Evening star., 1900-09-18
THE PORTO RICANS
y 81
j.
An Interesting Private Letter From
Secretary Hunt.
TEACHING NATIVES SELF-REhIANCE
People Of Inactive Habits and Anae-
mic Bodies.
THE ISLANDS POSSIBILITIES

THE ISLANDS POSSIBILITIES
An interesting private letter has been re-
| ceived by Attorney General Grlggs from
| William II. Hunt, secretary of Porto Rico,
| giving an account of present conditions In
the island. In the letter Mr.. Hunt SAYS
"It must always be remembered that The
hurricane of August, 1s99 worked incal-
culabie devastatdon. People Of inactive
habits, anaemic bodies, sentimental attach
ments to the very spots where they are
born. We're left IN most deplorable condi-
tion. Starvation has always had Its victims
In Porto Rico, and Incidence, helplessness
and suffering have been quite universal;
yet all this was greatly intensified by the
effects Of the Storm When civil govern
ment came in on May 1t had to cope with
unique situation. and a combination OF
circumstances seemed to make the near
outlook troublesome OF course, things ran
along quite smoothly until rations were
stopped-it was easy to answer a cry OF
hunger with meal Of Goldfish, beans and
rice. The distribution Of supplies was
stopped on July 10 The situation had to
be met. and If the people We're ever to be
| taught the necessity Of self-help 1t was high
time to give 1t.
Appeals for Rations Denied.
appeals for more rations were always
denied-kndly. but firmly. Timely notice
was given. but nevertheless city councils
sent in resolutions of impending public ca
lamity and distress But we were deter
mined, and overcame the obstacles as they
presented themselves, in various ways. In
few instances we did some road work,
and this helped them. but 1t is astonishing
how few natives will pound stone for two
weeks in succession. A few days and in
ertia sizes him, and he stops! When he
has no money he subsists on fruits. il in
season, Or sweet potatoes or by begging
ekes out a miserable living, or passively
succumbs to die of intestinal disease conse-
quent upon impoverishment, or dysentery
brought about by eating unripe bananas.
For while the death rate crept UP in
many places, and hospitals were over
crowded; but 1T was inevitable. We sent
special messengers to the worst spots, and
always stood ready to help the sick if mu-
nicipal authorities were unable to-
I'm few weeks things commenced to
improve Somewhat-the crisis seemed to
nave passed, and II was understood to some
extent at last that labor was the only way
by which life could be supported This
was something accomplished, and instead
or cry for free food we now met one for
work SO as to buy food. To this we have
therefore given our best attention; 1t de-
that the acute poverty is and as nature
alone can restore the coffee plants to fruit
ful yields, recuperation Is postponed. But
with the denseness Of the population, thou
sands live in these coffee sections so the
problem is large one.
Building Roads.
Road construction Is the solution until
the crops can be gathered In October.
Thirty per cent 10 . fair estimate of the
| to lob
have to be employed. This Will do a great
deal to work out the perplexties, and when
sugar Is being harvested later on In the
sc ason we think the thing will solve itself.
never again TO be met in such trying form
linen. 100, example counts for much and
taon thot month should help to demonstrate
that 1t is those who help themselves who
are getting along, and the trouble will
lessen as practical education spreads.
me exchange of money. coming SO
closely upon the heels of the stoppa4e of
rations, added to our troubles; for ii was
Impossible for the people to understand
how great big peso was ONLY worth ~
cents OF the big silver dollar and even the
pest merchants and planters believed that
our government was making 40 cents on
every peso exchanged The free silver
man would raise the purchasing power of
silver dollar, but the Porto Rican ac
tuaiiy did depreciate the purchasing power
or a dollar of gold for about one week
during which time a pesos worth Of char
coal cost 81; eggs that sold for 10 centavos.
sold for 10 cents; washerwomen hucksters
and others fixed prices on the same basis.
bread and other articles were sold accord
ingly, and things were topsy turyy for a
snort time few Spanish merchants saw
the error of 1t all, and by force of example
prices dropped to normal and another
crisis was over.
Inability to HeIf Himself.
1.-The one thing that strikes me as most
noticeable in the Porto Rican is his ina
b1lity to help himself. A man came in
the other day and said men, women and
children were starving in particular
municipality-no work, no food. I asked II
there wasn't road construction going on
there. He said not within eight miles, but
at that distance there was and labor WAS
wanted L asked why the suffering men
didn't go and get work. Why said he
how can they go so far and leave their
families to starve?' l told him that if
the man was on the verge of starving al
ready he better go at once and earn few
dollars to save the family's life But no;
they prefer to die together he said rath-
er than work if it involves family separa-
ton. Such is their sentimental inertness!
Complications OF such nature are daily;
they well illustrate the temperament of
the people.
Every proposition of administration car
ries with it correlative obligation to re-
member the helplessness of those to be
affected. We therefore cannot deal too
considerably Patience and great forbear-
ance are necessary to success
Possibilities of Porto Rico.
Turning for moment from this side of
the case to the counterbaIancing one, and
We find all the encouragement and pro-
gress that could have been expected. The
potentialities of Porto Rico are tremen-
dous 1t is a veritabie garden spot. and
for sugar, coffee, tobacco and fruits Is a
most inviting field. Investors will be hand
sorlely rewarded, l think. With roads,
railroads and steamship lines all of which
will surely come. market facilities will be
afforded and capital must come here. 1t
is a fresh field, plenty of people and no
competition"
FOR DISORDERLY CONDUCT.
DeputytU. s. Marshal Forfeitn $40 Col
~ lateral.
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