Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-12-01
TNyELy E PAGES.
PORTO RICO'S NEEDS.

MIR. Ramon Lopez, editor of the lead
Ing newspaper of Porto Rico, contrib
utes to the Independent a summary
of the needs of that island putting
first better knowledge on the part of
American officials of the language of
the Porto Ricans and some real under
standing of and sympathy with the
islanders. He AYERS that American Of
ficials mix themselves needlessly in To-
cal matters, taking sides instead of
maintaining absolute neutrality. The
writer continues:
THE mail service is as bad as it was
when Spain was the ruler-or worse:
the telegraphic service Is far worse
than Spain's ever was: and as for
personal safety and the security of
property. neither in any degree APP
proaches the degree of excellence we
were led into hoping for when our ma
tionality was changed from Spanish to
American
OF industry, in the American sense
MIR. Lopez says there is nothing in the
island; the roads are so poorly kept
that produce cannot be gotten to mar
ket; the service of the railroads is mis-
cradle in the extreme; municipal utili-
ties are of the poorest sort little OF
nothing is being done in the way of
education; of intelligent political opin-
ion there is nothing better than the
output OF coteries whose members di-
vide their time between academic dis
cussions of governmental theories and
personal abuse of their opponents:
above ALL the people are poor to the
degree of sheer hunger and nakedness.
If Mr. Lopez knows what he is talk
ing about. and he ought to, 1t is clear
that the rehabilitation of Porto Rico
is.going to be q most serious task. and
that 1t will require years for it's accom-
plishment; it is equally plain that il
cannot be accomplished at all by pres
ent methods. SO far the provisional
government seems not to have been
able to provide even the most elemen-
tary essentials of civilized state
the security of life and property
without which there can be nothing
but Industrial stagnation and CONNER
cial and political chaos. The problem
is not the same as though Porto Rico
were an American community; the peo-
pie have so lost heart through war and
misfortune that we shall have 10 begin
ut the beginning and actually stimulate
them to efforts in their own behalf So
&c Americans have cherished a picture
of Porto Rico sprnging up full Of
buoyant energy when relieved from the
oppressive and repressive tyranny of
Spain they may as we'll dismiss IT. IT
sounds well to say that American en-
terprise and capital will vitalizo and
energize Porto Rico, but the fact re-
mains that they are not doing anytime.
al the sort. This government has not
done for the Porto Ricans what it
inight--it chilled the enthusiasm with
which they welcomed American sover-
eighty, and which, rightly directed.
might have served to arouse The people
TO more energetic struggle against
their hard condition; it taxed them in
stead of encouraging them, until their
last condition is worse than their first.
We have established q despotism in
Porto Rico, but it is not even a bencv-
o'eit ote' ~ 10 iie'ely an indliterent
one, though benevolent despot like
General Wood might have bccnof great
benefit TO Porto Rico in It's present con-
dition
If the Porto Ricans are not to remain
I'm state OF chronic pauperism there
must be an end of bungling on the part
of congress and the insular govern
ment and the Inauguration of a policy