The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-30
Porto Ricans Getting in Touch
With New Conditions.
WANT CIVIL GOVERNMENT
Military Aggression Checked by General
Henry = The Postal Service Is
Disgrace-Porto Rico Wants
Free Trade.

least resistance to the military admin
istration they make no secret of the
| fact that they do not desire it's con-
tinuance. 1t is not that they object
| to the Americanization of the island,
but they earnestly wish for civil gov
eminent in some reasonable and prac-
| ticable form. Under the old Spanish
| regime they will tell you they enjoyed
higher degree of freedom than now,
and though they seize with sincere en-
thusiasm every opportunity of putting
themselves in touch with the institu-
tons and demands Of the new govern
ment, they feel a pride in working out
their own political salvation as free
people and not as a subjugated one.
They love liberty and the intelligent
element is convinced that under civil
administration the country would adj
just itself to the better conditions offer
ed by the United States.
The military government is thorough
and active. The whole island is effect
lively patroled and quiet and order pre-
walls in every quarter. The Porto
Ricans sometimes complain that the
military authorities interfere with their
civil authorities without adequate rea-
son. Quite frequently OF late protests
have been lodged at headquarters
against what the Porto Ricans have
described as intrusions by United States
officers in municipal affairs not falling
within the scope Of their duties. AS al
ready briefly cabled to the associated
press the mayor and city council of
San Juan demonstrated last week--in
fact, almost rebelled-at what they con-
sdered and called 'unwarrantad Mill
tary dictation." An enrerprising l'orto
Rican, just returned from the United
States, had obtained permission from
the council to place small business
signs on the lamp posts around the
plazas The signs were innocent but
they offended the sight of many of the
Americans, who complained to General
Fred Grant, military commander of the
district of San Juan. General Grant
sent peremptory summons to the
council to cancel the contract and re
move the signs. This Porto Rican pride
could not endure. The councillors re-
garded the order as last straw and
rendered their designations to Governor
General Henry. There was no bad feel,
ing. The councillors merely said that
as they enjoyed SO little real authority
they preferred to give up their posi-
lions. General Henry, however, took
their view of the matter and assured
them that there would be no further
cause for complaint on the score of
military coercion; and he promptly is
sued an order directing the secretary CT
state to inform the alcaldes of towns
that there is no lority for any Off
Ger or soldier to enter council meetings
or to interfere with or dictate their pro-
ceedings.
Every suggestion of General Henry
has been responded to with alacrity, and
as a result there is marvellous change
in the order of things. Economics have
been effected in the various depart
ments at the expense of the army Of
satellites and the formally dear to the
subjects of kings. The people have ac-
cepted with good nature the new SAM
tary regulations, though they have Won
derfully disturbed the unclean and
crowded tenements that had been re-
garded with complacency, and as
browning test of popular patience they
put up with the postal service, which is
inexpressibly worse than they were
ever subjected to by the Spaniards.
1t is next ITO impossible for one to
transact business in this island, if 1t
be necessary to use the mails, for lney
are unreliable to the last degree. Let
tiers mailed in the San Juan postoffice
frequently do not reach their dastina-
ton in the island for 10 days, and a
most irritating Indifference marks lne
proceedings of the local possoflice au-
thorities.
The men of Porto Rico are not le-
ligious Only the women and children
attend church. Yet the church and It's
orders have many pleasant ASSOCIATIONS
for them. Though they may dislike the
Spanish priests they have COOL wishes
for the Roman Catholic church, w. ich
they wish to see conducted as l. is in
the United States
An article recently appeared in FL
Liberal, the organ of the liberal party,
under the caption Halt" 1t is known
to have been written by Senior Munez
Rivera, president of the insular caoi-
net. 1t called the attention of the mill
tary government in eloquent terms to
the ''incompatibility of military lule
with the development of the best IL
terests Of the country" The writer ap-
pealed to the wisdom and fairness of
the United States government to treat
Porto Ricans as docile citizens and not
as prisoners" The self-restraint ana
farsghtedness that distinguish Rivera's
appeal will do more to win converts to
the American spirit and the American
system than the orders of military
Great interest is taken in the action
of congress and of the great govern
ment departments at Washington re-
garding Porto Rico. The new tariff is
awaited with much anxiety, interest
being centered upon the course of the
United States regarding the admission
of Porto Rican sugar and tobacco free
of duty 1t is asserted if the duty were
taken off the island would not only be
the most prosperous in the tropics but
would speedily become source of large
revenue to the American government.
Even the establishment of fixed rate
of exchange would not help much, apart
from this all important concession. Free
| trade and a more intimate union with
the United States-this is the motto of
the Porto Rican, and his policy is to
agitate for civil government as the
quickest and most effective means of
AmericaniZing the island and of secur-
ing its proper development.
| Practically Unchanged.
| Col sFba xxaaly