because of It's in-concealed
S1ppolhtment, well known local paper
suea Tor fair judgment and the refrain
49, s "on nasty and unjust general criti-
,b4 N some natives. saw the matter in
Ilsht' but the majority did not; the
JViIy judged the army and the coun-
ny lhe acts of the few and the mall
''"oh OF our soldiers grew apace.
"round for the Charges.
9TH pendulum swung back too far in the
lsr e. uirection-this is a country and a
arrsudSe OF exaggerated words-and the
tbe.S GOV worse than it deserved Still.
tons was much truth in the many asser-
oyat gentleman of the writer's ac-
Po,''nee a thirty years resident of
and 'ua man of culture, education
H'cA knowledge of our country and
Il Pio.'pe' said that he had lived in Porto
der puring many troubled years and un-
b4 many modes of administration: that
ei n., ' 1I"ays avoided politics and attend
4 b,f ny 70 his profession of doctor. and
Tor t1I'ng ali his residence here, life had
dd "ed impossible. But that now IL
4 be-, =" lhe past his family had ALWAYS