The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1899-04-14
STARVING TO DEATH
Gen. Roy Stone Calls Attention to
the Distress in Porto Rico.
The OPINION OF FATHER SHERMAN.
He Thinks Porto Rico should he Made q
Territory at Once and EventuaiiyA
state-secretary Aigor in
Porto Rico.

New York, April s.-Brig. Gen. Roy
Stone went to Washington to-day,
where he will call the attention OF the
president to the starvation and dis
tress in Porto Rico. He thinks that
the desperate state of the people may
lead to instruction II relief is not
forthcoming. He has just returned
from a journey of ten days through
the interior of the island. The gen.
eral was attached to the department
Of agriculture before the war, and
during hostilities he was in Porto
Rico as a member of Gen. Miles staff.
This last trip was made with party
of capitalists and railroad men. He
was also invited by Maj Gen. Henry
to give advice upon the construction
of the roads through the islands He
says:
Persons are dying from starvation all through
the interior In the district OF Aguas Banas
there we're many deaths The judge in the dis
trict of Generic showed me book in which he
had recorded the names of many who died
from lack Of food Gen. Grant reported 80
deaths from starvation in one district saw
hundreds Of natives emaciated and weak
When left Porto Rico there were 100000 per-
sons there who had had neither bread nor meat
for two weeks The natives cannot get money
to buy the necessaries of life. Maj Gen Henry
is issuing rations and is doing everything in
his power to alleviate the distress
One of the objects OF my visit was to make
arrangements for the establi Shment OF an ex-
perimental station under the department of
agriculture. 1 have found n place which
think will be s.ltabe for such station Porto
Rico is especially suitable for the raising. OF
winter vegetables
FATHER sHERMAN's OPINION
Chicago, April s. --Rev. Father Sher-
man, son of the late Gen. w. Il. Sher-
man, who has just returned from Porto
Rico, spoke bitterly yesterday of the
Spaniards and the Spanish ecclesi-
astics. Father sherman received a
commission as chaplain of the Fourth
Missouri volunteers when the war
broke out. but left his regiment, being
dispatched on special service by an
order from Secretary Alger last
August. Speaking of Porto Rico, he
said:
was for several months at Porto Rico and
think it the most beautiful country in the
world The people are with Us in political
sympathies and have great faith in our in>titu-
tions What they wish is civil government,
and l am in favor of making Porto Rico ter
rtory Immediately and eventually state.
Inc nlEner classes are as TeIutu anu lhNSllI-
gent as any people have ever met. The great
political problem to me is HaytL l predict
that island will cause much bloodshed in the
future 1t is in a state Of anarchy. The ne
groes are in the majority and they have the
power in their hands The race war OF 1851
will be here repeated in the near future.
SECRETARY ALGER IN PORTO RICO.
Ponce, 2. r., April s.-Gen. Russell
A. Alger, the secretary of war, who
arrived here on board the United
States transport ingalls,, has met with
an enthusiastic reception. He visited
the schools yesterday, discussed island
affairs with merchants and agricul
turists at the principal club during
the afternoon and attended a banque
at the Branch hotel in the evening
The town was decorated in his homo
and last night it was illuminated
The general has had a fine trip ant
is delighted with Porto Rico.