Iron County register., 1900-03-15
Porto Rico Under Benevolent
Assimilation"

| VA w 464OV OA0C4 0CAVNO4C0S
Assimilation"
The desperate condition of the 'scom-
, mon people" of Porto Rico, from the
, effects of the war, the hurricane, and
) sbenevolent assimilation" is set forth
} in an appeal to be made to the United
States Government by two labor lead
;. ers who have recently arrived from
that island. The following facts re-
lating to the matter are stated by the
Journal, of this city:
"Iglesias and Eduardo Conde, Porto
Rican labor leaders. who arrived here
from that island a few days ago. have
issued an appeal to this Government
on behalf of the workingmen of Porto
Rico.
1.-The two delegates, who have es-
tablished a headquarters at No. "a
East Fourth Street, declare that the
working class of their island have
been reduced by reason of the war, the
hurricane. and the action of this Gov
ernment since the storm, to a condi-
tion of extreme destitutlon.
They declare that unless action is
taken soon riots will occur throughout
the island, as the poor are desperate
from their sutferings.
'.1o get justic. say these delegates.
is almost impossible for the poor and
the laws practically result in the dis
franchisement of the majority of the
laborers. OF the 200. 900 inhabitants
100000 are absolutely paupers through
no fault of their own.
The workingmeu demand a radical
change in the government of the is
land. They ask that the following
ordinances of Governor-General Davis
be annulled:
II. That laborers on the public
works shall get no more than twenty
five cents per day for eight hours
work.
"2. That only property holders and
taxpayers shall vote, and those who
can read and write.
.'3. That the payment of 81 shall
be paid before vote is cast.
81. The workingmen also ask that
the ordinance forbidding appeals from
the decisions of tribunals be abrogated.
They also want general market for
imports, and better schools.
We note also on this subject the fol-
lowing In a leading daily belonging to
the political party now dominant in
the Governments:
''Dr. Henry X. Carroll, recently
special United States Commissioner to
Porto Rico, spoke before the Methodist
social union of New York Monday even
ing February u on the nations duty
to that island. Shall we treat it worse
than did tyrannical SpainP He
thought not, but in his opinion that is
the way the majority party in Con-
gress is preparing to deal with the
Porto Ricans. DIR. Carroll said:
1.-The nation we drove out of Porto
Rico for her barbarity gave it open
markets to buy and sell in. She al
lowed manhood suffrage, sixteen full
deputies and four senators to the Cor
tes at Madrid and twelve representa-
tives in the local municipal assemblies.
Yet we are considering letting them
ho h,,f 70 in
Congress, and even that it is now pro-
posed to take away from them. /
can't conceive this plan possible. Let
them have free commerce, which
means life. Otherwise it is death.
Grant them free government
''But the answer which the House
and Senate Republicans = excepting
Mr.. Mccall, of Massachusetts-are
preparing to make to this appeal, is to
deny that the Porto Ricans have any
rights whatever under the Constitu-
tion of the United States; that they are
not and cannot become citizens of the
the United States except by the will of
Congress; that they are not entitled to
any representation in the government
which rules over the island and will
not be given any beyond possibly one
non-voting delegate; and that they
are not entitled to the privilege of free
commerce with the nation which has
taken them over as a subject people |
and will not be given such privilege. |
"a situation of great distress, pow
erty, and lack of employment among |
the people of the island continues to |
be reported. The free markets of |
Spain and Cuba, which even the Span
ish tyranny conceded, have been closed,
and the American Congress, still chat
tering loudly about the BLESSINGS of
our free government that are to be the
new heritage of the Spanish islands,
proposes TO deny the concession of any
substitute free markets. Ii is to insist
upon the complete commercial and
political subsection OF those people,"
Sentinel.
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