Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-08-03
AMERICAN RULE
IN PORTO RICO
Makes Citizens Happy
and Contented As
Never Before.
ss, -
THEIR RIGHTS RESPECTED
THEIR MONEY GOOD
How Poor Were Robbed and Down
TrOdden by Spanish Arrogance
Lesson in Money Values
and Free Silver.
Especial CorrespondenceJ

/
Washington. July 25.-NIr. Charles
Il. Buell.. who was Secretary of the
United States Special Commission tn
Porto Rico. and Is familiar with the
various conditions of which he speaks
makes 1t 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
without a hearing, or the preferring OF
charges against the person arrested,
was common, and the imprisoned per-
sons 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 permitto
In dealing with those charged with I'm.
lawful acts.
Before the American occupation of
| Porto Rico It was a common custom to
rent a burial place in the cemeteries,
and to demand 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 to be thereafter
! forever exposed to the gaze Of the Gu
rious, and to the action of the ole-
ments. This custom was discontinued
upon an order issued by the Military
Governor, making II unlawful to dis
inter bodies without special permit
from the Governor General, and then
only for the purpose of reinterment.
Under the Spanish rule marriage haG
been hedged about with arbitrary rul rs
which had made II impossible for the
poor, especially in the rural districts
to enter into marriage. and the result
was that more than half of the faml-
lies were living in state of concubin-
age, and more than half of the chill
dren 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, a civ
cumstance over which they could have
no control. BY order of the Military
Governor the contract of marriage
could be entered into without cost, be-
| fore a magistrate, or priest. or minis
ter, and every barrier to marriage was
removed. Those having children could
marry, and the legal status of the or
spring of such as had been born out
of wedlock be thereby established.
Under Spanish rule the island was
scOurged with diseases due to unsari-
| tary conditions and to lack of care
for the people by those in authority.
The Military Governor established 4
vaccine farm, and army physicians
vaccinated the population Of the ISL
and. Every disease is being conquered
by Government agencies, and every
sanitary measure is being carried out
to prevent filth diseases.
|
'""'' 'p"'''" '"'' ''''''"'"s ""'
'"Aeu' All" W All '''e very eN"'''ns '"N
Go y" p''pe'"' e"' "'"
added duties on imports, port dues aud
co"'"''e '"N VI "o ''''''' '"''' !" q"
"i''o" 'n'Ie "''' 'N''''''' Wy Wv
c""r'n' "n''n was ""'"" ny
crown an" 'ne ''e"'"' so'e' '''''"''
ana 'aS'' p"t not 'e"S'' '''''' was 1t
so'eFhh''ii'"i io't'r'' Tue may VI
were 'hS'r"''e" u Se'' e'''''
amount vi inc "r""'hsS' an" ''es II"
Ni'eu 'he c'''~ehS W purchase "'""
'ns' "nl'" was """e'S'oo' W ''
thih 'e'ieu oroer 10 contribute tue
""o"n' "'N'' 'o' ~ VI, e',''
WIN oh' o''"p"''o" ny ''e ANN
'""o INC ''''''' "''"pp'"''"' """ '''
Dur"eh vi 'aN"''o' o"l'''e' 'o"n "
10 per cent VI '"e '"''" upon ''"p'' ''
ANU what was '''o'e '''po' '""'' NV
"''o"''' mus 'o''e'''" "'e '"'''''
o'e' W Tue '''"'' so'e'"''''"' WI pay
'hs tue eNpehses vi running 'h"' gov
e'h"'e"'' so '""' '"e !" p'' 'e"' "
the '"''h "oes nut o"'ueh 'he peop''
at an