The times., 1901-03-16
INJUSTICE IN PORTO RICO.
Oppression Of the Islanders Under
the Revenue Law.

NEW YORK, March 15.-Having re
turned from Washington, where they
went to urge the annuiment by Congress
of the Hollander Revenue Law enacted
by the insular government or Porto
Rico, the commissioners appointed at a
mass meeting of merchants and business
men on the island made their first pub
lie statement today. and set forth strong
" the wrongs which the law would bring
upon the island population.
Our first objection TO the Hoilander
law" said one of them. relates to sec
tions 90. 81. A. and 81. which provide that
property on which the taxes are delin-
quent shall be sold out, and shall be
vested absolutely in the hands of the pur-
chaser six months after such taxes be-
come due. There is not a State in the
Union where the time allowed for this
purpose is less than two years, and in
New York State it is three years. In
country recently devastated by a hurri-
cane with few banks and with less than
S2o3J,uu0 money in circulation, which
amount is being decreased by the excess
of imports over exports, it is inevitable
that there will be many delinquencies,
and much property VIII be sold for taxes.
If single sugar crop fails for instance
t4tt painter Atil iIdIulA ESCAPE BtllS SbFI
out. It is an open secret that American
speculators are looking forward to buy
ing up the more valuable holdings when
they are thus sold.
Not long age Governor Allen wrote a
letter 10 Senator Foraker. saying that the
Island of Porto Rico had never been in
such fine condition as now; that the crops
were good, that there was plenty of labor
TO he had. and that prosperity was gen
eral. If this be true, why is it that the
imports of the island should exceed the
exports. and that the exports should have
fallen TO about half of what they once
were? Why ~ it that laborers are emf
grating to Hawaii, to Jamaica British
territory, San Domingo, and Ecuador
whereas in,tr,S old days very few left the
island, even when the Panama Canal
Company wss Offering 81 and Sc Der dav
in gold for Iaborers only a short distance
away? To the foreign countries named
they are n9w going by thousands. though
they VIII have TO work among people of
different race and customs Why is il
that riots. strikes. and mobs which were
Unknown IN the former history of the isl
and, are common since the civil gov.
ernment was established? Why is it. if
the new tax hill is beneficent. that many
cigar and cigarette factories have had
TO close down OF dismiss part of their
employees, and that many distnleries have
which We asked the Senators and the
Government at Washington. and we have
Yet 10 near Il satisfactory answer to
them.
j. r. Hollander, who drafted the rev
rnue bill, was formerly an Instructor at
Johns Hopkins University. He is not ia
maiiiar with the conditions in Porto Rico
did not know the Spanish language. ana
was without practical experience in legis-
latiye work. While In this city we asked
the auditors of two great insurance COM
panieS and the president OF one of the
largest banks whether they thought ii
right that a man with only theoretical
knowledge Of the questions of taxation
should be selected 10 settle problems like
those presented by the present financial
condition Of TortO Rico. Their answer
practical experience and knowledge of
the country was competent for such
task. Yet Mr HOllander complied this
bill from the different tax laws governing
various States Of the United States with
out study of or reference to the actual
conditions in Porto Rico.
If Governor Allen really had the vel
fare of the country at heart, why did hc
not avail himself of the ten days allowed
by the Foraker law before signing bill
Of such Importance Why was il that he
declined the urgent invitation TO be Trcs-
ent at the great mass meeting called on
February to consider the law?
The Porto Rican Commission has Of
fcred to pay the expenses of a delegation
from the Senate or the House Of Repre-
SentatiVes to go to Porto Rico and see for
themselves the condition of affairs. The
invitation was not accepted, but the
commission IS still willing to extend the
same invitation to any responsible parties
and is confident of the results"