New-York tribune., 1900-04-12
CONDITIONS ON THE ISLAND.
THOUGH BAD. THEY ARE NOT so BLACK AS THE
HAVE BEEN PAINTED.


San Juan, Puerto Rico. April 5-General con-
ditions In Puerto Rico remain the same from week
to week Delegations of country people continue to
arrive at the Governors palace almost oally anu
express their urgent need of relief
without doubt thousands OF Puerto Ricans are
destitute and without work One need but glance
at the poor ragged, barefooted poems and notce
the expression of want and destttuuon 10 De con-
yinced of this Nevertheless, the situation Is
not unite as bad as 1t has been painted At noon
Yesterday another delegation of poor people from
Aeuas Buenas presented themselves at the palace.
The procession headed by four or nVe htue
girls not over ten years DID, two of whom car
ried black flags, evidently supposed to signify that
the party in mourning for the ones left behind
too weak from starvation to attempt the long jour
ney to the capital The little girls were followed
by twenty-five women and one hundred men, Ihey
were received at the palace by Colonel Hon. to
whom they presented the usual petition telhns
tale of and restitution
This is the second delegation of the sort from
Aguas Buenas this week, the first arriving on Mon
day. II might be noted that nearly all or these
delegations have come from this same general dis
trct. They arrive at the palace almost daily, ana
the general opinion is that they are directed by
people with object in view. An Army official
is authority for the statement that delegauoh
from other section OF the island once IN a
while would, perhaps be more effective. When all
originate in the district II appears rather sus-
picious. According to the report of the post COM
mander at Aguas Buenas under date of March 29
over 5000 rations have been issued weekly from
that post for over three months. He says that
there laborers idle. except those who do not
wish TO work: that there are few families without
least able-bodied man; that the alcalde has
orders that every able-bodied man must be made
to work for the raons received; that the alcalde
has failed utterly to have the roads repaired, al
though he has had ample time, and that the al
calde receives thirty relief supply tickets monthly
The officer adds in his report that in his personal
opinion the requests for work and provisions are
simply schemes of the aAcaldes to provide provi-
sions for lazy idle people. The sergeant believes
of citizens of the town, including the acalde, who
desires that every family should draw relief sup
| plies. whether or not they destitute; he also
adds that the acalde In issuing the relief tickets
allotted to him does not distribute them to the
more needy.
Such instances this need not be taken as ap-
plying to the entire island. In many the
people actually starving and with no work to
do Thousands of dollars worth of provisions have
been issued 10 these people for many months.
Thousands have been fed. and the relief sup
every country. class of people exist who will
not work SO long they may pick up enough to
keep the spark of life aiame without exerting
themselves This of people have learned of the
of them have come in expecting receive their
share
The condition of the laboring class will be ma
terally relieved in a few weeks Contracts for the
building of nine roads from seacoast towns to
interior points were let a few days ago The an
proximate cost of this work will be 100000 Of
ing to the contracts 1t has been estimated that
nearly ten thousand men will get employment
AS far as known here II has not yet been decided
how the appropriation shall be spent but the pen
divided between roads and schools The crying
need of Puerto Rico is good roads.