Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-27
THEY CLING TO THE PESO
PORTO RICANs OBJECT TO TAKING
AMBAICAN COINS.
Some DiscOntent Among PeOns and
Plantation LabOrers~x> Chief
Samples observations.

Chief James A. Sample of the issue dtvi-
sion Of the, treasury returned today from
Porto Rico9where he assisted In establish
ing the United States coinage system FROM
many sources the government ofnclals are
apprised OF growing discomfort among the
poems and plantation laborers, due In q
measure to the misunderstanding arising
from the change In the, coinage system. and
likewise to incen6iaEy utterances OF Span
ish revolutionist named Santiago lglesias,
who IL now. Imprisoned The rise In the
price of rice, due to the tariff Imposed by
the United States, likewise contributes to
the reversal Of sentiment. inasnuch as rice
Is one of the two leading staples OF food
President McKipley's commission Author
lied to codify the civil and criminal laws
of Porto Rico has been instructed to- as
semble on the island next month TO begin
dts work. Many complaints have beensre-s
ceived on account of the fact that the ISL
and Is still covered by the civil and GRIM
inal laws that prevailed during SPANS do
minion. To expedite the establishment OF
complete form of government for the ISL
and as outlined by the Foraker bill prep
arations are being made for the election OF
a legislature, which is the popular branch
OF the Porto Rican government to act
Jointly with the executive council.
Chief Sample conferred with Secretary
Gage today and gave an exhaustive report
OF the manner in which the Porto flcah
pesos were converted into American dol
lars. The work was attended with con-
siderable difficulty owing to the unwilling
ness of the natives to part with their olu
coin and their inability to apprehend tnat
the American dollar was worth more IMAM
the pesos, which is equivalent to ~ cents.
In the interior districts the change OF com
age was resisted and in some places the
peso is still current despite the provision IN
the Foraker bill that after July 81, lSOO'' the
peso would cease to be legal tender Under
Mr.. Samples direction 5,396,OOo pesos were
converted into American dollars. At pres
ent s., 6O0,0O0 in American money rs In CIR
culation on the island in place of the pesos,
while further drafts will be made from
time to time ..-., .-..ss -
Speaking of the general situation in Porto
Rico, Mr.. Sample said: Army ohclals gem
orally in Porto Rico believe that the dona-
ton of a large sum of money by Congress
was mistakes, and encouraged the natives
In s1othful ways The Porto Rican peon Is
apparently incapable of hard work ana
prefers to have his wife beg for him. mere
is a great deal of poverty on the Island
When Porto Rico came into our possession
the conditions were oppressive ana the
hurricane created great havoc. When Gov
ernor General Allen made his formal en-
trance into Porto Rico he was greeted with
silence. American ITle is so different from
anything they hap been accustomed to
that they cannot adjust themselves to 1t
readily.
= Naturally, Porto Rico is a paradise. and
with an influx of American capital and en-
ergy, which is already taking place, there
is no reason why the new regime there
should not be successful The tariff provi-
sions cause some discomfort, but as the
law beconss understood the feeling will
pass away.
Mr.. Sample was accompanied on his mis-
sion by W:oP watson and Ernest H. Dill
lon of Chicago. 10