The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-16
INJUSTICE IN PORTO RICO.
Oppression Of the Islanders Under
thc Revenue Law

NEW YORK. March 16.-Haying re
turned from Washington, where they
went 70 urge tie annulment BY Congress
Of the FIoIlander Revenue Law enacted
by the iusu!ar government of Porto
Rico. the commissioners appointed at a
mass meeting Ct merchants ard business
men on the island made their first pub
lie statement yesterday and set forth
strongly thu wrongs which the law would
bring upon the island population
our first objection 10 the HOllander
law" said one OF them. relates To sec
tons - 81, A, and S.. which provide that
property on which the taxes are ielin-
.luent shall lee 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 1t is three years In a
country recently devastated by hurri-
cane. with few banks and with less than
y. pos,0Hg none in circulation. which
amount Is being decreased by the excess
Of imports over exports. ii is Inevitable
that there VIII be many deiinquencies
and much property viii be sold for taxes
II single sugar crop fails, for instance
F., the planter can hardly escape being sold
out 1t IS an open secret that American
spectators are looking forward tc buy
ing up the more valuable holdings when
they are thus sold.
Not long ago Governor Allen wrote a
letter 10 Senator Foraker. saying that the
Island OF Porto Rico Lad never been in
such line condition as now; that the crops
were good. that there was plenty Of labor
20 be had. and that prosperity was gen
eraL If this be true. why is il that the
imports Of the island shocld exceed The.
exports. and that the exports should have
fallen To about half OF what they once
/ were2 Why is 1t that laborers are emf
grating 10 Hawaii. II Jamaica British
/ territory. San Domingo. aud Ecuador.
whereas IL the old days very few left rh+
! island even when the Panama Canal
company was Offering 3 and * per day
II gold for labOrers only a short distance
away To the foreign countries named
J they are now going by thousands though
they VIII have TO work among people of
/ inherent race and customs Why is il
/ that riots strikes. and mObs. which were
Unknown IN the former history of the isl
ana, are common since the civil gov
eminent was eStabliShed2 Why Is il If
the new tax bin is beneficent that many
cigar =nd cigarette factories have had
TO close down or dismiss part of their
employees, and that many distilIeries have
closed these are some Of the questions
| which We asked the Senators and the
Government at Washington. and we have
Yet 10 hear Il satisfactory answer to
them
j H HOIander who drafted the rev
enu= bill was formerly an Instructor at
Johns Hopkins University 4t. is not IA
maiiIar with the conditions in Porto Rico
/ did not know the Spanish language. and
vas without practical experience in Iegis-
! latiE-e work While in this city We asked
the auditors OF two great insurance COM
Danies and the president Of one Of the
largest banks whether they thought il
right that man with only theoretical
/ knowledge Of the questions Of taxation.
should b- selected TO settle problems like
1 those presented by the present financial
condition Of rOTtG Rico. Their answer
practical experience and knowledge of
/ IN" country was competent for such q
task Yet Mr. Hoilander complied this
bin from the different tax laws governing
I various States of the United States with
! our study o. or reference 10 the actual
/ conditions in Porto Rico.
f III Governor Allen really had the wei
. fare OF the country at heart. why did H.
Z not avail himself OF the ten DAYS allowed
/ hy the Foraker law before signing 2 bill
/ Of such Importance Why was ID that he
/ declined tho urgent invitation to be pres
. -ut 1T the great mass meeting called o.
/ February = 10 consider the law
/ The Porto Rical Commission has Of
/ fered 10 pay the expenses OF a delegation
( from the Senate or the House of Repre-
I themselves the condition Of affairs The
I iu-itaJinu was not accepted, but the
7 commission is sun willing To extend the
! same invitation TO any responsible parties
/ and il confident Of the results"