The evening times., 1899-12-11

Whether the new American island pos
session in the West Indies should be
styled Porto Rico, Or Puerto Rico. is a
question that has divided the authorities.
and so marked has the feeling in the mat
ter become that It is liable to develop into a
serious discussion.
Papers are being written. official edicts
are issuing, and scholars are making state
ments, ON both sides, Gradually the entire
departmental force is separating into two
camps. not hostile as yet, but very much
in earnest as far as the leaders are con-
cerned, apparently.
The facts in the dispute up to the pres
ent time are that the United States Board
on Geographic Names has pronounced In
favor OF Puerto Rico" that the Coast and
Geodetic Survey, the Hydrographic Offlce.
which makes the maps used in the navy.
and other bureaus use this form religiously.
but that several, IL not the majority Of the
departments, use the form Porto Rico"
in state papers and in everyday business.
The President In all OF his messages and
official proclamations has also used tns
latter form.
The United States Board on Geographic
Names was created for the purpose Of
settling such questions as far as ofhcial
usage rs concerned. On September 4. 1880.
President Harrison issued the following
order:
"As it is desirable that uniform usage
in regard to geographic nomenclature and
orthography obtain throughout the Exec
utiye Departments Of the Government. and
particularly upon the maps and charts is
sued BY the various departments and bu-
reaus, l hereby constitute Board on Geo
graphic Names. and designate the follow
ing persons, who have heretofore cooper
ated for a similar purpose under the au-
thority OF the several departments, bu-
reaus. and institutions with which they
are connected, as members of said board y
Under this order seven well-known men
were appointed. On concluding this order,
President Harrison said:
TO this board shall be referred all un-
settled questions concerning geographic
names which arise in the departments, and
the decisions of the board are to be ac-
cepted by these departments as the stand
ard authority In such matters. Depart
ment officers are instructed TO AFFORD such
assistance as may be proper to carry on
the work OF this board. The members OF
this board shall serve without additional
compensation, and its organization snail
entail no expense on the Government
The decisions of this board have almost
invariably been sustained by public opin-
ion. il is asserted A well-known example
of this occurred a year or two ago when
the correct spelling of the name OF the
Alaskan gold fields was under discussion.
KIondyke. Kiondike. Clondike, and Cion-
dyke. all had their friends, but when the
board decided in favor of Klondike that
form was universally adopted. AS far as
the Executive Departments are concerned
1t is said that the rulings Of the board
have had ali the force of law in the past
One Of the earliest Of the decisions OF
the board was in favor of Puerto Rico.
seven years ago. This spelling was the
form recognized In all the departments, 1t
is asserted. for six years or more.
report from the United States Consul
at San Juan, Puerto Rico. was published
by the State Department only Few days
before the blowing up OF the Maine II was
TO Puerto Rico that the mails were sent up
TO the breaking out of the war with Spain.
A map OF Puerto Rico was issued by the
Military Information Division of the War
Department soon after the beginning OF the
war. The Agricultural Department issued
bulletin on the trade OF Puerto Rico
short time before the end Of the war.
Since the war a change has occurred in
many official qquarters. II is said BY the
strict coustructionists that the Treaty OF
Peace is probably responsible for this. In
the copy of the treaty retained by America.
the spelling is Porto Rico" II is said
that the other copy spelled the name in
the Spanish manner. puerto Rico" One
of the champions of the latter form inti-
mates that this difference in spelling was
due either TO ignorance Of the ruling OF the
board or TO zone OF those inadveTtances on
the part of an engrossing clerk that have
been known TO invalidate acts OF Congress
The friends of the now prevalent form.
Porto Rico. argue that the membership OF
the board does not include photographers
or linguIsts, and that its decisions should
not be necessarily final. They suggest
that the decision in favor Of Puerto Rico
was made several years ago. when the
island was foreign territory. and when the
name was not in frequent use in the chi
cial records and literature. The usage by
''the best English WRITER'S and by car
tographers of England, France, Holland.
and Germany, has been almost uniformly
in favor of Porto Rico. it is said The
name Porto Rico. is easily pronounced.
and is written phonetically, while the
word Puerto. is undoubtedly difficult
one. at least in English.
The meaning of the Spanish name. is
literally Port of Riches; Puerto being the
Spanish for port and Rico for riches
One of the arguments of those who favor
following the decision of the Board Of Ge-
ographic Names is. that the term Porto
p;oo &c paither Snapish nor English