The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-13
PORTO RICO LABOR LEADER is
SENTENCED TO THREE YEARS
IN PRISON
rs CHARGED WITH CONSPIRACY
When Merchants Raised the Prices
OF All Goods Forty Per Cent
Sss-sSsassS.S
He Tried to Raise the
Price of Labor
ALLOWED LIBERTY ON APPEAL

SAN JUAN, P. r., Dec. 12.-Santiago
Iglesias, president of the Federation of
Workmen of Porto Rico, together with
nine companions, was tried in the district
court of San Juan yesterday on a charge
of conspiracy. Today Iglesias was SEN
fenced to three years, four months and
eight days Imprisonment. Seven of his
companions were sentenced to four
months Imprisonment, while two were
acquitted of the charge of being the
founders of an Illegal association and
conspiracy in August, 1900, to raise the
price of labor in Porto Rico. Iglesias, as
the founder of the conspiracy, gets the
heaviest sentence. The other men were
merely associates in the crime.
Under Spanish law, which Is still in
force here, persons convicted Of a crime
have to pay the costs. TIE local Fedora
ton of the Workmen of Porto Rico, which
is now part of the American Federation
of Labor, under the presidency of Samuel
Gompers has been ordered dissolved, as
it has been adjudged illegal because of
this conspiracy.
One Judge Dfssents.
Mr.. Savage, judge of the district court,
dissented as to the illegality of the local
Iglesias was guilty of a conspiracy to
raise the price of labor in August, 190O
when the currency of Porto Rico was
changed. At that time nearly all the
merchants and employers here raised
their prices from pesos to dollars, an ad
vance of forty cents. Iglesias did the
same, contending he only raised wages in
proportion to other increases. This con-
stitutes the conspiracy.
Il fn tIn GU
preme court of Porto Rico where it will
probably be heard in month. Pending
this appeal Iglesias is at liberty.
The mass meeting of the Federation of
Labor called for next Sunday will prob
ably be called off, as the plans of the
federation are temporarily deranged.
Iglesias says politics influenced the de-
cision against him, as the judges belong
ed to the local Republican party while
Iglesias is a Federalist One OF the ac-
Quilted men has turned Republican, it is
said, since the time of the conspiracy
Since Iglesias has been here as the local
organizer of the American Federation OF
Labor, he has been continually attacked
in circulars and threatened by certain
Republicans who oppose his plans. Last
Tuesday night these Republicans hreo
several snots at the building OF the
federation. The police searched the rooms
of these men for arms but found noun
Ing.
Iglesias has petitioned Gov. Hunt, cit
ing reported assaults upon his men and
asking for protection. Iglesias said: If
the laws of Porto Rico are inadequate to
punish these offenders, if I cannot con-
tinue my work of Americanizing Porto
Rican Iaborers unmolested, please in
form me so that l can return to the
United States abandoning this country
and my mission here"
Federation Will Aid IgIesias.
SCRANTON, Pa, Dec. 12.-When the
correspondent of the Associated Press
showed the San Juan cable to Mr.. Sam
uel Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor, tonight he expressed
great surprise at the news. In answer
as to what the federation would do In
the matter he said:
eff Mr.. Iglesias' conviction is on the
charge that he has been guilty of con-
spiracy to increase the wages of Porto
Rican workmen, we shall leave no effort
untried to secure his honorable release
and also the necessary change in the laws
of the island to conform to the American
standard.
'It is an honorable ambition to secure
better returns in the shape of wages for
labor The Porto Rican law is evidently
a relic of Spanish brutal code and regime
ard the American people will not tolerate
SO gross a violation of guaranteed
rights"
The executive council was in session
when the Associated Press cable dispatch
reached Mr.. Gompers. He said there is
no doubt that the convention will take
I'D the matter before it adjourns.