Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-01-30
PORTO RICO AND CUBA
row the People There Look on
the Policy Uncle Sam Has
So Far Adopted.
MILITARY RULE Is NOT LIKED
In Porto Rico, Where They Say Spain
Gave Them More Liberty Than They
Have Sow-santiaso Editor Objects to
Americans Exploiting Cubas Resources
Payment of the Cuban InsurGent SOL
dfers a Burning Question.

oiers a Burning Question
Chicago. Jan. 90. - News from the
West India Islands now occupied Jy
our troops interesting as showing the
state Of feeling there, has been re-
ceived here. A dispatch from Santiago
de Cuba says: The CUbaro Libre pub
llshes a long article setting forth its Oh
jections to the projects Of foreign cdpi-
talists for working 'Cuba's virgin SOIL
constructing railroads, establishing
electric light plants and carrying on
similar enterurises. We do not want
any one to invest capital in Cuba ex-
cept the natives says the paper.
America is proof Of what monopolists
can do in running a country A letter
from Porto Rico says that while the
Porto Ricans do not offer the least re-
distance to the military administration
they make 10 secret of the fact that
they do not desire its continuance. 1t is
not that they object to the American
ization of the island. but they earnestly
wish for a civil government in some
reasonable and practicable firm.
More Freedom Under Spanish Rule.
Under the old Spanish regime" says
the letter. they will tell you they en-
toyed a higher degree of freedom than
now. They sometimes complain
that the military authorities interfere
with the civil authorities without ade-
quate reason Quite frequently of late
protests have been lodged at headquar-
ters against what the Porto Ricans
have described as intrusions by United
States officers in municipal affairs not
falling within the scope of their duties.
The mayor and city council of San
Juan demonstrated reoently-in fact. a.
most rebeiled-at what they considered
and called 'Unwarranted military dicta-
ton
aesthetic Americans Comp plain.
AN enterprising Porto Rican, just
returned from the United States. OBJ
tanned permission from the council TO
place small business signs upon the
lamp posts around the plaza. The signs
were neat enough. but they offended the
sight of many OF the Americans. who
complained to General Fred Grant. mil
itary commander OF the district of San
Juan General Grant sent a peremptory
summons TO the council to cancel the |
contract and to remove the signs
Porto Rican pride could not endure it.
The councillors regarded the order as u
last straw and rendered their resigna-
tions to Governor Henry. the governor
of Porto Rico. The councillors merely
said that as they enjoyed so little real
authority they preferred to give up
their positions. General Henry. how
assured them that there would be no
further cause for complain.
Protest Against Military Rule.
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 Munoz |
Rivera. president of the insular cab |
.net- 1t called the attention of the |
military government in eloquent terms |
to the 'incompatibility of military rule |
with the development of the best inter |
ests 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 |