The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-31
THE Woes CT PORTO RICO
An Island Newspaper Makes SEINE
Pertinent Comparisons.
Taxes and Other Burdens Heavier
Tam Under Spanish RuIe-AutonO-
NOUS Government Completely
OverthrovYE-s.if1ie Representation
Allowed in the Layy-making Body.

The following translation OF an article
published in la Diario de Puerto Rico, -
Porto Rican daily newspaper issued at
Ponce, explains the reasons why he in
habitants OF tnat island objected 10 The
celebration OF July - as their Independ-
ence Day. and also sheds new light on the
Administration civil service in Porto
Rico La Diario" says:
The American Government found in
Porto Rico a great autonomy like, and as
good as. that OF Canada. II ought TO have
accepted this autonomy and approved it
instead Of overthrcwing it as it did The
Porto Ricans under Spanish dominion were
considered Spanish citizens. They had
three representatives in the Spanish Sen
ate AMI sixteen Representatives in the
House Thee repres natives no on.y gov
erned the Island of Porto Rico BHt also
helped TO govern Spain. Now We are 10
have one delegate to Washington without
voice OF vote Then we had council
whose resolutions were always sanctioned
bv the Governor General. Now We have
an Executive Council formed for the rcst
part of persons who never were Porto RI
cans nor have any business here. Their
Gnly interest lies in working for the lie
publican party in Washington, which party
sent them here But hey are paid out Of
the Porto Rican Treasury. Then we had
an irsular House Of Representatives, the
members Of which were elected by popu-
lar suffrage This house was created 20
legislate upon internal revenue, public
works. instruction in business. health. the
mills and teleg.aphs- Now We shall have
a council of members, all OF whom VIII be
appointed by the Executive Council. which
in turn is itself appointed by the ReDGb-
iiea0 party at Washington with imperial
istic instructions.
Then we had a fairly good systSm OF
instruction which was to have been i'm
proved later on Now We have a system
of instruction through the intricacies OF
which the students have already lost one
year at school without any positive results,
and are liable to lose as many more years
as the present imperialistic Government at
Washington may desire. Then We had
daily mails IN every city and al every
place on the island. We now have mail
every other day in many places and IN 9TH
ers every third day.
Then the treasury had a yearly sur
plus in spite of the taxes for the army and
navy. and the tribdte TO the descendants
of Christopher Columbus Now we have
a treasury which shows deficit OF about
81. eco 0G0 The Government Offices OF
Porto Rico were formerly occupied by
Porto Ricans Now the Offices are occu-
pied by the favorltes of the Republican
Administration at Washington. Thus the
money paid these officers for salaries
leaves the island Not only is this the
case. but these officers are drawing COM
parativeIy very large salaries, which they
themselves practically fix.
Then we nad an official language under
the Government of Spain by which we
could make ourselves understood by the
home Government. Now we have an Off
ciaI language which we neither know MOI
can ever learn. because its pronunciation
is practically impossible for the Spanish
vocal organs Then We had a suffrage sys-
tem through which every male citizen
over twenty-fve years of age was allowed
a vote, but ret taxed for It Today We
have a suffrage system which restricts US
| Il is incomplete and takes away from the
masses of the people the right which Span
ISL autonomy formerly gave them TheI
we had the Moret platform, which gave Us
astronomical municipal corporations To
day we have municipalities under the tu-
torship OF the civil Governor in political
affairs. and under the central treasury II
| economical administrative affairs
Under the Spanish rule no home of any
Porto Riean citizen was ever violated. Pc
riodieals were never suppressed because
they told the truth.
"HoIy InquisitionaI Courts"
mo military court like that presided
over by Mr.. PettingilI ever judged civil
| ians The people were not dubbed by tht
| policemen in the streets, as has been done
| in Taorta and Ponce. No police court wa:
| ever created for the benefit of a sycephan
tic party and for the purpose of exploiting
! the petty offences of the people. No els.
| functionary ever interfered in the conduc
! Of the Judge Of the court, as is done to