The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-04-25
DISTRESS IN PORTO RICO.
EXCISE TAX LAW SAID TO BE A
FAILURE.
Assessments on Real and Personal
Property decentralization De-
creased Emigration Continues.

NEW YORK April Wenceslao
Borda Jr.. and Vicente Balbas, Porto
Rican Commissioners, today received
the following Cablegram from the eN-
ecutive committee of the Planters,
Bankers and Merchants Association of
Porto Rico:
"Bill practically failure. Business is
at standstill Excise taxes produce
little; hence valuations ordered in
creased. Emigration continues. Gen
eral discomfort"
Commissioner Borda has this to say
as to the cabegram; This cablegram
signifies that by reason of the impo-
sition of the excise taxes, under the
Hollander revenue law, the production
of the island has so decreased that the
excise taxes do not produce the revenue
which was expected by Treasurer Hol-
lander. The insular government has,
therefore, ordered the assessors to in
crease their valuations of the real and
personal property of Porto Rico"
WASHINGTON. April l6.-Santiago
lglesias, "A representative of the Fedora
ton of Labor in Porto Rico, who came
to this country recently with a petition
signed by 5000 Porto Ricans praying for
relief from the distressing cond,s Dns
alleged to exist on the islands, present
ed the petition to the President today.
Mr. Iglesias told the President that the
utSlllulIpu tAlsNlHB ~ VIC lSiuhu GU "
be relieved if the Government would
eXpend liberal sums in the building of
roads. The President said he was very
much interested in the welfare of the
people of the island and promised to
look into the matter.
WASHINGTON April 1.-THE labor
ers of Porto Rico are i'm more deplor-
abel condition than any others on the
face of the earth. The misery prevail
ing today in the country and cities is
/ horrible.
There are thousands of working peo-
| pie crying for work or bread. Emigra-
ton or suicide now appears To be the
only remedy for their misfoTtunes.
! The working people of Porto Rico
hope that the American Government,
by the exercise of its sovereign power
will alter and improve the present UNI
| happy situation.
The workers of Porto Rico also de-
mand perfectly free institutions. under
which they win be endowed with full
liberty and enjoy the same rights as the
workers of the United States to develop
their labor organizations and realize
their natural and legitimate aspirations
without hindrance or oppression; that
they shall be accorded full freedom OF
assembly, freedom of press and speech
and that these laws be similar to those
of the United States.
we dSh tIldl tHSIt Shdll ne through
out the whole island a real and effec.
tive guarantee of the workers to defend
themselves against the inhuman and
| oppressive rule of native officials, who
detest American free institutions The
men who are now making strenuous
efforts to organize and enlighten the
laborers in that island are ben perse,
cuted and imprisoned.
We ask that the ordinance under
| which ldDOrprg HmDlONpd public
work receive only % cents or 30 cents
per day be annulled.
we also ask that the ordinance stig
matizng laborers as obnoxious anC
dissolute persons" who refuse to worl
for 70 cents per day be likewise an
nulled.
SANTIAGO IGLESIAS.