The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-04-17
PORTO RICO CONDITIONS
The Issue of Free Rations Has
Been Limited.
PRICE OF BREAD IS HIGH
Taxes Must Be Reduced on the Neces-
saries of Life-All Budgets Must
Be Reduced-Childish Threats
of Revolution.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
San Juan de Porto Rico, April 16.-
The following general orders from the
headquarters of the department of
Porto Rico were issued to-day:
The war department having forbid
den the issue of rations to Porto Ri
cans, commanding officers of posts are
authorized to prevent suffering among
the people in their respective locali-
tiles, to purchase necessary articles in
their respective localities, to purchase
necessary articles of food at a rate
not to exceed 10 centavos day for
each needy person and to send the bill
for same to this office for payment from
the. moneys of the islands, as directed
by the authorities at Washington.
Great discretion must be used in car
rying out these instructions and aid
should be extended to those only who
are unable to obtain work. The recent
visit of the department commander to
Caguas, Cayeyea, Abonita, Coamo, CO.
amo Springs, Santa Isabella, Guayama
and Arroyo showed satisfactory con-
d1tion Of affairs and that the people
can methods and progress.
At Coamo Springs a most patient
ana commendable work is progressing
IN procuring vaccine for the benefit of
the people of this island At some of
the towns complaint was made as to
the cost of bread, 8 cents a loaf, the
same as last summer, although the
price of flour is much less now. The
price should not be more than cents
pound. In the city of San Juan the
price of bread is down to cents. 1t
is the duty of the alcaldes to reduce
as far as possible the cost of all the
necessaries of life and to increase the
tax on other articles.
The prison at Guayama was not
clean. The prison at Caguas was
clean, but was an old building.
The quarters of the insular police
and the appearance of the men at San
to Isabel, Guayama and Caguas were
very good and particularly SO at the
latter place.
beds clean at the hotels visited, the To-
cation and dirty condition of the wa
ter closets placed in or near the kitch-
ems, as is probably the case also in
many private dwellings on the island,
were most disreputable. Until this un-
sanitary condition is remedied great
discredit will be brought upon the ISL
with disgust and their recollections of
otherwise agreeable surroundings will
be marred by this unnatural and dis
gushing practice.
The habit Of delegations coming to
San Juan at the expense of the peo-
pie must be discontinued. All appli-
cations should be addressed to the
proper secretary. If reply is not re-
ceived or any action taken within a
reasonable time, a direct application
should be made to the governor gen.
eral. stating what is desired, the fact
of inaction and date of appeal. Valu-
able time is taken up in talking about
matters that can be attended to only
in writing and by reference to the
proper secretary.
The work of building roads and TAX
ing charge of schools and jails, so as
to reduce the taxes of the people will
be taken up as rapidly as possible. In
the meantime all budgets will be re-
duced to the lowest possible limit, hon
est economy practiced in all directions
and patience exercised during this pc
riod of transition.
Referring to the idle talk, the threats
of violence in certain neighborhoods.
the reported assemblages for revolu-
purposes and the numerous
articles appearing in the
press of the United States showing a
restless state of affairs here, all these
intimidating the work of
desiring to invest here, are
now bearing their fruit to the injury
of the well being and progress of the
island.
The educators of the people, having
the good of the island at heart, should
instruct their agents whose characters
are unknown in the United States con-
corning the harm they are doing by their
childish threats and utterances, ex-
horting them to silence and suppress
sion of such correspondence.
1t is not believed that any thought of
opposition to law and order
exists in Porto Rico. but should it be
the truth, it would be discovered at
once and would prove to be the suicide
Of the island.