The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-05
Governor General Henry's Method OK
Furnishing Those Who Waste Ink
in ViIifying Americans.
TWO WRITERS BADLY SCARED
FLED IN FEAR OF BEING "WHITE.
Capped BIZ KENTUCKIANS.
San Juan Clean on the Surface, but
Reeking in Filth in Out-Of-Way
PIaces-Tenements Foul.
,ondence of the Associated Press.


SAN JUAN Porto Rico, Dec 12.-The life
of a Porto Rican journalist or editor in Porto
Rico has been known in the past as a career
full of trials, vicssitudes and disgustos.
There was ample reason for this opinion,
and even to-day the editor of a local paper
is subjected to peculiar conditions and many
difficulties.
Politics is and has been the reason of being
of almost every Porto Rican newspaper; and
politics in Porto Rico has been peculiar.
There have been contests filled with all sorts
Of bitter personalities of rancor and squab-
bling; contests where principle, platform and
party idea are lost and forgotten in the fight
against your opponent, as a person. 1t is
seldom a politician would seem to be OPP
posed because of the party principle he rep
resents, but because of the rascal, the black
guard and the robber which he is asserted to
be. So newspapers spring into existence
with the main idea OF attack or defense;
attacks always personal, defenses against
the groundleSs and base insinua tons of men
who are no better than they should be, etc.
This condition of affairs, can readily be
seen, was sufficient to bring excitement and
annoyance into the lives of editors. Coupled
with these normal and accepted circum-
stances was always the possibility of gov
6Tn0l6IlL interference anu the I6IdildlIOl VI
your political opponent should he ascend to
power Both of these contingencies meant
Imprisonment.
1t is said-and the writer has learned that
many truthful remarks are made in Porto
Rico, Notwithstanding the average Amer
leans tendency to disbelieve all that is told
him-that after the elections of this year the
political leader who, in spite OF the efforts of
his many opponents, was elected to power
Imprisoned every editor in San Juan city
with the exception of two, one being a close
personal friend and the other the editor of his
cNn organ. as well as every editor in the
whole island who had been his enemy during
the troubous days of his campaigning.
There is no Porto Rican editor of any
prominence or who has been long engaged in
journalism who is not thoroughly familiar
with the inside of prison walls. Papers
sprung up and grew with mushroom rapidity
until the editor was hailed to Jail; then they
were forgotten, and to-day exist only in the
recollection of the fearless young editor who
is still particularly bitter against the man
who sent him to prison.
A PERILOUS TIME FOR EDITORS.
The war was an especially troubled and
dangerous time for Journalists. AS a result
of the times and consequent troubles many
papers ceased to appear, some for reasons
of wise discretion, Others Tor reasons en-
tireIy beyond the power and control of their
editors. AS soon as the American forces
took possession of San Juan one after an
other of these journals resumed business,
some with d few remarks explaining the
| reasons of their recent discontinuance
others with a brief outline of future policy,
and all with a 1oWery welcome to the new
power in the land. Editors were feeling
their way under the conditions and
We're anxious to learn what freedom they
would enjoy The writer was approached
! by several and asked to explain the meas
ure OF the liberties enjoyed by the press of
the United Steats
1t was not long before the press of Porto
Rico oVerstepped the liberty allowed by the
military authority in the land. Two papers
| in Ponce published scurrilous and lying
articles about the American soldiers quar-
| tered in that city. This regiment was the
| First Kentucky They were not blameless
in the matter; their conduct was many
things that 1t should not have been, but
| they did not deserve the criticism melted
| to them by the newspapers in question.
General Henry then commander of the
| Ponce district, called the editors Of these
two papers to his presence. These men
! quickly acknowledged to him that their re-
marks about the soldiers were not all true.
| Then General Henry told the two editors
something about Kentuckans and their
customs when at home. He exaggerated a
| little, to be sure, but he had his good rea-
sons for so doing. He spoke of the Ken
| tuckians' objection to being slandered, and
said they were a people who often took the
punishment of offenders against the national
and state honor into their own hands He
| incidentally described raWhide whips told
| them how they were prepared and how they
| were sometimes used, and spoke of the eff
| fects of being beaten by them. 1T is sell
| dom man dies from such a whipping"
sald the general, but he is often pretty
! we'll distgured." Then the general said he
| was really sorry for the two editors He
onered TO give them guard of regulars
| for their protection, but they family
answered they did not think it was neceS-
| sary. The next morning one left the coun-
| try in soop for st. Thomas and the other
| Went into hiding outside of the city Now
| that the First Kentucky Regiment has gone
] hos in hoo
| Ponce.
REPRIMANDED BY HENRY.
In General Henry's outline of policy as
| expressed in his two letters addressed to the
| home secretary and the insular cabinet he
said that newspapers would not be allowed
to criticise the American military govern
ment of Porto Rico. 1t so happened that a
certain paper, called Ell Pals, had recently
done this and General Henry had the editor
of Ell Pals brought to the palace The gen
eral there told him that such things could
not be and the editor promptly promised
never to do so again.
When the Spaniards had TO bring an edi-
Tor TO the powers for reasons of warning.
or Tor arrest they sent to him a short note
winch requested him to call at his earliest
| opportunity. This he never failed to Go
Inc note sent upon these occasions began
with the officials name, followed by the
kisses your hand" Thus: Senior ri-I Don
So and So, chief of police of the loyal town
OF st. John the Baptist, kisses your hands
and Will you come around to the office as
soon as you have timer" Upon receipt of
such note an editor was likely to grow
suddenly pale, but generally lit a cigarette
and went to prison with good grace. The
American way of doing this same thing is a
little less courteous, perhaps, but under our
rule there is much less chance of confine-
ment within the hour. We send a corporaPs
guard with an officer in charge down to the
editors office; there a few words of
explanation, fall in. forward march, and
the editor is on his way to have a talk
with the commanding general. The editors
however, prefer the old Spanish way; they
object to being marched through the CITY
streets by soldiers even If they are not GO
ing TO prison.
The article which caused the arrest and a
warning to the editor of Ell Pals is given
below. 1t was published on Nov. %:
THE situation which to-day is upon us
cannot last much longer because 1t is IN
bearable and inexplicable. We are told that
maintain order and TO protect life and prop
erty, and that while this military govern
ment existed Porto Rico would tie governed
under her old laws. AS q result there is
neither the one thing or the other. The dis
order in the administration is on 4 par with
the disorder throughout the land: one can
not with security live peacefully in the
country. Formerly we had peace. to-day ii
does not exist. Burnings, sackings and at
tacks continue. Even in this capital. the
residence of all the American officials there
Is hardly day without its shooting ARRAY
and the consequent closing of doors and