New-York tribune., 1899-12-24
PUERTO RICO NEWS.
v1rNRrR OF AMERICANS on THE ISLAND
1>cREASING-FR VOTING

San Juan. Puerto Rico. Dec. l5.-The only census
district I'm this island completed up 10 oa'e = 10 10
of PLAYA de Ponce According 10 'he i'Se "p -.
census this district had a populatloh -hHui ",
. lo7 nersons The present census eHfoHS wv
names an increase Of LILO This gain is unexpectsd'
40 p,ava do Ponce is the point whichreceHed 'He
greatest damage during the hurricane OF Ausus'
last The centre OF the storm struck Inns see' e
resulting in great loss OF lie ana '"e
of the town in six feet OF water TOT seVe'oi
The twenty-nine districts OF san 'ua" az
ninted mt not tabulated. There are az eHs'
10000 r,ora Americans in San Juan now 'nah
,har. were q year ago Out OF $50 enumeration a''
,-c,s 1872 have been reported In fun NO iuea Vi 'o
exact population of the island has yet oee' -.
at so no estimate can be maze uhOi 10. III,
work Is tabulated The work OF enumerauon ".''
be completed by December W. a''o'e
schedule originally laid out Can.
Mr. Dingman. who is In charge Oh the Oe"'O'
Bureau. says:
- w inins ntH ~ as enumerators my heart sank. When
IoI fbe work they did they went up TO par ID u;
estimation F0f be Beaten The returns com
ing in fast now, and | am c9nhoehJ ma ia necember
~ The returns show decided Increase In popu'A-
ton.
The Message Of President Mckinley, which arrived
here December IL. met with the hearty appro's'
NJ the thinking population of Puerto Rico his au-
L
k,nd for this island the opening OF the markets u
the United States TO Puerto Rcos products ana '"e
e..ahl,shment OF free trade is applauded py al "'
1ust and equitable. A.. 90.
The United States Provisional Court has just fe
turned from a ten days session at Guayanis, "
which town II was called TO try cases OF fraudu'e"
voting Elections were held in Guayama on octooer
"a There was considerable excitement In the Tow"
during the voting, the Federals WHINING 0! VI"
vote The Republicans made an investigation a1 &
charged the Federals with having voted iIesA.',
A recount was thereupon ordered. which gave '
Federals twelve more votes. The Republicans 'heI
caused ffty-nine indictments to be issued o'N'
forty against person. DR.. Nazquez' -.
Under the Election laws. TO be eligible 10 ~
one must be a taxpayer The accused persons We
charged with having paid the taxes and reg'sF'va
the names OF certain persons who. II was c'a''"eD
were not eligible TO vote. but nevertheless 'ooM
In the election. In one case. 1t was repo''
halt-witted "duce" peder was registered anu ,
lowed to vote. One OF the accused was acqui.'u
Dr. Vazquez however, was found guIIE anu C.,
slOo He intends to take his case before '"e 90,
preme Court Of the United States This IS 'ne "''.
notable charge OF illegal voting during the 49,
elections and the summary action OF 'ue ""'"
ties will. II is thought, have mater'aI e''e' VIZ 49,
elections to follow.
Governor General Davis few days ago. Fsue.
an order governing the display OF hags '"'o
towns on their own responsibility. had oeeh H'.e
tho Spanish flag from the city halls ana ''ne. ~
lie buildings, they were accustomed 10 90 - 80
the American flag came TO Puerto Rico me C"
States emblem. OF course, was hoisted oes"'e az,
Spanish flag The new order prohibits such u
play and SAYS that no Spanish flag shall ne "V
from any public building except In the eVeh' "
holiday or In cases where flags OF all nauo".
run up II a stranger were 10 Judge alone l. -
the flags to be seen displayed from the houss'os,,
OF this town on a Sunday or feast day ne "o
surely think he was I'm Spanish city. Not ih, mn
ouently the streets from end TO end are deeorSos,
with yellow and red flags. which are suspen"
from house 10 house. broken here and there o' Wv
Stars and Stripes in the ratio OF about ono ~
The Young men who come to this island. ana .t wns
think because they in Puerto Rico they hiiSsr
needs carry n revolver must In future steer eSr
OF the police II detected with the weapon IN 'Trn iT
possesson they may be arrested. fined s. anu hunr I.
prisoned In the Jail for thirty days. Any peIssoor ~
carrying a stiietto sword cane, dagger. poniaIuv
other sharp or pointed weapon. including posA,r ,r
knives with folding blades over three inchs,s ,,s; %
length will n detected he punished bv thirty d day
Imprisonment ut hard labor and $40 hne. ne s s"-
forcement OF this order will probably give the NJ
thorities more or less trouble and should nh.@ye @
carried out the letter the police force wonlu ,bs
to be doubled or the lower classes OF Natives ~
aborer and peon. 1t Is estimated that nine IN e,S
ten carry knives from eight 10 twelve inches n o,e
This weapon rests handily In the waist OF the s oms
ers trousers under the belt. or In his SHOE s"o'
he possess footwear.