davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-07-07

!, the unboarded, space in
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

by no means idle. and the native Porto
Rican, under the folds OF Old Glory.
has seen and is still to see momentous
changes taking place upon his island
home.
The changes that have already taken
place are many. 1t is no longer nee
sssary to know Spanish in Porto Rico.
for in the narrow, brick paved streets
Of San Juan and in the grimy Spanish
restaurants Of Ponce one hears English
spoken now all day long. The ener-
getic American has invaded this insu-
lar pearl of the blue Caribbean, and
now land agents and mipers and
bankers and merchants are opening the
astonished eyes of the slothful and
apathetic native to what is meant by
the magic word characterization" The
stagnatiOn Of 400 years has been stirred
up. and the mild and courtly manners
and the easy going. old fashioned order
Of affairs that existed in San Juan
turing the Spanish regime are being
swept ruthlessly aside. II has been
realised that while Porto Rico is nat
urally one Of the most beautiful and
most richly endowed islands in all the
West Indies. II has hitherto unQues-
tionably been most unnaturally and
woefully undeveloped. The tramp Of
progress has begun. but IL has been TO
very quiet music and. though the coun-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

I commission will be put into force
| before the meeting of congress. .-
A more rigid marriage and divorce
| law is one of the things most needed
at once, as the former high marriage
fees of the Spanish priests have in
| duced many natives to lead a life Of
| concubinage.
Pending the settling OF these differ
ent legal and financial questions there
is. obviously. a certain timidity on the
| part of capitalists about investing
heavily in Porto Rican business con-
| Germs. The man who thinks he can
come into this country and invest a
few hundred thousand dollars in q
lump and then go away and expect
handsome dividends to come hurrying
after him is going to be a very disap-
pointed Individual. There are no
chances for such investment about this
island, and while, OF course. one can
come here and buy a plantation and
put as many thousands as he likes into
IL, he will never get any adequate re-
turns unless he stays right here on his
ranch and works II the same as
miner works a claim. But there is no
such thing as establishing a huge cor
poration on the island and leaving II
TO work out immediate and sensational
dividends. Although Porto Rico is be-
ginning to awaken out Of its Rip Van
Wrinkle slumber the conditions of its
development, at any rate OF its imme-
date development. are strictly limited.
Owing to the climate. American labor
will never successfully supplant native
labor.
This native. by the way. is not such
a stupid fellow as is popularity believed.
He has been hampered and bound down
for 400 years. but his natural shrewd-
ness and business instinct are great.
He realizes the changes that are about
to take place around him. and so has
lost for the time being his anxiety TO
sell out, and prefers 20 hold on and
await developments.
The Porto Ricans are watching with
keen interest every step taken by the
Americans. and each mistake made by
US will be quickly seized upon 20 pretu-
dice the masses against the new power
that has taken control Of the destinIes
~ their land. The lives Of the masses
have not been particularly happy. and
the life Of the poorer peon has been
absolutely horrible from the American
standpoint. He is a mixture Of Span
lard. negro and Indian. the traces Of
Indian descent being plainly visible. IS
pecially in the native Of the interior
These poorer classes Of the interior. Ia
fact. are morally and physically super
Tor to those on the coast The real
Porto Ricsn native has often been mis-
Judged on account Of the lawlsss ac-
tons OF the negro on the coast This
negro is nearly always an immigrant.
and a very undesirable one at that
from ST. Thomas. Barbados. San Sal
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

The first enthusiastic rush has passed
away. and now things are settling
down 10 normal once more. Ameri-
cans who came rushing down here with
romantic ideas of buying UP Spanish
plantations for n mere song and max
ing a few barrels OF money in as many
months have found out the true state
Of affairs. and the more quixotic OF
them have learned their lesson and
sadder but wiser, have taken their de-
parture.
Porto Rico is no place for the man
with small capital and an absolutely
undesirable quarter for the moneyless
man looking for work The army Of
transient fortune hunters. therefore
who came here earlier in the season
have mostly departed. and only bust
ness concerns operated on a sound ba-
sis are doing anything remarkable in
the money making line. The up to
date American steamer and the sub
stantial treiShter and the steam yacht
are supplanting in these southern wa
tiers the old gondola shaped, double
masted smackS which were wont to
glide lazily in and out of Porto Rican
harbors with what would now seem
microscopic cargoes.
One novel feature Of Uncle Sans &C.
cupation Of this fertile little corner Of
the globe is the establishment OF an
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

was stili going on. So the Importation
prohibited. Then came the Sherman
silver purchase law and the resultant
rise in silver. To export Mexican dol
lars again became very paying at
fair, and again the currency of the is
land was soon reduced. Later silver
declined, as before, and another turn
in the financial tide made II a profitable
business to bring more Mexican dollars
into Porto Rico.
This sort of thing was very unsatis-
factory for the Spaniards, who. after
exhausting every means TO impart
some stability to the islands currency,
In 1895 coined a special Porto Rican dol
lar, easily distinguishable from the u
legal Mexican coin. This is the dollar
which is still in circulation. and the
only actually legal tender Of the Is
land up to the time of American occu-
patton. There are $500. 900 of these in
digeneous dollars in circulation. to say
nothing of the 81. SOC. 900 worth of very
unstable notes OF the Bank Of San
Juan, which are really worth, heaven
alone knows how much or rather how
little.
The problem, and as will be seen
from such conditions. II is no simple
one, in the readjustment OF Porto
Rican finances is the gradual substitu-
ton of American money for a native
coinage of a different standard value.
This means that the people of the is
land will have to be suddenly educated
to some different standard of value.
while the change must not be Of such
a radical or violent nature that IL will
initiate against the extensive CONNER
cial interests of the colony.
Another problem with which our
government is still struggling is the
legal one. The insular commission ap-
pointed by the president has been bus
lily engaged in preparing a new code Of
laws to supplant the old Spanish stat
utes. and the best legal advice which
the commissioners have been able to
obtain supports their own view that
such a new code can be constitutionalIy
adopted, with the sanction of the presi-
dent, by the military government at
San Juan without awaiting the action
Of congress itself. This matter has not
yet been fully decided, but II is proba-
BILE that at least a large part of the
new code being formulated by the
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

vador or Jamaica, forming the most
the island.
As for the climate Of the Island.
nothing more lovelier and more eQua-
bic could be found In the tropics. Porto
Rico dies i've degrees south OF tina
northern tropic and is capable Of pro-
ducing any variety Of plant. fruit or
vegetable to be found in the most ia
Vored region OF equatorial America. Its
billy and mountainous configuration
renders 1t extremely healthful and free
from miasma, owing 10 the absence OF
swamps. II agrees well with the Anglo
Saxon. and in the mountains the air
is nearly always cool and temperate.
It has, of course. the usual alternating
dry and rainy season OF the tropics.
and at the beginning Of the rains.
which come In August, there Is always
the menace Of hurricanes OF no mild
sort, with an annual danger Of consid-
cradle destruction to property and
shipping.
The soil OF the island Is so rich that
Il has only to be tickled with q hoe
and IL breaks into a laugh Of luxuriant
vegetation. Fruits and nuts abound.
anu iii vegetables NuEiSS ROuucIIuify
well when once introduced. Sugar
raising is an important industry. II Is
done in a half hearted and old fash
Toned manner. the cane being ground
and pressed in ramshackle old mills
and the finished article being hauled
over hill and valley by primitive oxen.
and yet there seems to be money in IL.
When all this is changed and modern
lied and perfected there will be money
In Porto Rican sugar making. barrels
of money in il. but not. 1t must be re-
membered. for some time to come.
Coffee is the great Porto Rican sta
pie. yielding in value nearly one-half
the islands exports. The highland
parts have the peculiar terrene and ell
matte conditions necessary to produce
both excellent coffee and splendid to-
bacco. Porto Rico's coffee ranks with
the best, and the extent 10 which her
growth of the pungent little bean can
be developed is amazingly great. In
fact many people here will tell you
that the future OF Porto Rico depends
on the coffee plant This little tree Is
tender shrub. requiring shade and
protection from the wind when young.
To secure these from sun and storm
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23
PORTO rico AS IT IS TODAY.

are untrustworthy and incompetent,
and there is crying need for the truant
officer familiar in American cities.
Probably no great progress win ever be
made until the English language shall
have percolated inward among the ag-
rtcultural classes and made possible the
general use OF English speaking teach
ers.
Another problem which increases in
complexity every day is that Of reli-
gion. In the first place 1t must be
understood that the inhabitants Of this
colony have never taken their religion
with any degree of seriousness. In the
days Of the don the church was simply
the Spanish means of retaining sover-
eighty over the island. or at least a field
for~the support Of Casti1ian priests for
whom the home land could not find
places. With the advent of the Ameri-
can troops the salaries OF all the priests
on the island were cut OF and the
state and church ASSOCIATED. The
natives view this condition of affairs
today with the utmost equanimity, and
even the well to do merchants do not
seem to object to the idea OF having
American civil authorities marry their
NduShbSIS, StdO SLOuSH W NC IGLchcO
Of a very burdensome ecclesiastical
tax. The Spanish priests themselves
are embarking for home in large num-
bers, and it Is expected that their ranks
will soon be so reduced that no official
action will need to be taken by the
civil authorities here regarding their
future disposition.
The churches are fine old structures.
as rule, and it is expected that those
persons steering the ship of state Will
devise some means for the main
tenance of such handsome old build
ings.
When the American military COM
mander took possession of this island
ii was stated that the intention Of the
United States was to govern Porto
Rico with the Spanish laws then in
force so far as their application was
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23
QUEEN MARIA PEA
OF PORTUGAL
AND TIE PEARLS.

The D0wager Queen Maria Pia OF
Portugal daughter OF Victor Emman-
uel. Is said to be one Of the most ex-
traVagant women. as far as dress h
concerned, and she h In perpetual con-
tiict with her royal son. who does not
relish seeing constantly exposed IN tha
windows OF the jewellers OF Lisbon
tries to sell at times 80 as TO pay her
dressmaker's bills. and often suffers "a
be labeled with these alluring words.
Having belonged to her majesty
Queen Maria Pia."
One day the king was walking alone.
as he likes 20 do. In the streets Of his
capital when his eyes were struck By
the sight OF a necklace made OF two
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

This is to be one Of the attractions -
the Paris exhibition 81 1909 and It's ap-
propriately lengthy name is TO b. the
"autovelektropoIyphon
The inventor OF this enormous In
s;rument Is an Italian named Zibordi.
who has spent l. years in its manu-
facture. IL has cost him an infinltUde
Of study and labor and seems to com
prise every sort OF musical instrument
Itself
IL is 70 be worked By two petroleum
motors Of three horss power. These
will set IN motion q dynamo which vii
not only tllumire the room and TIE in
terror Of the instrument, but viii also
throw out rays Of many eoi0red light.
This mammoth among musical IN
struments viii require a double sized
railway van 20 transport u 20 Paris.
and after the exhibition IL Is said 20 bs
destined for q present 20 the qussn of
Italy.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

/, rows Of bananas and plantains are
planted between the rows of coffee, the
sheltering bananas themselves yielding
not insignificant crop. In three
years the coffee plant will begin TO
bear and will continue 20 do so for at
least a dozen years to come. Owing 20
the absence Of winter frosts there Is a
perpetual succession Of luscious fruits
and vegetables. and every week In the
year something may be planted as well
as harvested.
Orange culture IL especially susceptl-
BILE OF enormous development. for this
island seems to be the natural home Of
the orange family. From 1900 20 5000
oranges have often been taken from
one tree, while LOCO oranges Is consid-
cred a heavy yield for one tree In
Florida or California. Spices. too,
must not be forgotten among the re-
sources Of the island. along with dyes,
drugs and woods. AS for minerals. II
Is hard TO come to any definite conclu-
sion. as all the mines here are worked in
a most primitive and desultOry man
ner There are a number Of gold mines
that were once operated by the natives
under Spanish overseers. and IL Is
known that copper. zinc, coal and iron
nave been found in varying quantities.
There are also salt mines. and In the
eastern portion OF the island some
really excellent gypsum quarries.
But Porto Rico. like most earthly
paradises. has its serpents and scOr-
pions, tarantuIas, centipedes. chigoes.
wasps. mosquitoes and red and black
ants &c keep the inhabitant from being
overblessed with worldly joys. How
ever. when once this little island L. put
in shape and cleared and cleansed and
educated IL ought to become q second
garden Of Eden
WENDELL X JOHNSTON.
San Juan. Porto Rico.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

pink coral PearA next street.
where he knew he would find q well
known curio dealer. There. again. con-
spicuous among a number OF curious
things and daintiiy arranged on q long
ribbon OF pale blue velvet. ~ superb
pink coral buttons. exquisitely carved,
looked most inviting.
AS far as can ses." thought Dom
Luis. anxious to reassure himself and
silence his misgivings. pink coral jew
els have come into fashion again.
see nothing else in the shops just
now
Arrived on the quay he turned into
narrow and Insignificant little street 20
return home but he was stopped IN the
middle OF Il by something which made
him frown omInousiy. In the window %
a second class hairdresser's shop a wax
figure was smiling. crowned by a head
Of reddish hair. the chignon OF curls
being held together by a superb comb
OF pink coral and two hairpins Of the
same.
Entering the shop. he said; You
have there q fine paFure OF pink coral
Where does IL come fromf'
1t comes from Naples. SIR" said the
perruquier, pretending not 10 recognise
the inquirer: but the answer quite con-
firrned Dom Luis in his worst fears. and
he turned on his heels.
This happened on Wednesday, and a.
Il was a settled habit for the queen dow
ager 20 come and have lunch with her
children and grandchildren on Thurs
DAYS. Dom Luis decided that he would
wait till the morrow to have some fun.
The meal was over and the royal ladies
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

| couple OF hair have @en somefhing
pins In pink cor that would interest you."
al They were not real. OF course:
! they were made OF celluloid. or some
stun Of that kind: but. upon my word.
they look very much like those you re-
ceived from the town OF Naples on your
| marriage. and which are said TO be
worth something like E2.o00. They
were almost as beautiful"
The dowager queen. who had turned
scarlet. let her cigarette fail on her
dress. which excused a little scream.
You don't believe me. mother. ! arm
sure" Dom Luis went on. We'll. wen
see. VIII you drive this afternoon with
me and see these maIvelsT"
''Pshawi" cried Maria Pia. Il hate
shams. Why on earth should I 80 and
see such rubbish"
That's true But. really, I declare
that I admire pink coral more than
anything else. and am glad 20 IN com
ing into fashion again. I saw many
other articles made Of "a IN various
shops II would suit you admirably.
my love" he added. turning 20 his
wife. Have you ever seen mothers
casket and all the beauties u con-
talns2''
The young queen. who was not very
much interested In the matter. shook
her head negatively. Maria Pia was on
thorns.
she has not" she answered. throw
ing a glance % rage mixed with fear
at her mischievOus son. but tomorrow
will have IL sent 20 her. and I will
even lend her all my ornaments for her
next reception. II she cares % wear
them"
Il should De most grateful 90 you.
mother. ~ you would DO that said the
king. who then left the room.
ON the morrow Maria Pa. little
ycKed but her stili lovely faos all
smiles. opened before her dauRhtSr-in-
law a large box in orange wood made
by the celebrated OarRulo % Sorrento.
and covered Sith inscriptions and
clever designs Ia mosaic inside 70 waa
a large jewel case iu ruby velvet paved
with nails IN pink oossI. which con-
talnsd. Syrumetrtrsiiy arranged. on the
paieat blue velvet. q comb, two hair
pins. q n4eklaes. two bfaceista, Il bag
buftIus eTauisitsiy carved. = set %
smaller ones for cufIs and collar. ard
q pair 81 shoe buckles. ali In plnk coral
q the rareEf shade.
Dear people % Naples sizhed Ma
ria PA DsnslvsiY aa she Razed upon
the treasures: while Dom Luis smiled
As h wondered how on earth kis
mother had managed % get them cut
~ such short nstice.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23
Some of the Difficulties Already Overcome and Those
With Which Our Administrators In the Fer
tile Island Still Have to Contend

, American colony which has in its ranks
quite a number of American women.
They are mostly the wives and rela-
tives of officers who have been coming
here since November last, lured south
ward by tales OF the wonderfully eQua-
BILE climate of the island. These tailor
gowned. vivacious American women
have brought with them the touch Of
the daughter of the north, and the re-
suit has been a sort of characterization
of the old court life and an awakening
of society here.
In considering the various elements
which go to make up the native social
system of Porto Rico the feature most
worthy of examination is the school
system. On this the very foundation
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

OF cable The company has issued
bonds for the sum OF ssg5e00. with In
terest at per cent. The paid up caDi-
tai amounts 10 t1-255. 0op \ subsidy was
granted by the Brazilian government.
amounting TO Sss.s25 a year for II
years.
The wild girl % Cuba" who has
been on exhibition In one OF IN" Consy
Island shows. turned out % b. an IDIOT
boy. and the show was discontinued BY
the police The mother Of the boy con-
sented TO the exhibition and her at
toTney declares she was deps noeut
upon the income derived from IL
British Columbia may be said 20 Dos-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

compatible with the presence of that
same military authority. Where the
new authority has decided II was best
to depart from the old laws, however.
il has found the conservative Porto
Ricans rather reluctant to swing
around in line and agree to constitu-
tional changes by aliens. The people
declined to acknowledge the judgment
of the military protectorate. and the
autOnomists set up a howl Of discon-
tent which has not yet altogether died
down
One of the things which are causing
unrest in the island is the matter of
currency reform. Last session congress
did not find time to arrive at some
plan Of adjusting the financial system
of the island. and today complaints of
embarrassment and confusion are nu-
merous, and business is being hamper
ed by uncertainty regarding the ulti-
mate value Of money now In circula-
ton here. The currency consists OF a
number of coins. as follows: The peso.
or dollar. the copper centavo or cent,
the 90 centavo and the 40 centavo silver
bit. The peso is distinctly Porto Rican
and contains about IL cents worth Of
silver.
The origin OF this peso is unique and
interesting. II was in 1879 that a Eu-
ropean banking firm bought up all the
Porto Rican slave bonds and secured
permission 10 pay for them, not in
gold. as was customary. but in Mexican
silver. There could be but one result.
The gold disappeared and Mexican sill
yer became the currency Of the island.
But as silver began to decline the mer-
chants Of the island found IL more and
more profitable to import Mexican coin
against their bills on New York and
London. Porto Rico was flooded with
il and the rate OF exchange jumped
higher and higher. In lsSS the Span
ish government awoke TO the fact that
something must be done. The decline
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

for millinery purposes condemned IN
one OF the discussions before the wo-
mems international congress, but II
was even suggested by one OF the fair
disputants that the killing Of seals to
make jackets and wraps shoHld be
stopped
Surgery has successfully achieved
the feat Of restoring lost memory and
speech A blow on the skull from a
falling piece OF timber rendered Eugene
Brace OF Geneva. ~. Y. partly par
alyzed on the right side. as well as
causing the troubles mentioned. An OPP
Grafton revealed rupture Of one Of the
blood vessels Of the brain The re-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-23

they fear that If the miners are allowed
to bring their wives in complications
might arise through taking up Of
claims by families.
Professor John Fiske Is said to be
writing q history Of the Spanish war.
Senator Lodges history. recently pub
lished. is based largely on federal re-
ports; but Professor Fiske is quoted as
declaring that he has made most use Of
material from the newspapers as hav-
ing local color and picturesque details.