Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1900-10-13

from San Juan, as IOllOWS.
Editor Register. The equinoctia
is upon us, can hear from my win.
dow, where / sit this morning, the
wind shaking the cocoa frondes ant
the ocean surf pounding on the rocks
There is wannish glare in the air
but the all-powerful sun will soon
drive that away and leave in its place
cleaning heat The sun is king IN
all this region. He is above statutes
and creeds. He invades all life, and
says, GO this way or that At noon
one, in abject fear, hurries from his
glance. He is now over the equator
eighteen degrees south of here, and
yet, his fierceness fingers in all its
vigor. They say this is the hottest
month of the year. 1t is quite as hot as
when l arrived, which was the first
of August October will keep up the
storm of caloric, but November will
bring cooler days; the shadows will
grow longer and stronger and from
then on for six months, the climate
will be perfect, If climate can be per-
feet without frosts and SHOWS.
But the ocean disputes the tyranny of
the sun, and makes the shade refuge
of joy. The ocean breeze is the hope
of this island. Without 1t only stray
Anglo Saxon would linger here beyond
the demands of lucrative adventure.
1t gives sweet balm to the shade. You
step into the sun, when he Is on the
meridian, and you are in furnace;
step back into the shade, and you are
on your evening porch. So 1t goes
such a varied life, and variegated ex-
perience with it all, that do not think
a Temperate Climate man could count
this his element till century or two
rolls by, and the suns rays become
habituated to the corpuscles of his
blood.
But with all the heat, the Porto
Rican adds to it, They live in little,
long, dark, breezeless rooms, where
the air never moves in or out. Thous-
ands live in rooms, less than ten feet
square, ranging down a dark cavernous
hail. to an alleged court, where they
cook, and work, and gossip all day
long, and seem happy with it all. And
yet, the i'll effects of so much impure
air can be easily discovered, though it
does not breed epidemics, for the island
is singularly free from sweeping ills.
The one topic that now engages the
attention of the people is politics. They
are divided into two parties, the Fed
erals and Republicans. Their princi-
piles are not vastly different. They are
both in favor of autonomy, but the Re-
publicans are supposed to have
stronger tendency toward American
ideas than their opponents. l attend
ed a Federal meeting, near where /
live, Sunday afternoon. On Sundays
they have their greatest rallies. The
meeting was held in front of cottage,
the speakers on the portico and the
audience in the street. 1t was a good
natured and enthusiastic affair. The
portico was decked with the American
and Spanish flags. A band composed
of brass horns, two fiddles, two clario-
nets and a guiro furnished the music,
which was made up of soft, strange
airs. The speaking was that vigorous,
sententious, gesticulating kind, pecu-
liar to Spanish orators. Now and then
a gush of vive las would greet the sem
timents of the speakers. While the
speaking was in progress, in the room
of the cottage and in the backyard,
were the more ardent Federals who
preferred beer to great principles.
They let the common herd do the lis
tening, while they do the drinking. II
it had ben a Republican crowd, the
same program would have been car
ried out.
The American idea has opened to
the Porto Rican the wide field Of poll
tics, and he has entered it with breezy
delight His excitable nature invests
him with so great amount of suspicion
and acerbity that he Is quick to believe
his opponent is dupe of the devil and
to be treated accordingly The polite
al division extends to great extent
into social and business affairs. The
condition is exceedingly unfortunate
for it obstructs the progress of Ameri-
can purpose in this island. 1t goes
abroad that the United States is men
aced in its sway over the island; thai
its policy has brought disaster; thai
the former tranquility has given way
! to bloodshed and riot. In a measure
this is true, but it is only the accom-
paniment of liberty. 1t can be stayed
by a strong hand; but it is better tina
freedom work out its own salvation
under tn guidance of great friend
than 1t Is to put the cannon and thu
musket on the throne. That is tn,
theory and it will work out rightly
though a few months are not sufficiep
in which to make the test.
The other night there was riot IL