New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-24
LABOR TROUBLES N PORTO RICO.
DEMANDS OF LONGsHOREMEN REFUSED
BY STEAMSHIP AGENTS.

San Juan. Porto Rico June 15.-For the last
month Porto Rico has been or less up
set by series Of small strikes. None of them have
reached any serious proportions because the labor
ers have no organization. excepting in
Strikes were almost unknown before the American
occupation Of island If they occurred al all it
was at rare intervals. But now that American
capital is seeking for a hold on the island. the
laboring classes have the idea that the word
American Is a synonyme of gold" The steam
ship companies have been the greatest sufferers
Some weeks ago the Mae. of the New-York and
Porto Rico Steamship Company, arrived at Ponce.
All vessels a that port compelled TO lighter
their cargoes. On the arrival of the Mae the
Iongshorenen struck for three pesos 81 so a day.
Their pay for years back had been peso and a
half two pesos at the most. Rather than es-
tablsh a bad precedent, the agents of the line
would not comply with the mems demands and
the steamer came around to San Juan and dis
charged her cargo here. 1t was then shipped back
on a coasting steamer.
The Ponce. of the same line. arriving here few
DAYS ago found the conditions The labor
ing classes OF Porto Rico say that they are in dis
tressing straits complain Of lack OF work ana say
they are starving a NeSSel hTt M -. r1La
charging her cargo employs about nifty men. Inc
'longshoremen were offered two pesos @l 20 a cay
but they refused TO accept this sum, demanding
three pesos 1t was felt by agents that if they
paid the wages asked. the rate for all time 70 come
refused work for two pesos. the agents put me
and walters being pressed into service. The Ponce
lost a day in discharging her cargo. and the extra
than would have been paid had the 'longshoremen
received what they demanded. but the agents
gained their point
II is asserted that the labor element in Porto
Rico is becoming unreasonable in its demands on
the capitalists It is pointed out that laborers nave
an opportunity to work for higher wages than ever
before paid. but that they demand three times the
Former rate On pesos, and some go so far as 70
say that after the Porto Rican currency Is taken
up they shall be paid in the same raJio In nlLeQ
States dollars. IN other words, it Is declared that
the laborer VINO received one peso two years ago
now demands three and threatens not to work TOT
less than Sc after August !.
one of the reasons given for this state OF a1alrs
is that the employees think the employers are get
ting larger receipts thar formerly, and that lhey
should have a corresponding increase IN wages
Another is that the abOrirg classes are dltecte Dy
Santiago Iglesias, a Socialist whom the American
troops liberated from dungeon, wnere ne hao
been put by the Spanish officials He raised SUD
scription in January last and attended labor con-
yention in New-York. There IS row Longshore-
mems Union and Bakers Union. and the HaSonS,
brickiayers carpenters. teansters and printers all
! have their unions.
the sea Goa labor continues its excessive demands
the effect will be bring in labor from the Coun-
rrv or from the adjacent islands The longshore-
mems work for instance. IS ordinary manual labor
and can easily be done by new hands
publi, ads contractors have had the same
/ trouble. Before the immigration laws went into
eject here some Of the contractors are alleged 70
! have imported labor from St Thomas and the
! British West Indies