The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1900-08-04
PORTO RICO BENEFITED.

+. Buell., who was Secretary of the
United States Special Commission
to Porto Rico, and is familiar with
the various conditions of which he
speaks, makes it plain that our oc-
cupation of that beautiful island
has been of greatest benefit to the
people of Porto Rico. Among
other things, he explains that I'M
der Spanish rule imprisonment
without hearing, or the prefer
ring of charges against the persons
arrested, was common, and the i'm
prisoned persons frequently passed
several years without being in
formed of the nature Of the oHense
for which they had thus been held.
Under American rule no more
Spanish methods are permitted in
dealing with those charged with
unlawful acts. &. ...att
Before the American occupation
of Porto Rico it was a common
custom to rent burial place in the
cemeteries, and to demand renew
al of the rent from year to year, af-
ter the first FIVE years; a failure to
promptly pay the renewal resulted
in the disinterment of the body and
the throwing of the skull and bones
promiscuously into common bone
heap to be thereafter forever ex-
posed to the gaze of the curious,
and to the action of the elements.
This custom was discontinued upon
an order issued by the Military
Governor, making it unlawful to
disinter bodies without special
permit from the Governor General,
and then only for the purpose of re-
interment.
Under the Spanish rule marriage
had been hedged about with arbi-
trary rules which had made it i'm
possible for the poor, especially in
the rural districts, to enter into
marriage, and the result was that
more than half of the families were
living III a state of concubinage,
and more than half of the children
born On the island during latter
years were illegitimate, and deprived
of natural right under the laws,
due to the fact of their illegal birth,
circumstance over which they
could have no control. BY order
OF the Military Governor the con-
tract of marriage could be entered
into without cost, before a magis-
trate, or priest or minister, and
every barrier to marriage was re-
moved. Those having children
could marry, and the legal status
OF the offspring of such as had been
born out of wedlock be thereby es-
tablished.
Under Spanish rule the island
was sconrged with diseases due to
unsanitary conditions and to lack
of care for the people by those in
authority. The Military Governor
established a vaccine farm, and
army physicians vaccinated the
population of the island. Every
disease is being conquered by Gov
eminent agencies, and every sani-
tary measure is being carried out
to prevent filth diseases.
Under Spanish rule everything
was taxed, and to all the very ex-
acting taxes on property, real and
personal, were added duties on i'm
ports, port dues and a consume tax
of no small rate. In addition there
were exactions by the church, which
was backed by the crown and the
insular government, and last, but
not least, there was governmental
lottery; the mayors we're instructed
to sell certain amount of the
drawings, and they invited the citi-
zens to purchase drawing, which
was understood to be thin-veiled
order to contribute the amount
asked for to the government.
With the occupation by the
Americans the lottery disappeared,
and the burden of taxation dwind-
-