Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-07-26
BENEFITSTHEPEOPLE
Under Uncle Sans Rule the Porto
Ricans Are Content.
Harsh Spanish Laws Modified or
Abolish hed-Industry. Health and
Prosperity Under Our
Government.


speaks, makes it plain that our occu-
patton of that island has been of great
est benefit to the people of Porto Rico.
Under Spanish rule imprisonment
without hearing, or the preferring OF
charges against persons arrested, was
common, and the imprisoned persons
frequently passed several years with
out being informed of the nature of the
offense for which they had been thus
held.
Under American, rule this has been
changed. and no more Spanish meth
ods are permitted in dealing with those
charged with unlawful acts.
Before the American occupation of
Porto Rico it was common custom to
rent burial place in the cemeteries
and to demand renewal of the rent
from year to year, after the first five
wears; a failure to promptly pay the
renewal resulted in the disinterment
of the body and the throwing of the
skull and bones promiscuously into
common bone heap 70 be thereafter for
ever exposed to the gaze of the curious
and to the action of the elements.
This custom was discontinued upon
an order issued by the military gov
ernor. making it unlawful to disinter
bodies without a special permit from
the governor general, and 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. The result
was that more than half the families
were living in state of concubinage.
and more than half of the children born
on the island during the latter years
were iilegitimate. and deprived of nat
ural rights under the laws.
BY order of the military governor the
contract of marriage can be entered
into without cost. before magistrata
or priest. or minister, and every barrier
to marriage was removed. Those hav-
ing children could marry. and the legal
status of the offspring of such as had
been born out of wedlock be thereby es-
tablished.
Under Spanish rule the island was
scourged with diseases due to unsani-
tary conditions. and to lack of care
for the people. by those in authority.
The military governor established
vaccine farm. and army physicians vac
cinated the population of the island.
Every disease is being conquered by
government agencies, and every sani-
tary measure is being carried out to
prevent filth diseases.
Under Spanish rule everything was
taxes on property. real and personal,
were added duties on imports. port
dues and a consume-taX of no small
rate. In addition there were eXac-
tions by the church. which was backed
by the crown and insular government,
and. last. but not least, there was gov
ernment lottery. The mayors were in
structed to sell certain amount of the
drawings, and they invited the citizens
to purchase a drawing, which was un-
derstood to be a thin-veiled order to
contribute the amount asked for to the
government.
With the occupation by the Ameri-
cans the lottery disappeared, and the
burden of taxation dwindled down to
- per 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 govern
ment: so that the IS per cent. of the
tariff does not burden the people at all.
Leading men of both political parties
in Porto Rico were in Washington dur
ing the preparation of the bill to pro-
vide revenues and civil government for
Porto Rico public No. G0) and they
were strong in their expression that
they were satisfied with the provisions
of this bill.
When Porto Rico was storm swept
the quick response of our people to
the cry of distress, and the liberal send
ing of tens of thousands of tons of
supplies for the stranded victims of the
storm gave evidence Of the true feel
ing which this country entertained to-
ward the new possession. \ loyal lady
OF San Juan remarked that "the Unit
eu States is great because il is liberal:
it is prosperous because it is humane"
Under Spanish rule the weak were
robbed; the foreclosure of a mortgage
was permitted to be done in a most
the loss of the debtor. A military or
der checked this. Under Spanish rule
a large percentage of the property
owners were absentees. conducting
their estates through agencies, and |
exacting a most ruinous course against |
other interests. The property of the |
absentee class has been put under tax
able 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
extraorG fluctuations: when the
planter needed money to pay his help.
and for supplies. the peso would be held !
a. CO cents in god. and as soon as the
money had passed into the hands OF
the men whom the planter had owed