The Topeka state journal., 1899-01-12
UNARMED
AND ALONE.
Father Thomas E. Sherman, a
Son of the General,
Penetrates Every Nook and
Corner of Porto Rico.
MUCH is COMMENDED
And Some Things Are Con-
demned in His Report
Submitted to the United States
War Department.

Washington, Jan. 12-Assistant Sec
retary Meikdejohn made public today
through the division of customs and in
sular affairs, Father Thomas E. Sher-
mans very interesting and instructive
report to Gen. Brooke of his recent tours
through the island of Porto Rico.
Father Sherman left San Juan Octo-
ber 10 and visited Areci5e, Utado and
Lares and from thence south to Ad-
juntas alone and unarmed and without
witnessing any disorder. Subsequently
he visited Coamo, Iabonita, Cayey Ca
gus, Aguas, Buenas, Junios and HUI
macao All of these towns he found in
perfect peace and full of the sense of
security. Late in December Father
Sherman says he visited the towns of
Vieques, Faiardo and Carolina with the
same result.
AS far as his observation went, Faith
er Sherman says that he found the peo-
PIE of Porto Rico, gentle, doci1e and
kindly and that the Spaniards living
there rejoice with their Porto Rico
friends in the change in sovereignty.
The disorderly element is a very small
fraction in the teeming population of
the island. There is some timidity ex-
pressed on the part of the property
holders but this is largely due to the
paternaI system to which they have be-
come accustomed. He says that a lib
immensely add to the commerce and Sc
curity of the island.
SOURCE OF DISORDERS.
Father Sherman says it is common
talk that the disorders of the past few
months have been caused by bands
composed partly of prisoners released
by the SpaniardS and of Spanish sold
ierS discharged and remaining on the
island Having he says ridden about
the island alone and rule, unarmed
for the past three months, having visi-
ted many priests and alcaldes ana
prominent merchants, he is strongly
impressed by the fact that profound
respect is felt for American authority
and the utmost confidence in the cour-
age of all our men. At the same time
Father Sherman says. we cannot too
strongly emphasize the needs of an is
land at once tropical and mountainous,
where the bandit finds myriad hooks
for hiding and easy suStenance, even on
the mountain top; where passions are
easily heated and an over-crowded pop
ulatiOn leaves large numbers out of en-
ployment; an island whose needs can
only be met by the strong hand of the
military arm, aided and abetted by a
system of civil police and rural guard,
composed where possible of some of the
best class of Porto RicanS and in hold
ing all civil authorities, beginning with
the commiSsaries of the barriOs, per-
sonally responsible for the good order
of their districts. All commanders, even
of the smallest detachments should be
we'll advised of all this and should help
to emphasize the friends in the
| to emphasize the responsibility of the
commiSsaries.
EASILY GOVERNED.
This being done, it would seem that
Porto Rico can be easily governed and
Will prove to be in many senses veri-
| table para disc. The telephone can cas-
| lily be used in districts where danger eX-
| lists to give prompt warning to the auth
| critics.
r,Fr 1ieriIT iGla nd c n
| satisfactory. Though in every town of
! any size there is found a large and
| handsome edifice, the servi 5 are very
! poorly attended. All the inhabitants of
! the island with few exceptions are NOM
| inally at least, Roman Catholics. Very
| few of the men are more than Catho1c
| in name. They are baptised, married
/ and buried by the priests, that is the
extent of their Catholicism. Now that
| the priests are deprived of govern
| mental aid, many are leaving the
| country and more intend to depart be-
/ fore' the winter is over. A moderate
| percentage of the clergy are of native
| origin and these will be more inclined TO
| stay as they are more in sympathy with
| the new order of things and have a
| chance of procuring more desirable par
| ishes owing to the vacancies left by the
| departure of the Spanish clergy The
| church of Porto Rico has been so united
| with the state and so identified with 1t
! in the eyes of the people. that it must
| share the odium win which the Spanish
| rule is commonly regarded. Complaint
! is made that the priests were too much
| interested in political matters, that they
! preached Spain instead of the gospel
! and that many displayed the mercen-
| ary spirit There are many excellent
| priests in Porto Rico and the women
| and children are in great part prac-
| tically Catholic
CATHOLICISM WILL FLOURISH.
| When the congregations have become
| accustomed to sustain their priests the
| Catholic religion will flourish much
| more in Porto Rico than it has under
| Spanish rule. The bishop recently ap-
| pointed is said to be unwilling to SerVe
| and there is need that our government
| should show an active interest in the
| matter.
1t would seem that the change in the
| ecclesiastical system was too sudden
! causing kind of paralysis and con-
| sternation among a body of men accus.
| toned to lean on the government anc
| find in it their normal means of sup
| port. Religion is dead on the island
| whether it can be revived as living in
fuence is highly problematicaL There
| is little or no observance of the sancti
ty of the Sunday.
With regard to education, Father
Sherman says he is not prepared Il
| make ANYTHING like a full report There
| country Those in the country are poor
| Iy and irregularly attended. The chill
dren are bright and quick, develoI
earlier than ours and many are capable
of learning to read and write mucl
sooner than the American children. TIL
prompt sending of teachers of the lowe
grades acquainted with both Englisl
and Spanish would he thinks, be tn
best step to facilitate a change in tn
| system of education and to enable th
| rising generation to become American
lied The Catholic colleges both il
San Juan and Ponce have such a fall