Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-05

there is no manner Of doubt could win a
large and devoted following in Porto Rico.
RMS first meeting is the beginning of
what is considered by many to be the best
It is an appeal to the best sentiments in
the heart of all men: Come together and
let us work in unity and accord the
American general will say to them, and if
the United States ever do anything at all
with this new island. it will lave to be
done through these same broad lines that
General Henry has inaugurated.
General Henry's letter about this assem-
bly, was iSued on December 8, and was in
English. 1t had to be translated before it
could reach the people,, and 1t is only today
that we can get mature criticism upon it's
import. This Inauguration of broader and
better IDEAS is disconcerting to some local
politicians, and we have even had evil
dences OF a recurrence to old political ways
and doings; the Spanish translation of the
letter that was first made public was dis
tinctly misleading. and obscured certain
points that the general had made most
clear. The chicanery was at once noticed,
and so severely criticised that the mistake
was corrected and the public were quickly
given a truthful rendering of the American
generals energetic and promising words.
Among certain Porto Ricans a fear Is ex-
pressed that the delegates will not be rep
resentatives of the two parties; that 1t will
be impossible to get the two parties to
come together even on the present great
issue. A liberal newspaper furthers the
anu LII dtleIIlptS 10 give II CTcuonCe,
that the radicals. unable to forget the
past, have refused to be represented, and
this paper calls loudly upon the public to
see that they. the liberals, are free from
any such unpatriotic intention. Other
newspapers appeal to the country at large,
commenting most favorably upon General
HenryS new measure, and calling upon
them to unite for the common veal, to put
all shoulders to the wheel and to show to
the world that they are men and not silly
quarrelers.
General Henry desires to come in contact
with all the elements which constitute our
social and political life, and this idea, man.
aged as he will manage this, is the best
way to accomplish this, and l consider it
the best thing the Americans have done for
Porto Rico" said a prominent San Juan
editor to the writer. But if we reply to
his first action, to his first impulse, with
disdain, Indifference and pettiness. we can
hardly expect him to attempt such meas
ures again. If he finds he can get no help
from ourselves in the matters which con-
front him., if he cannot come into contact
with public opinion through reliable chan
power of acting for us. of controlling us,
into his own hands alone. These are crit
ical times for us, and now more than ever
before should our public men be calm, dis
passionate and unselfish. We must curb
our passions. If General Henry's efforts
are futile it will be our own fault. If they
are futile we will have pitifully lost our
time and efforts. and we will be responsible
" iolCNS cllo"os L III " oOAlSNS tAiS
radicals will withdraw and refuse to be
represented. / have hopes that our two
parties will come together upon this great
issue. 1 cannot believe any true Porto
Rican will throw down his arms in petit
| ness when he is called upon for a supreme
effort for the good of his country. We
should remember that the results of this
meeting will have a strong influence upon
the arguments advanced concerning our
future in your congress and in your SEN
ate; they will show what can be expected
of us in the future. If 1t fails it will be our
fault. If it fails this country can then de-
vote itself to hopeless lamentations over
it's own lot"
| General Henry will soon hold elections in
Porto Rico and he has been puzzled how to
determine the suffrage. If he applies the
Spanish law every man in the land. how
ever ignorant and unfit he may be, will
have a vote, and the power will be in the
hands of the masses. If he makes 1t i'm
perative, thai a man know how to read and
write before he can vote, he will take the
suffrage away from s. per cent of the popu-
lation, and this will give the power to a
very small minority. He has decided to
arrange ii in this way: For the present,
any man can vote who is 81 years old, who
can read and write or who pays taxes.
Porto Rico's prosperous future Is a mat
ter of the education of her people, and
this can be furthered by reaching the best
sentiments of the Porto Ricans. Thu first
matter General Henry is aking active
measures to develop, enlarge and make pos
sible for all, the latter he is trying to OBJ.
tain by means of his general
set down for next Monday.