The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-16
POLITICS IN PORTO RICO.
THE ISLAND TO HAVE ITS BIO
ELECTION DAY ON NOV. 8.
Delegate TO Congress viii he Chosen and .
legislature seiected-Partlsanship Running
High Already Three Persons Killed At q
Political Row In Msysguex-The Outlook.

Delegate TO Congress viii he Chosen and q
Legislature seiected-Partlsanship Running
High A~irsady-Three Persons Killed at q
Political Row In Msysguer-The Outlook.
SAN Juan, Porto Rico, Sept. a-Nov. 5
Is election day In Porto Rico as well as In the
United States. At The present writing the
signs Of the times Indicate tn At IL will be a red
letter day, The campaign has not really begun.
no nominations have been made. few candidates
have announced themselves. but political riots
are already epidemic. As early as ten days
ago three persons we're killed and many
wounded at a political disturbance In May
aguez. At Juana Diaz last week one woman
met her death while near a Gght over the COM
Ing election, and several others were wounded
more or less seriously. Other political rows
which have resulted in many personal injuries
OF u serious character have occurred In Ponce
and other towns OF the STAND. At Carolina .
political assassin attempted the life OF the
Alcalde. and tn Alcalde lay at the point OF
death for several days. although he finally re-
covered. He received two severe gashes In the
lead and one in The neck from a ma chete which
the assassin welded In a pharmacy OF the city.
one reason, besides the excitable nature OF
the people. is assie able for the general disor-
der and lack Of discipline OF the police. which
permits disturbances, The local police have
strange ideas OF duty. They know no other
master than the political party which has Gre
ated them and believe that they must defend
their chieftains and declare war on their politi-
cal enemies. Gov. Allen and his associates are
planning to relieve the situation by extending
the jurisdiction Of the in,ular police. which
body is controlled by the American authorities
At present the insular policemen, the only EN-
clent force on the island for preserving order.
are confined in their operations TO the rural
A--f. -
the towns, at least an hours distance from tho
centres OF population. The nun cipal police ~
all Of the cities are contro led by the political
leaders Of the district For. this reason the
mo e Of pr ,cedure In the arrest and prosecu-
ton Of or minals Is varied according to the po-
lidcal complexion Of the offender, In Maya
guez here was a glazing instance Of this. IL
tn murdered man Is Of one political faith. the
accused Is a martyr, II Of another. he Ia q
criminal,
The police reports show that practically all OF
the criminals Of consequence are captured by
the Insular Police and that rarely without their
assi-tanc' is a perpetrator Of a crime brought
to the b r OF Justice.
As an example Of the slack manner OF pro-
ceedlng with criminals who are implicated in
political Disturbances the procedure OF the
Mayague, authorities s interesting. Both
parties. Federal and Republican, h We districts
in which they are in control. The Republicans
control the Municipal Court and tho Feierals
the District Court. Each claimed jurisdiction
against the rioters. The three men xii ed were
Federal- and some OF those W undo were Re-
puhlicans. Here occurred possibly the most
remarkable judicial political controversy that
could be- conceived bv the American mind.
Nine PERSONS were arres ed. but no charges
had yet been fled against them. without any
evidence before them. and before any charges
had been preferred. the political leaders. advIs-
ers, judges AID police auth orit es got together
10 settle the disuute over the. question OF juris-
diCtIOn. ACompromis" was aboui TO b" effected:
The rroposal was made that both Courts roceed
with the Investigation. but hat IL be agreed In
advance that the charge TO he made should not
be grelter than "A certain degree Of homicide
But when II ZANE TO decln ing the nature OF ne
crime they disagreed The Municipal. Judge
suggested homicide, inc II ga riot and other
crimes. to which the Distric' Attorney made, no
reply at the time. Later he recomme ded that
tie court decide that the men wer' killed by
,hots fired by,unknown persons during a riot,
Judge would not agree 70 this proposition and
expressed himself as dete mired 10 push the
hen interfere II appointed ne OF it, Judges.
Mr.. Ramon Nadal, ~ as ecial Judge 10 inN esti-
gate The case indep't IDENTIFY OF the steps taken
by the Municipal court
The nine men mail atthe time were promptly
set al liberty by Judge Nadal. The matter was
brought To the attention, of the, Attorne Gem
eral at San Juan He telegrarhed he District
Court to return tha proceedings TO the Mun'c-
MIR Russell that they would start for San Juan.
Al orney-General Russell rendered an opinion
both sides and directed the Municipal Court TO
proceed with the trial of the accused. The
prisoners as well a. the community vii now
whatever may be It's character,
Since the fatal riot nearly every man. In
directed that the usual night meet ngs Of both
parties be suspended for q few weeks. Never
iih hS;% !he TSrdy var ga SUI S SGni a /, the aq nso the
that when some one exploded a frecracker on
te plaza the other might, a general stempede
night brought the dancing TO an earlier close
than usual but fortunately no CASUALTIES are 10
be reported Il Is now well recognized that a
authority Of American. such as We have In
Coy All.n and his Cabinet. would have been a
d' Fee e T. + o ana Vii 1bP be Close. On Nov. tn.
thirty-nve membe /; Of the Hou,e Of %eleeat;s.
In, lower house ~ the Legislature, which will be
called TO meet ON Jan. /, It. is not so diflcuit 10
the United States, a. most OF the voters can be
accounted for and ar enro led upon tie regis
THE SUN GO rres Ondont ventures. the rtdio-
ii, n that q Federal will be elected Delegate 10
Congress and that the Repul lica' : viii .haves
majority in the lower house Of the legislature.
The Federal candidates for the nomination OF
their party have not come out yet. but i Is be-
FNfu lndN " VIII " ~ wa hth 4slo - " Y
publican candidates are Mateo FaJardo of May
aguez, Federico Dcgatau OF San Juan and
Zeno Gambia of Ponce. The last named was one
OF the lobbyists sent to Washington last winter
In the nj rests OF the island.
The Office Of Delegate l. considered the high
est honor within tho gift Of the I eC pie, but the
position OF Speaker of the House OF Del gates
Ia regarded as more imUOrtant II the I ederals
are in the majority MunOZ Rivera. the oele-
brate 1 leader and boss Of the party. who visited
Washington a ye r ago and was rather coolly
received on account of his anti-American
policy, will he chosen as Speaker. II the Re-
publicans are successful (Which is more than
likelO Manuel Rosy. first lieutenant TO DR.,
JOSE Barb psa, the leader OF the party, Is slated
Tor the office. The Republican party supports
the Am'r ican Admlnistr zion upon the tariff
bill and other measures The Federals d 'mnnd
more autonomy and are anti American in their
Toicv. The following 10 an extract from El
Didrio dc Puerto Rico. the official organ Of the
Federal party which i edited by Muhos
Rivera. The descriptive comment refers TO a
fiesta or holiday celebration at Carolina last
week and is Characteristic OF their attitude.
The translation Is quite literal:
Carolina presented n cay appearance. Al
the entrance OF the town and on the plaza prin-
clpal triumphal arches. bunting and nage
everywhere, with the gold and red Federal
colorsl and the white and red Porto Rican fael
colors. In that grand concert Of colors there
was n disCOrdant note In the shape Of an Ameri-