Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-23
PORTO RICANS PROTEST
Object to Their Treatment by the United
States Government.
Burdened by a Tariff More Obnoxiou,
Than Under Spafn-Treated
as Dependents.
From the New York Times.

The commissioners from Porto Rico to
the United States feel. according to Dr. F.
Julio Henna of West 10th street, one of
their number, that they and theirs in Porto
Rico have been treated scandalously by
the United States government, and SO they
have prepared a protest which they hope
the American people will read. DR.. NJ.
Zena Gambia, another commissioner gave
out the protest. 1t follows:
Porto Rico finds itself at this moment in
an extraordinary situation. The island is
de facto by virtue of actual occupation, and
de jure by virtue of the treaty of peace be-
tween the United States and Spain, con-
cluded at Paris on December 10, 1898, an in
teg1al part of the territory of the United
States of America. And, nevertheless,
neither its soil, its ports, its commerce, nor
its inhabitants are for any practical pur-
pose considered American. The flag of the
United States of America floats over the
soil of Porto Rico but it does not make
American even the children who are born
under its shade. Ships coming from the
ports of any continental portion of the
United States Of America and entering
port OF Porto Rico do not enter an Ameri-
can but foreign pert, and are subject to
pay custom duties, tonnage dues, &c.
The commerce of Porto Rico with the
rest of the United States Of America in
stead of being free as the commerce be-
tW cen Massachusetts, and Florida, or New
York and Louisiana, is burdened by a tariff,
heavier and moro obnoxious than that
which was in force when Porto Rico was
Spanish, and its commerce was subject to
the reciprocity arrangements, which. under
the inspiration OF Mr.. Blaine. were con-
Guided in 1880, between the United States
and Spain. And although Porto Rico is
American, and its government is vested in
American officials. and all there is Amer
lean from the governor general to the
health officer of the humblest Port of the
island, no protection is given 20 any Porto
Rlcan except upon condition that it be
carefully expressed that he is protected as
native Porto Rican, but not as an Amer
lean.
IF the war which the United States of
America waged against Spain for purely
humanitarian purposes freed Porto Rico, as
1t is said, the Porto Ricau people do not
know as yet of what that freedom consists.
They are treated an Inferior dependent
people, needing to be educated and Chris
TANNED and civilized. and in the procession
OF the peace jubilee. &C .ebrated with great
pomp at Washington. which the President
reviewed surrounded by his cabinet and the
diplomatic body and the elite of Washing
ton society, no other symbol was made to
appear to represent Porto Rico and Porto
Rican civilization than dilapidated little
negro boy poorly riding on the back of a
not less dilaDidated little pony, with the
announcement, which excited the Joyous
shouts of the multitude, Porto Rico Ex-
press
The condition of things in Porto Rico
when the government of the United States
of America decided to go to war with Spain
to enforce the mandate of Congress that
Spain should reiinquish at once her SOW
erelgnFy over Cuba was by far different
from the condition Of things which then
prevailed in the latter island.
Porto Rico had never been afflicted as
Cuba by war revolution. Mr.. Gushing
United States minister at Madrid, could say
with reason to Mr.. Fish, Secretary of State,
on March /, 1876: Porto Rico is a content
ed possession of Spain, having received con-
cessons withheld from Cuba, which had
been the scene of war for seven years
(EXtract, Documents of the Senate No
1855, FHty-fourth Congress, second session,
page 1ooD Subsequent to Mr.. Cushing's
statement Porto Rico continued in peace,
and Its wealth and prosperity, specially in
the time which the reciprocity arrange
ments initiated and carried on by Mr.
Blaine We're in force. became phenomenal
Poreo Rico was not by any means a
proper subject for American Intervention.
II war was carried to its territory by the
United States ii was because Porto Rico
was Spanish territory and because it was
said that for military reasons hostilties
We're necessary both in. the Greater and
Lesser Antilles. And if Porto Rico was
coded by Spain to the United States, not
entirely without protest by Spain ii was
only because President Mckinley DESTROYS
of exhibiting signal generosity to Spain
relieved her from paying any war indem-
nifty TO the United States, but demanded in
exchange the cession. (Mr Day to Duke
Almodovar del Rio. July 30 1881
Through that act of signal generosity
or President Mckinley, resembling that of
Eneas when killing young Lausus, Porto
Rico became an American possession.
THE voice of Porto Rico was not heard
The Idea that the Porto Rican people
might have something to say on the sub
ject or that bargain of this kind, no mat
ter how generous on the part of one bel
Ggerent, might need at least pro forma the
consent of the Porto Rican people was not
even thought of. The island and its peo-
pie We're conveyed from one sovereign to
another as a farm and it's cattle are con-
Veyed from one master to another.
THE signers of the Declaration of indie
pendence of the United States said on July
4, 1776 that they held these truths to be
self-evdent, that all men are created equal:
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights; that
among them are life, liberty and the pur-
suit of happiness and they added that to
secure these rights governma ntS are insti-
tuted,' and that these governments can
only derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed
The Porto Rican people in asking from
thu people to whom they have aggregated
that the principles of the first enactment 10
be found in their statute books be applied
to them, are rot asking for favors. They
ara demanding Justice"