Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-11-19
SNAP
ONLY ONE PARTY VOTED a
PORTO RICAN ELECTION.
BUSINESS BOOM IN ISLAND.
Swarms Of Capitalists Hunting e
All Kinds Of Government
Franchises.

San Juan, Porto Rico, Nov. 12.-(Cor-
respondence Of the Associated Press
The Porto Rico elections. as already, in-
Dictated by cable. passed off without the
riots and disturbances predicted.s There
were but one or two trivial rows on cleo
tion day. The day following, when the
republicans were celebrating the Victory
in federal towns. there were a few
Clashes between parties and a few men
We're killed and much ammunition was
wasted. but as a whole Porto Rico may
go down on record as conducting a re-
markaibly quiet election. considering
tnctt it was the first time the people had
voted without the presence of soldiers
and police at the polls. In round num-
bers, the total vote on the island was
$1,000. Only f50 federal votes were
counted. The leaders of the federal
PARTY had ordered their followers not to
aCf0ear at the polls. and the order was
generally obeyed. 1t WAS an election in
name merely, as only one party voted.
AS a result, FREDERICK Degetan was sen
to Washington as commissioner to con-
gress. and the 35 members of the house
of delegates are all republicans. In fact
the entire legislative assembly is now
Of one party. Each of THE seven districts
of the island sent five delegates to the
house.
Mr.. Degetan is we'll known on the
island n abroad. He is an author,
scientist. lawyer and politician. He has
published several novels and scientific
works in French and Spanish. but his
command of English is limited. He is a
lawyer and a graduate of the Central
1-,;,-o,.;t,- oF Ny,l,;l HI v-oc o1x-a NC n
republican under the monarchy. Since
1882 he has taken part in the principal
happenings of his country in Madrid as
we'll as in Porto Rico and was one Of
the four commissioners sent in 1896 to
ask Spain for autonomy. He refused to
enter into the compact with Sagasta.
The district of Ponce then elected him
a deputy to the corfes in 1898. General
Horny appointed him secretary of the
interior. -> LID
There is a great deal of speculation as
to what the federal party here intends
to do. Had they voted. the election, it
is asserted, would have been very close,
as a year ago they carried the island by
a majority of 5000 votes. For reasons
they declined to vote. They had claimed
that they had not a fair chance to regis
ter: that the republican party was
favored in the appointing of election
judges; that they We're refused registra-
ton, and that the districts We're gerry
wandered. Those in touch with the party
leaders believe that an attempt may De
made in he courts to nullify the cleo
ton IN the grounds that it was nothI'
legal contest. "
New hat the elections are over, the
people are beginning to look for improve
merits. It was announced recently tina,
a five-tsory building would be built on
one of the most important business
streets of the city. A New York CAPT
talist is on the ground with plans to
build a 200-room hotel, and promoters
and men with capital behind them are
knocking at the door Of the executive
council, asking for franchises to build
electric railways, to contro water power
rights and to erect docks and wharves.
Only one franchise of any Importance
has been issued so far. The company Sc
curing this franchise is to build - metz
work Of electric a through the c0ffee
and sugar districts to the ports. a W.