The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-03
Present Condition
Of Porto Rico

Special Correspondence OF the scranton Tribune.
Philadelphia, June ..
N r LEO EoNE one OF the United states
III commissioners 10 Porto Rico, was in thi;
~ city today on his way to Washington, htN.
Ing been a passenger on the steamer SAL!
Juan, which reached New York on Monday. DR..
Rove, who was proioSso. OF political science at
III" University OF Pennsylvania prior 10 his ap'
ponmcnL last year by President Mckinley to
revise the laws 'or tho government of Porto
Rico. will hand the report OF the commission IN
the president tomorrow. In an interview with
Your correspondent or tho existing condition of
affairs in the island, Dr. Rowe said:
by the 'tnsrls Of Porto Rico recently complied
Under the direction of the war department We
md that ont oi total population ot 0j3,2ii
on the island the native born inhabitants mum.
her $50 81, of whom i7S.OO0 are white and 36l 3h7
colorcd 1t is not possible entirely 10 separate
the Latin from the African race. They exist
together on the island and their future Is woven
together inscparahly. Each race has kept its own
identity, Yet there has been a reciprocal on u
mutual infhcncc. The African has benefited hy
the tolerance and kindlicr consideration, the less
pronounced antipathy OF the Spaniard as COM
pared with the Anglo Saxon. Conversely, the nc.
gro had had stcadyng influence on the Span.
lard This has moi hccn the result OF racial in.
tor.miNtulc, hut rather can he ascribcd to the
fact that the ucglo, living side by side with ;he
Latin race, has somewhat modified the Latin tcni-
pCramcnt.
'"rhc present conditions in Porto Rico arc by
no means So appalling aS is the general immcS.
sion Tho statement that the masses ut Porto
ltican5 are in as bad condition are those
of India are not i,lsifablc, but il is true that
there is still some distress and discomfort prcva.
lent. Practically, they arc tar better of today
than under the old Spanish regime. II is not 10 he
supposed that during the centuries OF Spanish
mslulc there WAS amy marked degree of pros.
pcrry in Porto Rico, any more than there was
prosperity in other possessions of the dccadent
empire oi Spain. But the people of the island
arc peaceful, aSygoine, gmilclcss and tractable
and will speedily he made entirely amcushle 10
American influence, despite whatever difficulties
they may he now presenting,
whatever the future may have in store for
Porto Rico, il seems quite certain that the
most irving period OF American rule is over
The agitation for autonomy which marked the
last years oi Spanish rule developed spirit NJ
unrest, which considerably complicated the prob.
lem confronting the military and subsequently the
civil government, The military government was
in a sense an enlightened dcspotsm and offered
mo opportunity for the development Of the polit.
cal groupings and iactional struggles which came
about as soon as the civil government was or,
gdnized.
with people unaccustomcd to active partci.
patton in public atairs, it is not surprising that
unexpected and eNtraragaHt demands we've made
upon the civil authorities. DuIiug tie spanish
rule the government was placed lar above and
beyond the people OF Porto Rico that they are
not To be hlumcd ii the beginning they abuse The
broader privileges which have come to them urcr
American institutions. Their first tendency was
intolerance, When elections were held they ap.
piled literally the doctrine that the spoils 10
long 10 the Nictors. Perhaps, American poiti.
clans would take tliiS as evidence OF a highly
developed capacity for sclfgoNcrmcnt. They
proposed not only to iii the offices with their
pay all the taxes. 1t was simply reaction
nom conditions under which they had no part
in iilling the offices and no share in raising the
taxes. This condition OF Affairs was emphasized
by the natural tendency of a Latin people to
look 10 the government for the solution OF every
difficulty, Throughout the period before and dur
lns the hist Stssion oi the legislative assembly,
the government held 10 a safe, CONSERVATIVE
course, discouraginG every attempt at radical
legislation and impresng upon the people the
necessity OF Sclfhclp and scli,reliancc. Thus
when ConglesS rpmiited two million dollars of
revenue To lhe Isl nd. some enthusiastic Porto
Ricans proposed that the sum should be expended