The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-07-27
Porto Rico Benefited.
Especial Correspondence. }


Washington, July "a: Mr.. Charles f..
Buell., who was secretary of the United
States special commission of Porto Rico,
and is familiar with the various conditions
of which he speaks; makes IL plain that our
occupation of that beautiful island has been
of greatest benefit to the people Of Porto
Rico. Among other things, he explains
that under Spanish rule Imprisonment with
out hearing, or the preferring of charges
against the persons arrested, was common,
and the imprisoned persons frequently
passed several years without being Informed
of the nature of the offense for which they
had been thus held. Under American rule
no more Spanish methods are permitted In
dealing with those charged with unlawful
acts.
Before the American occupation of Porto
burial place In the cemeteries, and to de-
mapd renewal of the rent from year to
year, after the first five years; failure to
promptly pay the renewal resulted in the
disinterment of the body and the throwing
of the skull and bones promiscuously into a
common bone heap 10 be thereafter foreve
exposed to the gaze of the curious, and tor
the action of the elements This custom
was discontinued upon an order issued by
the military government, making 1t unlaw
full to disinter bodies without special per-
NIT from the encouragement, aid then
only for the purpose OF reinterment.
Under the Spanish rule marriage had
been hedged about with arbitrary rules
which had made it impossible 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 in q
state of concubinage, and more than half of
the children born on the island during lat
ter 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 government the con-
tract of marriage could be entered into
without cost before a magistrate, or priest,
or minister, and every barrier to marriage
was removed. Those having children
could marry, and the legal status of the
offspring of such as had been born out of
wedlock be thereby established.
Under Spanish rule the island was
sc)urged With diseases due to unsanitary
c,nditions and to lack of care for the peo-
pie by those in authority. The military
governor established vaccine farm, and
army physicians vacinated the population
of the island. Every disease is being con-
quered by government agencies, and every
sanitary measure is being carried out to
prevent filth diseases.
Under Spanish rule everything was
taxed, and to all the very exactng taxes on
property, real and personal, were added
duties on imports, port dues and consume
tax of no small rate. In addition there
were exactiOns by the church, which was
backed by the crown and the insular gov
eminent, and last, but not least, there was
governmental lottery; the mayors were
instructed to sell certain amount of draw
ings, and they invited the citizens to pur-
chase 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 dwindled down to Is ger cent of
the tariff upon imports, and, what was
more important, the amounts thus collected
are handed over to the island government,
for paying the expenses of running that
government, so that the Is per cent of the
tariff does not burden the people at all.
When Porto Rico was storm-swept the
quick response of our people to the cry of
distress, and the liberal sending of tens of
of tons of supplies for the strand
cd victims of the storm gave evidence of the
true feeling which this country entertained
toward the new possessions. A loyal lady
Of San Juan remarked that 1.-THE United
States Is great because 1t Is liberal; 1t is
because 1t is humane"
Under Spanish rule the weak were rob-
bed; the foreclosure of q mortgage was per-
mitted in most unwarranted manner, and
always to the loss of the debtor. A mill
tary order checked this. Under Spanish
rule large percentage of the property own.
ers were absentees, conducting their estates
throughout agencies, and exacting a most
ruinous course against other interests. The
property of the absentee class has been put
under taxable conditions that will make
them bear their portion of the burden of
The government which gives security to
their property.
Under Spanish rule the money of the
Island was subject to the most extraordi-
nary fluctuations; when the planter needed
money to pay his help, and for supplies,
he peso would be held at so cents In gold,
Ind as soon as the money had passed into
he hands of the men whom the planter had
,wed, the value of the same peso declined
% AZ cents. This ruinous variation In
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