Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-06
GENERAL RISE IN PRICES
PORTO RICO CHANGES FROM SILVER
TO GOLD.
Threatened Strike of LabOrers to Sc
cure q Corresponding Advance
in Their Wages.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press.

Correspondence Of the Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, August l, 1900.
Today marks the beginning of general
raising of prices throughout the island,
caused by misunderstanding of the ex-
change Of currency. Until week ago 1t
was widely known that after August 1 no
more Porto Rican silver would be ex-
changed, but the notice of the indefinite ex-
tension of time was published far and wide.
Still the idea prevails that hereafter the
peso will be of no value.
Yesterday the banks We're crowded after
hours. Through combination of the
traders throughout the island, food stuffs
and other necessities rose in price. With a
very large number it was moving day-a
day for fitting from excessively increased
rents to cheaper lodgings. 1t was also a
day on which money that usually bought
breakfast and dinner bought breakfast
alone. Eggs that heretofore were bought
for or centavos cost 10 centavos; the
carbon for boiling these eggs, instead Of
costing 10 centavos cost Is centavos. The
cost Of every other article of food was
raised In about the same proportion. The
wall of complaint was general. Houses
which have rented for so pesos $500 are
now supposed to bring $50. Furnished
rooms at 10 pesos $50 now bring $40. The
laborer who has been getting peso a day
eco cents now demands 81.
1t was commonly reported that all labor
ers were to strike today for the same
amount in American money formerly paid
them In pesos. This raise in prices is the
result of a gradual increase, centavo or
SO al time, commenced month ago. 1t
Is evident that a combination exists as the
proprietors of stalls at the. market were
asking the same prices. and the increase is
UNIFORM about town among the stores SELL
Ing staples.
Several instances were brought to the at
tent1on Of the newspapers where purchas-
q fol BOZ
all prices will be in American money.
According to kilograms received in this
city from many interior towns, the shops
are closed and the peso is refused in pay
ment for goods.
1t Is feared that riots and bloodshed will
result before the matter is adjusted.
Still Talking of July rs.
San Juan Is not yet through talking
about the Spanish holiday of July 25, when
the entire city was decked out with the
blood and gold" Of Spain in honor of
santiago, the patron saint of that country
The day was ushered in by the monotonous
strains OF the native band as 1t paraded
the streets. encircling each block. All
places of business were closed, and the
houses from one end of the city to the
other were one glittering profusion Of
Spanish flags, bunting and streamers. AS
many as 25O0 Spanish flags were flown,
with possibly dozen private houses dis
playing the stars and stripes in honor of
the second anniversary of the American in
Vasion. The day was unusually quiet 1t
was not an American holiday and all gov
ernmeQt clerks were at their desks else
trouble between the Americans and natives
might possibly have occurred. The day
terminated with a grand display of fire
works on the plaza, and big ball at the
Spanish Casino.
The display of the colors of Spain was such
that stranger would hardly believe that
the United States had anything to do with
the government OF this island. The Span
ish subjects residing in Porto Rico compose
at least four-ffths of the population of
San Juan.
The greater proportion of wholesale BUSH
ness houses are owned by Spaniards, either
resident here or living in Spain. They
hate the American as much today as when
the two countries were at war. The Porto
Ricans, while they suspended business, did
not as rule, decorate their houses, and
some of them were as bitter in their criti-
cisms of the audacity of the lavish display
of the red and yellow as were the Ameri-