Evening star., 1900-08-09
PORTO RICAN CONDITIONS
AGITATION OVER RELIGION Sue
CEEDED BY OTHER FLURRIEs.
Teachers Transported to the Main
1and-Losses Due to Currency
Changes.
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
SAN JUAN. 2. r. JulY 2I.


SAN JUAN, p. r., July 2i, 1900.
1T never rains but II pours" Hardly had
the Porto Ricans recovered from their
state Of righteous Indignation at the charge
made in the recent teachers conference
that the non-advancement of education IN
the Spanish-speaking countries was due 10
the supremacy of the Catholic Church,
dear to the Porto Rican heart when Ossa
was piled on Pelion. insult added to injury,
by Senator Tellers alleged statement that
the Porto Ricans were unfit for citizenship,
which, says the Diario. lis the grossest
insult ever flung in the face OF any people
Senator Teller can at least claim to have
stirred the Porto Rican heart as it had
rarely been stirred before and to have been
for time the most talked Of man in the
island.
Gradually, though. the mutterings OF the
storm which he stirred up are dying away
and attention is being drawn from foes
without to supposed foes within.
Federals and republicans are applying TO
one another terms more forcibe than cour-
teous, and predicting with a confidence that
admits no shadow Of doubt of the outer
rout, rank and file OF their political oppo-
nents
Patriotism. too is claiming her victims,
and a number of Porto Ricans are mag
ranimousy offering 10 leave home and
country to serve their native land as Porto
Rica's sole representative in the national
congress.
Fortunately the number of candidates is
reduced few hundreds of thousands by
the incapacity of these mo less noble pa
triots" to speak English.
This noble aspiration to serve their coun-
try has, il is said, proved to many most
potent stimulus TO their efforts 10 know
English she is spoke" and grave fears
are entertained as to some that they may
forget their mother tongue, so great is
their devotion TO the exotic.
The change from Porto Rican to Amer
lean currency, which, unless the original
provision of the Foraker bill is changed in
the meantime, goes into effect August i,
has as was to be expected, dislocated finan-
cial matters to a great exten This ''cr VIII
ing event has cast its shadow before in
the form of notable advance in the price
of the necessities of life, while house
rentals have been raised to an extent lim-
tied only by the will of the house owner.
Generally speaking, 1t is thought that
current prices in Porto Rican coin will he
changed to the same prices In American
money, meaning an advance Of G6 2-3 per
cent.
The results Of this will fall on the farmers
most heavily, who would be inevitably
ruined by a continuance Of it. The great
leveler. competition, though, it is thought.
will go far toward the re-estabishment OF
reasonable prices.
AS the time for the assembling of Porto
lature draws nearer interest in the event Is
deepening, and every one is anxious to see
to what extent these people Will provo
themselves capable of guiding this little
ship of state" so long ed by hands
across the seas new Richmond is in
the political field, called the Porto Rican
democratic party, and already is becoming
a force to be reckoned with. The vigorous
nature of the anti-imperial and pro-Porto
Rican planks in the democratic platform
appeals strongly to these people.
The recent change in the office of commits
sioner of education, followed closely by the
total destruction by fire Of the iel and
training school of San Juan, has inev ia 1ly
resulted in a further disarrangement of the
unavoidably disturbed state of affairs in
that department. The n-n-arrival of Mr..
Browsbaugh. the newly appointed commls-
sioner of education, is the subject Of much
comment. 1t was naturally supposed that
he would be on hand in time TO make
thorough inspection of the schools OF The
island. by which he would get much Nal-
liable information to guide him in his pro-
gram for the ensuing scholastic year.
The teaching force connected with the
late model and training school, is now
making tour of the Island, ho.ding sum-
mer institutes for the teachers at the larger
towns, and it is thought that the exchange
of ideas between native and foreign talent
will result in much mutual good.
After considerable delay permission has
finally been secured from the Secretary OF
War to furnish transportation 10 all forlo
Rican teachers wishing to 90 TO the United
States to pursue their studies during the
summer and the Mcpherson recently took
up about thirty such teachers who will re-
turn in August. Letters received IT m
them show them to be much pseased with
the states" and their trip Will no doubt
create new bonds of attachment between
this island and the continent. Requests are
coming from many parts OF the island Tor
the establishment of a university here,
though others claim that there are no.
enough students qualified for a university
course to justify its establishment yet
w. n. B.