The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-22
DEFENCE OF PORTO RIoANs.
4 Native Answers n Charge That the
Islanders Are Ignorant.

"A Native Answers n Charge That the
Islanders Are Ignorant.
Antonio F. Castro, a native Porto Ri
can, temporarily residing In Washington
takes exception to newspaper article on
Porto Rico written by Mrs. Ruth s. Et-
nier. To Times reporter Mr.. Castro
said today:
Mrs. Ruth Shaffner Ether, who 1t is
said was superintendent of public schools
in Porto Rico during eighteen months, has
set forth her views of Porto Rico in
letter to Philadelphia paper. Indeed,
Mrs. Etnier's views of Porto Rico are not
the result OF her experience during her
eighteen months stay in that island, be-
cause that is time enough to know a peo-
pie, and Mrs. Etnier does not seem to
Know the Porto Ricans.
Here is one of her statements: Their
estimate of books is an amusing revela
ton. To bazaar that we gave to raise
funds for providing a public almshouse,
the first in the province, Whitcomb Riley
sent silk bound voIume of his poems,
enriched with his photograph. What
price do you think We should put upon
this ?" / asked after explaining the work
of the author. "a peso and a quarter"
go cents in gold, was the answer Near
it was ehildTen's picture book in gaudy
colors, cheap edition that may be dupli-
Gated for few cents in America. / pro-
tested against the high price put upon it.
But see it is thicker than this said a
bank president, holding it against the
poems Of Riley
In the first place, the aImhouse which
| they were going to raise funds for was
not the first in the province, befause in
the city of San Juan there is an old aims
house known at Ell asilo de los pobres"
(the poor peoples asylum which was 10
Gated at the corner of San Sebastian and
San Jose streets, and which has lately been
removed to the suburbs; it's expenses are
paid by the insular government, and
there is room therein for those who are
unable 70 work, no difference at all being
made in regard to race or sex. II Mrs.
Ether were not teacher, l should say
that she n1eauI the almshouse was the
first one in the district of Ponce, but as
she said TIE Irst in the province it would
be necessary TO suppose therefore that a
learned person has mistaken the words
province and district the former being
applied 10 the whole island and the latter
10 portions thereof
Going on in the same para graph above
quoted, we find that bank president, &C
eording TO Mrs. Etnier's statement, re-
garded children's picture book as being
worthiar than d silk-bound volume of Ri
ley's poems. Indeed, this is the most iu-
dicrous statement I ever read On the
other hand realize that there are in my
country, as in every country, ignorant
persons, but I do not think that this is
ground enough TO suppose such Ignorance
in the people of the islands, as a whole,
and to make the statement, by applying
the story OF the books to the whole peo-
pie. that the Porto Ricans' estimate Of
books is an amusing reveal ton.
Il used to live in the city of Baltimore,
and in November last l went TO enroll in
school; being asked by the secretary.
who was a lawyer. where l came from, L
| answered from Porto Rico He hesitat-
ed little bit, and then he said DO you
mean from SPAIN No. sir I said, from
Forto Rico Again he asked, Cuba p No.
indeed; Cuba has nothing 10 do with PoF-
70 Rico Then it must be separate ISL
and is it not?' he said. Yes indeed and
he wrote down, from Porto Rico Shall
l say therefore that tho American peoples
i ignorance IS such that educated persons
do not know even after the war with
Spain, the situation OF Porto Rico, now
under the American rule and just Loo
miles from New York? That would be re-
nlarkabIy unjust ard IudicTous and l re-
gard in the same way Mrs. Etnier state
ment.
Mrs. Ftnier goes On and makes some
look but which I will. because they rest
on very delicate matters. / will pick out
however this last one which l shall bare
ly answer by stating the real custom.
:" No more than about per cent of the
population can read; and not half of those
who read can write. When there is a
death even the babies wear mourn ing.
Mirrors are turned to the wall. and the
women of the family Sre not seen outside
| their houses for six months
When there is q death children under
! five years do not wear mourning. Mirrors
are not turned to the wall tthat might
happen in China, but not in Porto Rieo},
| and women OF the family are not seen out
| side of their homes for nine days In re-
gard to the populations ability to read
| and write I shall say that the last sta
| tisties. taken under American supervision,
| show that more than so per cent, very
close to IS per cent, of the population can
read and write"