Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1902-06-30

Our civil government in Porto Rico
is, TO say the least, unique, and renecrs
little creult on those responsible Tor IT,
A potential factor in it's control is a
lawless organization which prides It
self in it's name OF LAS turbas, Whlcn
translated into English means tue
mob" The avowed leader OF the
mob" is the notorious desparado Jose
Mauleon, who is guilty OF many OIL
fences and has been finally convicted
OF one of them and sentenced to I'M
prisonment.
A prominent supporter and counsel
lor of this balef1l organizatfoQ is Jose
Q. Barbosa, who is asSQember OF the
execuesve council appointed by The
president, Which is the real governing
power under the Foraker act. He rs
a full blooded negro and president OIL
the republican party of Porto Rico, a
position corresponding to chairman OF
national committee in the states.
He is in the pay OF the government and
drawing a considerable salary from the
public funds.
One illustration will be sufficient to
show, conspicuously, Barbosa's sup
port of "the mob" Recently that body
had the etfrontery to apply to the gov
ernor practically to sanction it's organ1-
zatiOn and lawless conduct. Barbosa
was one of it's three representatives in
making that application, and what do
you think he did? He proposed to
the governor that he, Barbosa, would
guarantee suspension OF the I'M
bridled attacks OF 1.-The mob" upon per
son and property if the governor Wouia
consent to continue on the police torce
OF the city OF San Juan some OF the po-
licemen friendly to and who were pro-
tecting "the mob" Unfortunately the
governor submitted to the compromis.
ing proposition instead OF vigorously
opposing it and demanding the resigna-
ton OF both Barbosa and OF Judge
Ramos, who were supporters OF the
mob"
One of the purposes of ''the mob" is
to prevent and suppress all criticism
upon government officials, policies or
affairs. It's method OF accomplishing
its object is as laWless as it's name i'm
plies. It is to make forcible attacks
upon the persons and property OF those
not agreeing with it politically, and
who assume to criticise or comment
unfaVorably upon what may appear to
be questionable acts of local govern
ment officials. In circulating its
purpose it stops short of no lawless
acts which it deems would secure the
end sought. About a year and half
or two year ago it wrecked the Diario,
a federal newspaper edited by Munos
Rivera, the then president OF the fed
eral party, mainly because that paper
dissented from what it deemed to be
improper administration OF govern
ment. 1.-THE mob assembled at the
instance of it's leaders, forcibly entered
the office, removed the presses and
equipment therefrom and destroyed
them, and finally drove the editor and
proprietor from the city of San Juan.
He went to the neighboring city OF
Caguas, and again started his news
paper, but it is understood that he is
now in New York.
Strange to say now and then Porto
Rican judge is found who, ii he does
not actively interpose to encourage,
countenances the mob's" outrageous
conduct. This is especially true OF
Judge Ramos, who is the presiding
judge Of the district court of San Juan
and dominates all of it's proceedings.
One illustration may suffice: THE
mob is especially hostile to the fedora
ton of Labor and determined to de-
stroy it. About year ago Santiago
lglasias, who was appointed by Pres1-
dent GOmpers of the American Fedora
ton OF labor to organize in Porto, pro-
ceeded to that work. '"The mob" had
him arrested in Ramos court upon the
charge of conspiring to raise the wages
OF laboring men. He was convicted
and sentenced by Ramos to over four
years Imprisonment. This was deem
ed SO great an outrage, and created so
much just indignation that anyone
should be convicted of such an Of
fence on what was supposed to be
American soil, that Governor Hunt was
4AOuCSO W Cc11I dLISnL1Ou W IL Ill Liz
message to the Porto Rican legislative
assembly, WlLn a view to remedying
such high-handed procedures. For
tunately the supreme court reversed
the decision and released Iglasias.
The depredations of ''the mob" are
frequently committed without warning, |
but sometimes it has the boldness to
announce it's contemplated attacks in
advance, so as to insure a sufficient
number of participants to effect its pur-
pose. These announcements are In
the form of printed circulars, scattered
about the streets and melting the mob
against some individual who has in
CURED it's hostility. They are usually
unsigned, except by figures represent
ing the number of ''the mob's" mem
bership or by several Porto Ricans."
The writer has before him one issued
by "the mob to incite an attack on
the San Juan News, edited by Hobart |