The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-09
GETTING into OUR WAYS
Porto Ricans Are Getting Around
to United States Ways.
OLD THINGS PASSING AWAY
All the Young Bloods Like It, but the
New Order of Things Comes
Hard for Some of the
Old Dons
Written for the Sunday Standard.

Written for the sunday STANDARD.
San Juan, Porto Rico, March 3O.-The
spirit of reconstruction has invaded the
body social as we'll as polite Of Porto
Rico. Democratic simplicity has sue
ceeded the grandiose forms of the Span
ish period. Until the beginning of the
year, disorganization, it appeared would
be the inevitable result of the Ameri-
can occupation. The Spanish grandee,
who with his wife and daughters, form
ed the basis for this phase of Porto Ri
can life, retired from the scene, and the
republican idea of leveling class dis
tinctions has filled the gap to the man
ifest delight of young and ambitious
natives. The governor generals palace,
whose sacred precincts were formerly
reserved for functions of state, has, been
thrown open by General and Mrs. Hen
ry and some charming receptions have
been held. though the precarious health
of Mrs. Henry has prevented anything
very extensive in the way of entertain
ment.
Just across the calle. in the old Span
ish naval palace, General and Mrs. Fred
D. Grant hold their regular Monday
evening .informals, which have become
exceedingly popular and important
features in the reimbursement. Nothing
so tends to weld a people together as
the understanding that comes through
social commingling, and these occasions
have been a connecting link in making
fast the Porto Rican-American tie.
Minister of state, military officials and
citizens generally here mingle in
the unrestrained freedom of official in
| tercourse. There are always a sufficient
number of linguists present to act as
| interpreters to the less accomplished d,
and the exchange Of courtesies is there
| fore not restricted.
In his official capacity as governor of
| the eastern district of Porto Rico, Cen
| eral Grant has become very popu ar
with the people of his jurisdiction. He
has something of the quiet method of
| his distinguished father in gathering
| material for systematic and intelligent
work, and has made a close study of
the people, their condition and charac-
teristics. The understanding that comes
| of this knowledge, combined with Cen
eral Grants unostentatious dignity and
| decisive character, have inspired conf
dence and respect from those with
whom his duties have brought him in
| contact. There is not a class of people,
| from the half-savage breed that inhabit
| the matched hamlets in the mountain
| Businesses ito the polite circles of the
| capital, that he does not know. In his
frequent trips on horseback throughout
the districts he has not lost the oppor-
tunity offered by studying both the peo-
pie and the country, and the contrast
presented between the rigid official re-
serve and broad democratic dealing be-
| tween man and man has not been with
| out beneficial results. go
The most popular commodity in the
commercial field is the Spanish Ameri-
can dictionary. Every new arrival on
the island is self tagged by the little
red volume tina. sticks out from coat
| pocket or is carried with finger between
pages ready for service. The Porte
Ricanian does not keep his dictionary
| so much in evidence, but with equa
| determination the business and profess
sional man and politician are burning
the midnight oil pouring over their Eng.
lish lexicons. They have heard OF
sharp Yankee methods and are on the
defensive. The revolutionary process is
therefore slow in affecting commercial
life, though the influx of Americans has
| given an impetus to some departments
4 of trade. Rentals and the price of rea
estate have climbed up and the native
citizen openly manfests a determine
ton to hold firm grip on all he pos
sesses. In anticipation of high duties
the merchant in the dawn of the Amer
lcdH OCCuIJdllOll SlOCheu HIS " dl GIiOuSSs
| from the French and Spanish marts
and now seriously doles out his good!
over the counters, while the prospec
tive Yankee trader grits his teeth owe
the high custom duties that prevent al
import of competing American products
Not long ago a venturesome spiri
from New England, the proverb' a
home of sharp traders, arrived will
a small stock of goods. His partne
tn fr11 Iii In for II
large invoice. The new arrivals smil
was broad. the field was promising, tn
| people were numerous and they Wer
moreover mild-mannered, soft-eyed ant
gentle; Mt as time passed on, tn
smile waned; then the New Englande
flew ITO the cable office and dispatc e'
the terse message, Don't come" Hi
trunk was packed and on the truck TO
an outgoing steamer. and he wore hi
winter travelling clothes, when he wa
accosted with Hello! What's takin.