Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-03
AFFAIRS IN
PORTO RICO
Country IS Rapidly Becoming
AmericaniZed.
A NEW POSTOFFlCE SYSTEM
employment Of Natives on Public
Roads Has Relieved the Dis
tress That Prevailed
A NEW POSTOFFlCE SYSTEM

IN ~ApAAA u
Correspondence of the Associated Press.)
Porto Rico will soon be enjoying a first
class postal service. First Assistant
Postmaster General Heath, who arrived
here a fortnight ago M who is leaving
for the United States today by the Cara
cas-. has visited every nook and corner
of the island. accompanied by Capt. w.
H. Elliott. director general of posts in
Porto Rico. and Inspector Moore, to get
an intelligent notion Of the needs of the
island in this respect. Under the new
system domestic and international money
orders will soon be issued at all the
offices. San Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez
will lave free delivery, the mails will be
transported across the island by new up
to-date equipment and the entire man.
agement of the postal service will be CEN
tered in the director generals Office here.
The new system will be a miniature Of
that in vogue in the United States. Capt.
Elliott will have the exclusive control
of the more than 20 minor offices, will en-
ploy his own men, make the mail con-
tracts and audit the accounts of the
various branches. There will also be a
dead letter office in Sal Juan. 1t is ex-
pected that the postal service will be self
sustaining.
A considerable sum has of necessity
been spent from the present proceeds in
converting the unsightly and unhealth-
| full "corroers' of the Spanish administra-
| ton into attractive and sanitary post
offices with which all Americans are
| familiar. Nor has this been a small un-
dertaking. The new postofices Of the
director general are the delight of Ameri-
cans travelling in Porto Rico. Over the
door will always be foun the flag of the
republic, while within and without new
paint and attention to cleanliness have
made a most inviting stopping place for
the traveller.
Mr.. Heath speaks in the highest terms
Of the Porto Ricans and is enthusiastic
over the future of the island. He favors
it's rapid Am~ericanization and the intro
duction of American laws and methods,
advocating the employment of intelligent
Porto Ricans in the various post offices
under the direction Of experienced Amer
lean postal officials. He nos entire con-
| fdence in Captain Elliott's ability.
Like every American who travels
through the interior Of the island, Mr..
Heath has been emphatic in expressing
| his admiration at the great Improvement
in the roads since Genera Henry estab-
lished the policy of employing Porto
| Rican laborers for road making. This
branch of the work of the military ad-
| ministration has been in charge of Major
Hills, assisted by Seniors Domench and
Rodriguez. capable native engineers.
Where there were impossible a last
year the traveller now speeds his coach
and the peon drives his OK cart. heavily
7 n ~, y,.;t1, fbn nroa,1ofc nf tho fold tn
the posts and towns near by.
The possibility of distress has been
| avoided by the employment of the native
laborers. who might have suffered on ac-
| count Of the bad condition of the planta-
tons after the war. At no time has there
been any actual distress. On the con-
trary, Porto Ricans need never suffer for
want of food as nature supplies 1t bounti-
fully. The Porto Rican is an Industrious
man, quite uhlike many of his neighbors
| on adjacent island. The poems and work.
men employed upon the roads receive so
cents a day. Porto Rican money, which is
about equivalent to 30 cents American,
| and with this daily wage they are con-
| tented. Indeed, the road making work
has proved one of the wisest acts of
craftsmanship and will soon demonstrate
it's beneficent effect in helping to solve
| the problem Of government and trade
| betterment in Porto Rico.
The business men have suffered since
the war in having no organization
| through which they could act jointly to
| secure favorable legislation and to pro-
| mote their common interests. Formerly
they had a board of trade or chamber OF
| m but this has not been revived
| since the war. To promote harmonious
| action between the American n Porto
| Rican merchants and to contribute to the
advancement of insular business inter-
| ests, General Henry has called a conven-
ton of all the business men of the island,
with a view of establishing a new cham-
| Der of commerce. The convention will be
| held here during the next fortnight.
ella e1;.- Iou,ost ratoS Dr Nyix