The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-03-25
WORKING FOR 3 CENTS AN HOUR.
Porto Ricans Ask More but Do Not
Get It-A .Coxey Army


Correspondence of the Associated Press.
SAN JUAN, Porto Rico, March 1.-The
first strike Of any Importance in Porto Rico
since the American occupation was started
Feb. q. Five hundred men employed on
the Ponce-Adjuntas-Utuado government
road quit work. They formed themselves
into an orderly band and marched TO Adj
~juntas, carrying flags and banners bearing
the inscription, 1.-The workmen on the mill
tary road demand 5 cents gold an hour"
The prevailing rate had been 3 cents ar
hour, or 30 cents for a ten-hour day. A
delegation interviewed the contractor and
an amicable settlement was effected. The
men were told that no concession would be
made; that others were ready to take their
places, and that they must work for 3
cents or not work at all. The men there
upon returned TO work, apparently salts
fed.
Another strike was organized March II,
this time at the Arecibo end of the road.
Over six hundred employees of the Central
Contracting Company, OF New York, went
out. These men demanded a uniform rate
of so cents a day. The shovelers were then
receiving 40 cents and the drillerS 90 cents.
This rate was higher than was being paid
to the same labor elsewhere on the island.
The contractors refused to consider any
proposition for any advance in wages, as
there were at the very lowest estimate $4,000
laborers on the island without employment.
The strikers remained quiet and orderly
and made no attempt at demonstration.
On account Of lack of funds TO keep up
the estates many plantations are idle and
are being fast overgrown with wild vege-
tatiOn. Thousands of workmen are out OF
employment on this account. Governor Cen
eral Davis says, in his estimation. 100000 of
the inhabitants of Porto Rico are dependent
on labor. 1t was thought the country was in
cVgph a condition a. 70 allow the 6lSfrihn-
ton of relief supplies 10 be stopped, but
Immediately after this was attempted the
cities and towns began to fill up with beg
garS, and instances may be recorded where
whole families have died from starvation.
As a consequence General Davis has sug-
geSted 10 the authorities at Washington
that the supplies be continued.
About six hundred natives have emigrated
from Ponce to Cuba, but from letters re-
ceived by their families here they have
found conditions in Cuba even worse than
in Porto Rico.
A "Coxey army" arrived in the capital
on the morning of March 16, composed al
most entirely of women. over sixty bare
footed. ragged, dusty, dirty, haggard,
weary, lame. hungry, bundle-laden, half
naked. discouraged and desperate poor
country women, will a few men, of all
shades and color. trudged their way
through the city and halted at the palace
at 8 o'clock. They had left the city of
Naranjito on Thursday at midnight to
come on foot to the governor general with
a petition to save them from starvation
and to provide them with work or food.
Silvano Torres, one of the men or the
party. was spokesman and presented their
petition of grievances to General Davis.
The petition related that the times were
very hard in their town; that there was no
work to be had; that rice, beans and bread
had raised so in price that they were be-
yond their reach and that there was no
fruit to be had. The petition also declared
that the plantains, yams, batatos, yantias,
n~alangOs, yuCa and f~rijoles, their principal
foods, which they had raised around their
own huts, were all destroyed and that star
walton stared them in the face.
General Davis asked if the plantations
had all been cleaned of the debris of the
hurricane-for relief supplies, he said. had
been furnished planter to feed laborerS to
do this work. They replied in concert that
it had been completed. The spokesman
added that the planters, in this respect,
had favored and only employed those who
lived on the plantations. The general then
promised to send ratiOns to them to al
leviate the distress. The spokesman. Sill
vano Torres, then requested of the general
that he give him a written statement to
tina effect, hat he might present it to the
alcalde of Naranjito, to compel the i'm
mediate delivery of some necessities. He
replied that he would attend to that. Later
they went to Mayor Egoscue and asked for
him to provide them with means of trans
portation back to their town, as they
feared, otherwise, many might die on the
way.
The mayor replied that he could not COM
ply with their request, as the city was as
poor as they, that there was not a cent
available in the treasury, and that for this
reason the police had not been paid. Then
they went their way, dispensing, some
leaving afoot to retrace their steps. some
begging an easier way and some receiving
the hospitality of residents. 1t is expected
hat similar delegations will shortly arrive
from other towns.