Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-01-25
General nenry's Open Letter a Sad
Blow to Chroncs.
FOR PORTO RICANs ONLY.


san Juan dc Porto Rico. Jan. 25.--
| Correspondence of the Associated
Press. THE following letter was sent
BY Gen. Henry to the newspaper mon
here. with the request that II should be
given publicity:
Headquarters Department Of Porto
Rico. Dec. 90 iSgs.-- Editors; II viii
save a great deal or my time md nc-
compiish the purpose better " you VIII
state In your paper that persons.
Americans or others. who wish 10 make
complaints. should put them In writ
Ing FOR my reference 10 the proper oiii-
ciais for correction. Verbal statements.
upon which definite action cannot be
taken. are n loss ~ time 20 all. II IL
my intention To SOC all obnoxious SPAN
ish laws existing here are repealed
Taxation on property. notary fees the
prevention Of Americans getting Into
Office ms lawyers or otherwise. under
proper laws will also be regulated
whom properly represented In whiting.
ANY action upon the part 81 officials
IN Office 10 the prejudice q Americans
or American methods oflrroErcsH VIII
BE- reported 10 me. ! Will not continue
In office any such unprogrcssiNc OF
| preludiced persons.
Complaint IN regard to the customs
or tnrlif regulations will have to be
| made to captain Buchanan. who " In
charge Of the customs houses OF the
island Appeal from his decision VIII
have to be made 10 the secretary OF
war.
4 also want II distinctly understood
that Porto ltlcana viii be- preferred for
ofilue. Those Porto Ricnna who have
i To Al
an education and are capable OF Milling
] nlnrca In this island VIII be selected
/ first. Americans next In order.
1T IN not my intention 10 put IN Office
Spaninrda or spanish rympathlkcrr.
THIS IL an island ~ Porto islcnnn and
will be- 40 considered. Americans must
understand that this island II not one
of conquest but was surrendered Co the
United States by the Porto iacanH who
had bcyn loyal to the government ~
the United States. and propose To
consider them for Office ~ such In the
future.
After the country IL organized ana
| nut In form under proper laws " the
| Porto t,icnnn desire to elect Americans
10 once that viii b. their business and
the Americans good fortune
This cinnoting Tor office On the
island by Americans Co the prejudice
~ educated Porto i,icana, must stop.
Their claims viii not be considered
when Porto iiicann who are equally
capable OF Milling the offices are avail
able. I am sure that all good. true
Americans will agree with inc that MI
Porto ilicana who were loyal 10 the
American government and the nng
when they were under Spanish rule and
who are capable should b" rewarded
for their loyalty through prcfcrcnce IN
appointment to positions of responsible
nv na far nH possible.
"tsIsnedC GUY V. HENRY.
Major General Volunteers. Command
There arr several American lawyers
here and they regarded the letter uron
It's first reading a. "a blow nt them
Upon visiting the general, however. he
explained that they had uisunder'
Z stood the meaning ~ The lcA.er ana thnl
II was his Intention Ia remove the I'M
? pedmontr that now prevented then
! from pructiclng their profession here ol
Z holding office. n N n question whether
! the American lawyers should be admit
Z ted to practice In the Porto lticni
courts since none ~ them Nnpw any
= thing about the laws ~ Porto l'ico,
Z nut this letter was insignificant T.
= Importance compared 10 the order nj
the war department recently made pub
Nc here concerning the grntiing D
y franchises for public lmproyemc .itr
= This order prohibits thu granting o
any franchise or concession ir puhli'
= works by any municipality ~ith0ut Ia
approval ~ the major general CON
: handing, who shall, befor" npprovin,
any such grant or concession, bN nu
| th0rixcd by the secretary ~ war,
THIS order viii affect ~ enterprise
Tor the building of tramw iya, railroads
telegraph and telephone lines. water
works. gas works and elvctiis llgh
works.
of course. the effect was 60 put rtoI
20 all work ON such enterprises. ana !
seemed e. many that the holders ~ ul,
spanish concessions wouli hay.
monopoly To the great dctrlment -
American Investors. General Henri
evidently took the same view, for whei
this order came from Washington N
Immediately added To n before pghllr,,
ton AN extraordinary prrV.aon revok
ing all spanish grants ana concession
now existing between thu signing -
this latter order and It's printing Their
was such a cloud OF legal question
raised that the general deemed u bes
To abandon his position amt thu iirn
order was published lust - II ram
from the war department az Washing
ton. ~ matters now stand the hand
" General Henry are tied. Genera
Henry IL doing away with nll the bur
\ denH that hindercd trade ana taxed IA
suffering people. The 40 cnitel terri
turlal taxes" upon the products OF IA
country have been greatly reduced, A
the old days the planter ami thn rens
, ant not only paid tho taxes upun thoi
H. lands but gave nH well inrt NJ IL
,. Income Ia an cNtrayagant and eorrup
IA government
n The tax upon land was a most uncer
\. tain thing. There was no law or rul
e, Of uniformity the caprice or pre-
n, iudice OF the authorities determine
the amount of H. Complaint has bee
D. frequently made 10 General Henry b
n planters that their political cnemie
N threatened to raise their taxes an
=. satisfy old grudges or new demand,
l. To recN'fy this condition of affairs h
NJ has Arranged a scheme ~ regular an
uniform taxation. IL IL estimated tina
10 there are approximately nfty millio
II acres ~ taxable land In Porto Rico.
10 h The Intention OF the general To dlvld
b. ana tax the land In the following way
ol Cane lands In pay one peso per acr
TT | pet nnnum, coffee land, - ccntavos
=. tobacco, 20 centavos. fruit, 80 ccntavor
In pasture from 20 TO 20 ccntavos, ana ii
TO other lands N centnvos.
al II ~ probable that General Henry wi
~ und " necessary tu continue the terri
N tnrinl tax To tho extent OF per cen
upon the products NJ the country, oner
ri Gus though II be- In order to raise sum
n, Client revenues for the government Thl
Id would produce 100000 per annum an
vi with the land tax nnd the merchants
l tax should answer all demands,
l. Under the present law no one ca
70 Import without the payment OF take
In averaging $500 pesos. The result IL /