Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-29

| tract was ldllIlully peIloi ieu' 49, -
many others the planters simply distribut-
ed the food and permitted their hands to
remain in idleness, and many others &C
cepted the government aid without observ-
| ing the contract while the laboring classes.
who were to be benefited thereby, IN very
| many cases seemed to have banished hope
and contented themselves with the govern
ment rations.
Change I'm Method.
In this situation Gen. Davis found him
self compelled to vary the system IN detail'
and on this plan issues of food to proprie-
tors and INDECENT have been limited to S9o,-
600 a month: $4,000 was set aside for Incl
dentals, medicines, etc, and $lIoOo was
appropriated for road work. so that a large
number of laborers could be employed anu
in that way effective aid extended Whlch
would leave the island with substantial re-
suit in improved means of communication.
Since that time the relief work has con-
tlnued on that basis, and at the present
time the outstanding orders Tor issues 10
planters cover about $1,000 rat1ons dally,
although this number only includes about
5000 planters while applications from 6oV
other planters have been filed and are UNI
dergoing investigation or awaiting acton.
The. extent of the present relief TO the des-
titute and chronic poor of the class whose
support is always a charge to the pubic Is
represented by daily issues to about 23,Ooo
100 900 rations, and Gen. Davis remarks
that if all pending applications should be
considered favorably, the issues would prob
ably aggregate for them along quite 4oo,-
600 rations a day. or. including the present
issues. to half million rations at cost OF
SO, 600 day.
Difficult Problem.
It will be seen from what has been stated
that the problem before Gen. Davis Is one
not easy of solution. 1t is asserted by orti-
GERS of the army who have studied the
question in all its phases that these issues
are pauperizing the people and instiihng IN
their minds that they have only to refuse
to work in order to continue to pc sup
ported by the government; that Wnlle the
number of destitute or chronic poor is very
large and while a great many on them Will
die unless they are fed and receive medical
attendance, yet they should be cared for by
the local authorities In this Governor
Allen concurs. He thinks that In future re-
lief supplies should not be sent TO the
island; that supplies be no longer furnished
to the larger and more prosperous planters,
and that they be given to the smaller plant
ers for only a brief time further; that
the general distribution be reduced to
minimum amount and number as early as
may be, looking toward speedy with
drawal of all relief on the part of the gen.
eral government, and as Gen. Davis recon-
mends action in accordance with these
views, the Secretary of War has directed
him to cease the distribution of rations in
Porto Rico on the 18th of July, and to give
as early notice as possible of this intention,
so that all citizens may understand the
necessity of making other arrangements.
Improvement in Sanitation.
A summary Of the conditions in Porto
Rico would be incomplete without a refer
ence to the improvement in sanitation and
health which has been effected under the
supervision of United States officers At
the time of our occupation the prevalence
of smallpox was so general that quarantine
was declared in the neiShborinS Islands
against the seaports. The disease existed
in every direction and was a constant men
acf. to the people and the material interests
of the island. "A general vaccination of
the whole population was Systematically
carried into effect. the vaccine being pro-
vided from a farm established at Coamo
Springs This extensive work was finished
June 80. 1880. The disease was suppressed.
No death from smallpox has been reported
in the island for the past eight months.
Again. while much of the emacia ton and
weakness ending in anaemia and death so
prevalent among the native population is
certainly due to an impoverished diet OF
rice beans, a little dried fish and planta-
ton fruits 1t has been shown by Lieut.. B.
X Ashford, assistant surgeon, United
States army, a recent graduate of the Army
Medical School, that grea. deal of the
prostrating diarrhea and progressive ema-
citation, which has usually fatal ending,
is due to the irritating presence in the in
testineS of number of minute worms,
ate medication. This disease has been ex-
tremely fatal, but its ravages will now be
controlled under the supervision of local
boards of health. These boards, acting I'M
der the instructions of the supreme board
at San Juan, have done much to improve
mortality among this poverty-stricken peo-
nile