New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-23


no clothes IN which &C. Gend them TO school, Cap
tain Gardner uses the term no clothes" in its
absolute sense
Unless the compulsory school-attendance law
Is enforced. he says no progress can be made
Better-paid and more competent teachers must
be employed In the rural schools. and many new
ones established. The truant officer must come
into existence and the children must be more
vigorously handled. Schools must be closed dur
ing the worst OF the rainy season. or the classes
cannot be kept together. Summarizing the situ-
alton as a whole. there exists on the Island
fairly good skeleton on which 10 construct
school system. The difficulty will arise from the
scarcity OF competent and trustworthy teachers
In the nature OF things for the present. but HI
tie progress can be made by American teachers
sent TO the island. Their sphere Of usefulness
will not include Porto Rico until such time as
knowledge OF the English language has begun
to permeate all classes.
THE QUESTION OF RELIGION.
With regard 10 the religious question. II does
not appear that the inhabitants OF the island
have ever taken their religion with any degree
Of seriousness, probably owing 10 the fact that
the Church is regarded as OF the means by
which Spain undertook to maintain her sover-
eighty on the island and 10 provide TOT the
maintenance OF such OF her clergy as could not
be supported at home. Altogether the clerical
establishment maintains more than two nun
dred and forty priests and assistants. the sum
total Of whose salaries amounts 20 about loO'ouV
pesos annually, the salaries ranging from 9'Voo
pesos per year for the bishop down to $50 pesos
per year for the sacristans. OF these loooOO
pesos rather more than 10000 are paid TO the
clerical force Of the Cathedral AT San Juan
alone. With the exception Of the capital and
Ponce there is but one church in each OF the
seventy townships into which the island is divld-
ed Even Mayaguez with thirty thousand IN
habitants. scattered over a vast extent OF ter
-itory. has only one ecclesiastical estaoHsh'
ment. one curate with salary Of l2oo pesos
two assistants with a salary Of 500 pesos each'
and one or two sacristans.
Since the invasion Of the American troops
the salaries Of all the priests. which nave
heretofore been paid ny the State. have oeen
cut off, a state Of affairs which seems 10 ne
viewed with perfect equanimity by all except
the priesthood itself. For the most part the
priests are expected 10 return home and the
leading citizens OF Porto Rico do not seem al
all worried at the prospect Of their daughters
being married by civil instead Of religious proc
esses.
u lie hon.d that some means or other may be
devised for the maintenance OF the fine old
churches themselves a. the outlay for this pur-
nose heretofore has been only little over
% 900 pesos per year. for the whole island
paid Of course. by the State
LIBERALS HOLD THE OFFICES.
Since the autonomous government came into
force there has been only one election, at which
about % per cent Of those entitled 10 vote exer-
clsed that privilege The Spanish or Conserva-
tive party owing 10 the paucity of its mem
| hers took no part in the contest. No restriction
| IN the wav Of educational or property qualihca-
, ton was placed upon the exercise Of the fran
chise and in many districts where It was not
seographically impossible a 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 Of those who
| have all along been advocates or autonomy; put
! against the independence OF the lsland. ana me
| Orthodox party being composed OF separation
As general thing. in the election above men
| toned members Of the Liberal party w
chosen for the various Offices. and they al once
arrayed themselves with the Liberal party OF
Spain on the island. much TO the indignation OF
some Of their constituents. These are the men
! for the most part. who now hold the municipal
! Offices under American rule and there can be
| no doubt whatever that this fact is a source OF
| disgust and disappointment 70 those PORTO
/ Ricans who had evidently dreamed Of the
/ American invasion as the dawn 81 an era OF re-
venge on the Spanish proprletors VINO mac naa OPP
/ 81 the Orthodox party see CARY that no tenn
/ porary arrangement is possible except 70 retain
! those officials in power who we're familiar WIN
| their duties and could maintain order In their
! respective localities But the rank and file re-
! fused 10 listen 10 reason on this point
ANY wholesale removal OF officials in power
would not only have produced unlimited disor-
/ der bur would have made necessary the d.
! ve-gence of the time and energy Of American
| troops and military commanders from me TASK
| Of conducting campaign 70 the task OF setting
| I'D a new civil government. II is unreasonable
/ to expect that the continuance in Office Of men
vn~ IN frd
| better than Spaniards should be regarded with
! enthusiasm. The average Porto Rican evidently
| held that the first duty OF the American Army
| was 10 arrange his personal affairs 70 his salts
| faction The proof Of the wisdom OF keeping
the old officials in power. adopted for the most
| part by the American commanders appears in
! the results obtained IN those cases where excep-
| lions were made. All dealings with the natives.
! braves and heroes proved failures. Whether the
! election which will be held under the auspices
! OF the United States Government. will return
| the present officials 70 power or not is hard TO
! prophcsy.
RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES.
That the population OF Porto Rico, whole,
has serious grounds Of complaint account
/ OF excessive taxation is not proved. But that
this taxation was so distributed and admins
tered as seriously to interfere with the small,
and especially with the native, merchants or
planters cannot be doubted. The total amount
raised b., national taxation has been Of late
Years rather more than 45O0 900 pesos
/ equal 10 little over AZ pesos head OF m
/ habitants To Americans, who are accustomed
10 O National taxation VI some 81 per capita
/ the Porto Rican figures seem exceedingly small
Contrary 10 TIE belief which has been strenu-
/ ously ensendered the fact IS thai out OF this
I 1900 600 pesos only $4,000 20 directly 10 Spain
/ In the form OF pensions. AS In all governments
/ the expenses are largely for salaries and the
/ indiPnation OF tho Porto Ricans IS vast that
/ these salaries are. for the most part, paid 20
/ citizens Of Spanish birth
II has been customary for TIE islard budget
/ 20 show an excess Of about 3oDWp pesos an
/ rually Of receipts over expenditures. Ana TINS
/ has gone on year after year. accruing 70 the
/ credit OF the island. until balance OF o.VbOpO
! pesos BE- said 10 have been accumulated. ms
| sum has for the most part been borrowed 10y
/ Spain for the expenses Il tho Cuban war al