The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-11-15

or thrown over the wall, and another
body Is placed in the grave, provided
the friends of the deceased can pay
the tax" This law and these prac-
tices are still in vogue, and how to
change them without exciting ran
corous denominational prejudice will
be a problem.
The recasting of the tax system Is
another labor calling for infinite pa
tience. a particular feature of 1t in
Porto Rico requires nonresident prop
erty owners to pay double taxation.
This applies to Americans as well as
foreigners and even to native Porto
Ricans who live elsewhere than on
the island. Determinations of this
character, it is obvious, cannot be
permitted in American territory. Other
conditions are thus summarized
"The courts do not possess the con-
fidence of the people. The judges are
openly charged with favoritism and
corruption. They are diatory in try
ing cases. Judges and even other Of
ficials can order arrest without
charges, and can hold at pleasure
without trial. The jails are full of
prisoners who have been held for
months and years with no attempt TO
try them. At the pleasure of the judge
or committing officer prisoner can be
held in solitary confinement, and no
one allowed to see him, and he Is al
60
one. a sentence for a term of years
or for life may, and sometimes does,
include being chained down and shack
led. There is no such thing as the writ
of habeas corpus, and with the legal
right vested in n single judge to i'm
his reasons, no other judge could re-
lease if a writ was authorized.
"A prisoner has no compulsory pro-
cess for witnesses. The theory of the
Spanish law is that every man charged
is pronounced guilty, and he must
prove his innocence. There is no uni
formity in the decisions of the courts,
the laws are not codiied. they are
made up of various royal decrees,'
and are hard to understand, and il is
difficult to tell what is the law now in
force. The supreme court decisions
are not published but are filed away
without any index or subjects, so each
judge decides for himself and the SUI
preme court decides each case without
reference to what has gonebefore. Such
a system would work utter confusion
in this country. None but 'notarles'
can make deeds or mortgages: they are
very few. and charge excessive fees.
The whole system Of recording titles
is defective and eXtorticnate. Mar
riage has been so expensive that ove-
half the children are born out Of we'd
lock and parents live together in dis
regard of all form of marriage. There
is no divorce law at all except for
adultery, and on the part Of the hus-
band that must be accompanied with
scandal to be a cause for divorce.
There is no redemption from the Judi
cial sale of lands and no minimum
limit. The property can be sold by the
sheriff for what it brings, and that is
''AN NAiN' 4Nuii'iItlilltS nave PRACTICE
ally a free hand at taxation. They
have been in the habit of taxing the
necessities of life, bread. meat, milk
and all kinds of provisions, giving
a monopoly to some favorite of the city
markets"
These errors, omissions and excres-
cences will all yield, in course of
time, to patient and intelligent Ameri-
can treatment; but they will yield
more quickly in Porto Rico, where
the native mind is not distorted by
the mirage of an impossible indepen-
dence, than in Cuba. where American
Intervention, by premature pledges,
has foolishly given to every half baked
Cuban the opportunity to dispute our
right to amend the evils of a country
not our own.