The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-25
Cnrpetbneism in Porto Rico.

In a recent letter to Senator Foraker.
which that gentleman gave to the press,
| Governor Allen. of Porto Rico. stated
that the situation in the island is more
promising of prosperity than it has been
| before or since the American occupation,
and that all classes are prosperous, crops
| abundant aud the laboring class all at
work and happy.
Notwithstanding these Utopian condi-
tions. it is announced that Governor AL
len will visit the mainland in a couple of
weeks in order to try and raise a loan
for the Porto Rican planters. This pur-
: pose rather seems to cast discredit upon
his statement that "aH classes are pros
perous,'' and there is a commission of
| Porto Ricans in the country, part of
whose mission it is to show that nothing
could be further from the truth.
The members Of this commission. dele
! gated by the Merchants and Planters
Association Of Porto Rico to present the
evils of existing conditions to President
| Mckinley. claim that the island is in a
state of poverty and threatened bank
| ruptcy. because of misrule and oppres-
sion They complain that the arbitrary
| revenue law passed by the carpetbag
Executive Council on the eve of the late
| adjournment of its sessions Is onerous
and unjust; that it was enacted by an
| imperially appointive body. only one
member of which is a representative of
| the native tax-paying class. In an arti-
Gle in the New York Herald of yester-
day the commissioners are quoted as say
| ing:
10 t,ra NIX al -
| direct Governor Allen to convene the Legisla-
ture in extra session for the purpose OF amending
| the tax bill in those sections which obiec-
tionable We have also asked the President TO
reconstruct the Executive Council, which is
entirely OF his creation. naming thereon repre-
sentative taxpayers Of island.
I'VE also ask for the removal by the Presi
dent of Jacob II. Hollander. who is Treas
urer of Porto Rico. Mr.. Hollander, doubt,
is an estimabe gentleman, but he is theorist,
and freely admits that he has had any
practical training. Before his appointment as
Treasurer Of Porto Rico he a tutor in Johns
Hopkins University We charge that he has per-
mitted the mayors Of municipalities improp
erly collect taxes He is brusk unjust. and domi-
n,"ring.
lone feature of the Tax bill to which we
enter most serious objection is that which takes
from the delinquent taxpayer all right OF
demption at the end of six months from the day
his taxes become delinquent. That amounts TO
confscation OF property. 1t would not be per-
mitted in the United States, and if any govern
ment should attempt to enforce it We believe
the people OF the United States would rise in
revolt
1T should be remembered that we have only
two millions Of dollars in circulation, amounting
to two dollars per capita The banks do not
lend money. We are land poor. should there
be another season OF prevailing illness should
the island be swept by another hurricane the re-
suit would be that men who are now possessed
OF much property would be bankrupted because
Of their inability TO make immediate payment of
taxes. Indeed, 1t takes such unusual conditions
TO bring about the ruin OF many men of property.
Our present conditions bad enough. and ii is
almost impossible for 10 successfully meet
them
The foregoing does not require COM
ment; it tells it's own story of carpetbag
maladministration. with the peculiarities
of which Americans living in the Southern
States are quite familiar either through
experience or history On the subject of
our benevolent assimilation in cutting off
the export markets enjoyed by Porto Rico
under Spanish rule. and then refusing the
territory access to our home markets,
these unhappy ambassadors of a people
speaking to deaf trust ears have this to
say:
I'VE who welcomed the occupation of the ISL
and by the American troops and who were SO
delighted TO the flag Of Spain depart from
Porto Rico forever, have been given food for
thought many times during the last thirty months
Our coffee industry has been all but ruined We
believe our coffee is the best in the world
but for some reason it has never been well
liked in the United States. In the old days we
shipped our coffee TO Spain. where il was in pop
uiar demand, and from Spain il sent into
France and Italy. and much OF it found its way
TO England In this manner we established credits
all over Europe
Now, spain has raised tariff wall against US
Our coffee is drug the market. Porto Rico
Is steadily growing poorer Our expectations are
much less than our importations. During the
last year OF Spanish rule our exports were valued
at nineteen million dollars. We imported
eighteen million dollars' worth of goods which
left balance OF trade in favor OF one
million dollars.
Governor Allen refuses TO give statistics for
trade at the present time. We know that our
exports and imports have both fallen OFF nearly
nifty per cent. We also know that the balance
OF trade Is now . inst us. Our credits in Eu-
rope have been destroyed. Our world markets
have been wiped out, and our compensatory
gains have been small.
Another serious objection to the new revenue
law is that IL excessively taxes rum and to-
bacco The excise tax placed upon rum amounts
TO eighty cents gallon. In TO our
complaint il Is said that in the United States
rum is taxed at the rate of one dollar and ten
cents per gallon. That is true but here the
manufacture Of rum Is incident, whereas in
Porto Rico the manufacture of rum and the grow
ing and manufacture of tobacco prin-
cipal industries. Should a tax of eighty cents
the effect would be the this tax Of eighty
cents a gallon is to us
This tax alone will almost cover the budget.
Its effect has already been most serious Dis
tileries are closed and sugar manufacturers who
have been able to sell their tailings are now
compelled TO let them 20 to waste. This means
in many cases the total destruction Of their
profits.
Heretofore taxes have been assessed upon
incomes Now II is proposed TO appraise the !
property and tax accordingly No objection would
H. ,.sa. g1.lf 4 y.r
that the tax rate has been fixed before appraise-
mcnt. The supervisor and treasurer have named |
the appraisers and assessors and the result Of this
reversal Of proper conditions cannot help being !
corruption. The assessOrs all political ia |
y0rites The supervisor does not talk Spanish |
He knows nothing Of Porto Rico. having been !
there only a few months. A man occupying |
his position should have an intricate knowledge I,
Of the island being able 10 estimate the earnings I
Of property in good and in bad times. The as |
SCISSORS are not responsible men. They not |
the right sort of men to make fair assessments"
Again they say:
Governor Allen says that our island is pros
porous. The facts prove the opposite His own |
actions prove the opposite. We're Porto Rico |
prosperous he would not need TO to the |
United States to borrow money for our farmers
When work began on the Panama Canal Porto
Rican laborers were offered two dollars DAY
10 go there and work. They refused. They are
now willing 10 go to Hawaii to work for one
dollar day.
1T may not he Known in this country, but il
Is a fact that Go, ernor Allen has abolished our
high school In the lower schools lie has caused /
the employment OF teachers who not &C
quanted with the character of our people and 1
who are the cause of many troubles.
''Attcmpt is being made TO destroy our re-
ligious traditions and, with people ignorant |
as Of the Porto Ricans arc this is
very serious matter. One result has been rioting
in San Juan. and 10 placate the rabb!e Governor
Allen has finally been compelled TO .iame for
mayor a man demanded by the rcters''