The age-herald., 1899-06-25

San Juan, Porto Rico, June 25.-Like Cuba the picturesque island of Porto Rico is a good place for man to keep away from unless he has definite aim and money enough to carry it through. At present Porto Rico has little to offer tho poor man. Be he ever so ambitious and willing to work he can find but poor prospects in a country where there are but two positions open to him. driving a mule team at $40 per month or enlisting as a private in the army at $15 per month.
 Already there are hundreds of ambitious but poor young Americans in the island. As soon as peace was declared they rushed into this new Eden and there are few of them who have not had reason to regret their nasty step. Since they arrived they have joulneyed from one end of the island to the other looking for the opportunity to make a fortune and so far they have only succeeded in wearing out their shoe leath- or
 When the United States awakens to the fact that Porto Rico is in need of new laws and that things in general must be modernized the industrious poor man win have a chance, but until that time nothing but disappointment awaits him here.
 Among the first arrivals from the United States was the omnipresent capitalist. He looked over the ground and selected the channels into which he might best turn his wealth and then he went back to a more civilized land, leaving an agent to guard his interests here. He, too, is waiting for Uncle Sam to decide just what he will do with the island and then, if the decision is favorable to him, he will return and the much needed improvements will be inau- gurated. Already new railroads are pro- jected to take the place of the miserable make-shifts that Spanish money built; bas bpan SapIlrp1 which sugar mills will be built, and arrangements have been made to construct new ice plants in all the thickly populated districts.
 As the native Porto Rcan is not inclined to do any more work than Is absolutely necessary, the immigrant from the states will find his opportunity as soon as these plans are carried out and this will give him chance to locate and build for himself home on one of the most fertile spots in the whole world.
 When General Henry came to Porto Rico the condition of things was pitiable but the reforms that he at once introduced have done much for the islanders In fact Gen. eral Henry was just the man for the posi- ton he was selected to occupy. He was both mild and firm, mild to the ignorant natives who had been ground beneath the heelao9 oppression for so many years that ss they did not know the meaning of the word 'liberty," and firm when called upon to decide any important question or to sup press any threatened uprising. As the re- suit it took but comparatively short time for the people to discover that he was fully in control of affairs. but that whatever he might do was for their own good
 He instituted schools and he cleaned the cities he stopped lawlessness, he made new laws and he suspended others, notably the law that permitted mortgage holders to foreclose upon a months notice. The sup pression of this law alone was of incalcula- ble advantage to the poor planters as the Spanish mortgage holders had given notice of their intention to foreclose upon the helpless land owners and the American and English land-shark was ready to take ad- vantage to secure control of some of the choicest land on the island. Naturally they objected to being baked at the game but the people rushed to Gen. Henry to thank him for his action and would have smother ed him by their demonstrations of delight if they had not been driven away by the soldiers.
 s. With the exception of a few disgruntled politicians the island is free of all i'll will towards the United States government. . The people want a territorial government and they would welcome the opportunity to be able to have such complete control of their affairs but they have sufficient con- fldence in the United States to be willing to leave the matter entirely to congress.