The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-01
LETTER FROM PORTO RICO
A HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL
TELLS OF THE CONDITIONS.
False Allegations Called Forth by
Governor Aliens Withdrawing
Through q Crisis.

A letter from one Of the high officers of
Porto Rico to a friend in this city on the
condition of affairs in the island says:
The visit of Governor Allen to the
States seems TO have been the signal for
the opponents of the administration. To-
cal and national, and of the whole Ameri-
can system of government, for that matter.
to pour forth their pent-up volumes of
wrath and malice. / hope the published re-
ports of alleged conditions here have not
disturbed you. The allegations were false.
few OF them HAD even the shadow OF q
foundation. In legislation and administra-
ton We have been compelled TO change
from old methods, because they were vile
and untitled to a free government, but
everything has been done with moderation
and to the entire satisfaction of the large
majority of the people. The enactment OF
a just and liberal tax law aroused the ire
OF the wealthy few, mostly Spaniards. and
they have been venomous in denunciation
of it's enforcement. These people have here
tofore been able TO avoid the payment of
taxes. putting the burden on the poor, in
the shape of consume taxes, on rice.
they fully realize that they must pay they
naturally protest. The valuation Of prop
erty is moving along smoothly. Out of Co.
600 appraisements there have been, TO date,
only $50 appeals to the executive council
from boards of appeal. and the great ma
jority of these are cases o. trifing i'm
p~ortance. The nonresident Spanish own
erS OF valuable sugar estates are the chief
professors. yet not one of Thorn will sell
his land for anything near the appraised
value.
crossing quite encouraeingly The native
officials. as a rule. are giving excellent sat-
isfaction. | have heard Americans CON-
plain of their slowness and lack OF energy.
but my experience proves, and my clerks
are all natives, mat they Will average Wsil
with the department employees in Wash
ington: / have ever found them loyal. true
and willing.
In industries and the island
has been passing through a crisis. Pauper-
lied by Spain; depressed by a period of
wrecked by a hurricane; the poor encour-
aged TO idleness by the mistaken generosity
OF the United States government in furnish
ing free rations for a year. and disturbed
by the necessary change of the circulat-
ing medium, there was cause for penury,
want and suffering. and these conditions
were the heritage OF a civil government
thrus. into being without the machinery
or the means to materially relieve distress,
or the power to direct or control with the
assurance or success. The people, taught to
look to the government for help. their cries
being usually answered with promises, had
10 be told that they must unlearn the les
sons Of the past and work out their own
salvation, as the government itself was do
irg. Then came the preachers of discon-
tent. the Spaniards and the politicians out
OF a job. and a rough and rocky road lay
0&N w AA =
journeyed along, patiently making our way
over or around all sorts of obstacles and
avoiding precipices, keeping close together
for mutual support.
ut has been . long. hard pull, a strug-
gle that | do not believe our friends at
home fully realize the immensely Of. But |
am glad to be able to say that we are win
ming out. The conditions of trade. agricul-
ture and of the people are improving. slow
ly but steadily. Opposition to American
laws and methods of administration so
far as introduced. is dying out. the pro-
duction of sugar this year is larger than
ever before; the coffee crop promises a
splendid yield: fruits are coming on abund-
antly; the increased acreage IN corn. rice.
vegetables. etc. is pronounced: work is
being provided in the fields and on the
roads for laborers, and there is evidence on
every hand of better prospects. In the near
future l fully expect 10 see Porto Rico
bounding into prosperity. her people con-
tented. happy and thankful for the great
change that brought them out of wretched-
ness and woe into the enjoyment of plenty
and the blessings of liberty under the flag
Of the free