The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-01-23

Q
there is no doubt. But that they are will
ing to make any particular sacrifice for
their religion there is reason to question.
especially as they regard that religion as
! not adapted TO their spiritual needs but
rather as means of extorticn for the
benefit of Peninsular Spain. That some
priests can be and will be supported by
the people themselves with volunteer sub
scriptions there is no doubt. But wheth-
er this ripe field of souls will be garnered
largely by French missionaries, as has
been the case in Mexico. or by Americans.
it is hard to Judge. Roman Catholicism
has better chance in the island in view
| of the condition of the native mind than
| any other form of religion.
Since the astronomical government
| came into force there has been but one
| election, at which about % per cent of
those entitled to vote exercised that priv
| ilege. The Spanish or Conservative party
owing TO the paucity, of its numbers, took
/ no part in the contest. No restrict on in
| the way of educational or property quail
! fication was placed upon the exercise OF,
| the franchise, and in many of the districts
where it was not geographically impossible
| large percentage of the vote came out
| The two sides in the contest were the
| Liberal party and the Orthodox party. the
| Liberal party being composed CT those
| who have all along been advocates Of au-
| tonomy, but against the Independence of
the island and the Orthodox party being
| composed of separationists, pure and sim
| pie. In the contest for the nomination in
| the latter party there was more or less
well defined tendency toward the drawing
OF race lines. But in the election this dis
tinction did not appear.
The Race Question
If the Porto Ricans We're left alone 10
fhnt,, al rIatI ~, 81.
apt TO degenerate into race wars is ques-
| ton in which opinions are DIVIDED. But
that a hard and fast color line would be
drawn is very improbable. in view OF the
fact that the relative position from a So
| cial point of view of the blacks and the
muiattoes toward the whites is much
/ higher than in the United States The
! lower classes of the two races ming.e on
| fairly good terms. But in the higher cir
! cles blacks and mulattoes are not regard
ed as on social equality with whites, ex-
! cept in the very rare instances where the
! descendants of mulatto who has obtain
ed a position for himself in the commu-
/ nifty. show practically no trace in their ap-
pearance of negro blood.
As general thing, in the election
above mentioned members of the LIBERAL
! party were chosen for the various offices
| and they at once arrayed themselves tn
the Liberal party of Spain on the island
! much to the Indignation of some of their
I constituents These are the men for the
. most part, who now hold the municipal
offices under American rule. and thare can
be no doubt whatever that this fact is
source of disgust and disappointment 10
those Porto Ricans who had evidently
dreamed of the American invasion as the
/ dawn of an era OF revenge on the Span
ish pToprietors who had oppressed them
for so long.
The average Porto Rican evidently held
that the first duty of the American army
was TO arrange his personal affairs TO his
satisfaction. The proof of the wisdom of
keeping the old officials in power, adopted
Tor the most part by the American COM
manders, appears in the results obtained in
those cases where exceptions were made
All dealings with the natives. braves. and
heroes proved failures. Whether the cleo
ton, which will be held under the aus
pices of the United States Government will
return the present officials TO power is nard
TO prophecy.
That the population of Porto Rico as a
whole has serious grounds of complaint
on account of excessive taxation is not
proved. But that this taxation was so dis
tributed and administered az to serious
Iy interfere with the small and especially
with the native merchants or planters
cannot be doubted. The total amount
raised by national taxation has been of
late years rather more than four and one
half millions OF pesos, sum equal 10 a
little over four and one-half pesos per
head of inhabitants. To Americans who
are accustomed 10 national taxation OF
some 81 per capita, the Porto Rican figures
seem exceedingly small. Contrary to the
belief which has been strenuously engen-
dered, the fact is that out OF this four and
one-half million pesos. but three hundred
and fifty thousand go directly to Spain in
the form of pensions. AS in all govern
ments the expenses are largely for salar-
les, and the Indignation of the Porto
Ricans is vast that these salaries are
for the most part paid to citizens Of
Spanish birth.
surplus borrowed stolen
II has been customary for the island
budget to show an excess of about 800 600
pesos annually of receipts over expendi-
lures. And this has gone on year after
year accruing to the credit OF the island
until a balance of 5000 900 pesos is said to
have been accumulated. This sum has
for the most part been borrowed by Spain
for the expenses of the Cuban war, al
though undoubtedly a large part of ii has
been stolen. The balance of the money
raised has been administered with varying
deg es of dishonesty to the expenses Of
the ISLAND, including its arny and navy
religion, judiciary and public works. But
not one cent has ever been paid by way
of tribute to the mother country. Although,
of course. certain benefits have been reap
ed by her citizens TO the detrment OF the
islanders from differentials in custom
house charges. salarier OF officials etc
The budget of 1896 I'D 1897. which is
chosen as a sample in reference TO the
budget OF 1897 and 1898. owing TO the fact
that the aforementioned budget did not
show in its total OF receipts from national
taxation sum of 10000 pesos which were
actually raised, but were paid over 10 the
Diputacion Provincial under the first au-
Economical law, shows that the expenses for
those two years We're, in round numbers.
4,44s, 127.71 pesos; receipts, 4, 10000 pesos
surplus, 26l .S72. 20 pesos.
with regard to receipts. state tax
of per cent is imposed on the es,imat-
ed income derived derivable from all
real estate, whether occupied or not AS
NtA