The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-10-11
fattison Sees How Porto Rico is Misgoy-
erned.
Former Governor Relates Sad Story OF Dis
'ress Among the inhabitants.

Ex-Governor Robert L. Pattison
bronzed from exposure to the
Southern sun and full of his ex.
periences i'll the Island of Porto
Rico, where he has spent the last
few weeks on tour of investiga-
tion, returned to Philadelphia last
week. The former Governor tells
a terrible story of the suffering and
want resultant from the policy of
the present Republican administra.
ton.
The island" he said to a Times
reporter, is to-day nothing more
than a wilderness of poverty and
misery. In the interior of the is
land thousands are actually starving
to death. Whole Villages are be-
Ing depopulated. The greatest in
dustries of the country are simply
at standstill the coffee and to-
bacco hills are deserted because the
people have not the strength to
work them and cannot obtain the
food necessary for their sustenance.
The only industry that has survived
the period of distress is the sugar
crop, which will be exceptionally
fine this year. There is some small
consolation in that fact.
A SAD PICTURE.
lhe coast towns are nothing |
more than trading places, halfway |
stations between the real Porto
Rican, the farmer, and his market
SO no real conception Of the islands
destitution can be obtained there.
But in the interior the conditions
are simply indescribable. Hospitals,
where the sick and dying are hud-
died lii heaps upon the floor, while
the doctors, themselves helpless,
went from door to door trying to
abtain little food for the miserable
creatures who were dying by hun
dreds. Hotels, where dozens of
detormed beings, some armless,
others without legs, crouched at
ones feet and pleaded for aims. !
streets, which were lined with hun ,
ireds of emaciated mendicants, i'm, 6
oloring charity for their families ~
'ake. Such is mild picture of y =
Porto Rico as it is today. ! :,
And why is thatf Some defend u
RS OF the administration will an 3
wer that the cyclone is the cause a
i all this misery. But the cyclone s' i
ccurred fourteen months ago and ~ ~
country like Porto Rico would W
ave plenty Of time to recuperate a'
,om even SO terrible disaster in ~
1ch period. ~
STARVATION THEIR PORTION. O,
The real cause is that the in tr
want, and must have.
'me definite knowledge of the in
amer in which they are to be ic
overned. Another reason is this: tri
early all the plantations have al eff
ays been operated on borrowed eX
pltal. The proprietor nlortgaged wi
S land for money with which to ar
'erate 1t. When there was a mar tol
It for his products he could paw les
: interest on his mortgage and still me
We profit. If he did not paw
e mortgage was foreclosed and ag
E plantation again let out. Then us
len General Henry came and SOC
spended all foreclosures every orc
pitalist held tightly to what 1t
'ney he had. If he could not ths
eclose his mortgage he could not saf
Iorce payment of interest, and, be
lsequently, everything came to a me
ndstill. The lenders cannot col shs
I. the borrowers cannot pay, the the
unless owners cannot be replaced
new owners, and so the poorer Of
sses can do nothing but starve. me
WHY THE NATIVE SUFFERS. m mnol
Still another cause is the with tsr M
wi of the native currency and o,,, M
replacing of it with our money. tay
w the native Porto Rican is Th
y shrewed buyer, He will 90 to h;s
rket and purchase a leg of mo-
cken, one onion, a spoonful of min
i, ETC., everything in the smallest nes
sible quantity. The most usc- r;gI
coin he had, therefore, was the sne
taro, which is equal to one-half Rr,
t IN our money. We have taken =
halt cent away from him and
'e given him nothing in return.
time should be lost in giving a
I cent coinage to Porto Rico and
one two apJ tLrao -. ..-- no