The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-13

Rico than it has under Spanish rule. The
bishop recently appointed Is said to be un-
willing to serve, and there is need that our
government should show active interest
in the matter. 1t would seem that the
change in the ecclesiastical system was too
sudden, causing kind of paralysis and
CONSERVATION among a body of men accus-
toned to lean on the government and find
in it their normal means of support. Re-
lgion is dead on the island. Whether 1t
can be revived as o living influence is highly
problemat teal. There is little or no Observ-
ance of the sanctity of Sunday.
With regard to education. Father Sher-
man says he is not prepared to make any
thing like a full report. There are many
schools, both in town and in country Those
in the country are poorly and irregularly
attended The children are bright and quick,
develop earlier than ours, and many are
capable Of learning to read and write much
sooner than the American children. Tho
appointment of teachers of the lower grades
acquainted with both English and Spanish
would. he thinks, be the best step TO faellt-
tate a change I'm the system of education
and to enable the rising generation to be-
come AmericaniZed The Catholic colleges.
both in San Juan and Ponce, have such u
falling off Of support, owing to the war,
that he can form no estimate of the work
they did and are capable or. The charities
in Porto Rico are defective.
Father Sherman says the system of burial
in Porto Rico has been barbarous. III
places corpses have been thrown into shall
low graves, sometimes without box or
casket. The cemeteries are too small and
frequently crowded The state of morality
can be inferred from the fact that the num-
Der of llegtimate children exceeds that Of
the legitimate Concubinage is said to be-
common and is not sufficiently discounte>
nanced, either legally or socially. The
eradication of this great evil presents one
of the most difficult problems in Porto Rico.
owing to the mixture of races there. 1t IS
often asserted that the Catholic clergy are
partly to blame for this deplorable state Of
affairs, because marriage is said to be ex-
pensive This, says Father Sherman, is
calumny.
In conclusion he says: "A million of peo-
pie. differing from us in language. htera-
ture, tradition. customs and manners, well
come us by reason of political syspathy and
a sentiment of confidence in desire 10
govern for their good, to enlarge their lib
critics and TO increase the substantial bless
ings they enjoy without imposing on them
any new burdens. Porto Rico is not to be
judged by the trimming excitement and
manifold tendencies to unrest. due to a vast
political and moral appeal. nor by the acts
themselves of exceptional circumstances to
wreak private vengeance or to indulge in
the barbaroGs instinct Of destruction. Nor
are we to argue their political incapacitv
from factional differences, but remembering
that they have cities towns, villages, and
are not waste lands. as were California and
New Mexico in 1S4S. They highly civil
lized. have thousands Of educated men, able
lawyers. excellent doctors, several mer-
chants and manufacturers whose estabish-
ments aggregate many millions of annual
output"