BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-24
SAN JUAN, JUNE "a
ADiscourse By lglesias

After listening to the testimony given
~ Santiago Iglesias before the lnsuiar
Secretary Yesterday morning one De
came convinced that the man was eltnel
a self acrifcing enthusiast or eise
most profound fakir. Judging the fellow
from his own words, and without any
cross examination, none of which there
was Iqlesias is certainly a very wise
Gentleman. wiser in fact than many
Years confinement in carpenters snop
could possibly have made him. ills
choice of walking delegate or LABOR agl
tator as profession certainly seems ~
have been a very happy one. He care,
fII1fv weighed every answer given, ana
said nothing which he thought woulo
in any way compromise him: :.
Rnt Iolesias cannot be judged by his
testimony given before the Secretary
Yesterday. One man who was listening
10 the testimony given, in most SIM n
pie apparently honest manner sald l
cannot imagine that this IS the same
Tolesias whom l saw several years ago
down on the water front urging, by
word and action, the Portorlcan labor
ers to attack the men who mad Deeh
brought from St. Thomas. 1t seems
almost certain that Iglesas himself dld
not know that he was the same man.
The history of what IS commonly
known as Las Turbas' was revealed
Yesterday, and by man who is notorl-
sl.-,sJ .i-s ..-ee+ niaorons Of the oppo1-
ents Of that society. The history more
or less involves Iglesias and his friends,
and begins with personal ambitions
and ends with much personal emb1tter-
ment.
According to Iglesias he organized the
Federation Regional, of which organl-
zation the "Turbas are now. and then
we're members. A time came when
two political organizations were formed
in Porto Rico. and when one OF the par
ties called upon the workingman to join.
there came disruption in the ranks OF
the laborer, half of them joining the
Republican ranks, and half OF them
remaining unconnected or unpledged
politically. This gave birth to the Fe-
deration Libre as the independent labor
organization. Iglesias later went to the
states, obtained the place of organizer
for Porto Rico at dali J salary OF S275
and on returning here made the Fede-
ration Libre the insular representative
of the American Federation OF Labor.
Rivalry spra1g up. The two labor
organizations instead Of fighting capitol
for the benefit of the workingman took
to fl gh;ing each other for the benefit OF
the doctor, and the municipal treasury.
This fighting is what the Yellowist has
given 50 much space to, and what has
been made by it al important issue.
Iglesias in his statement clearly show
ed that the differences which existed
bet xeen himself and Mau,eon for they
were once personal friends) were purely
the outgroS With Of the separation and
rivalry between the two labor organic
ations. i1e clearly showed bv his state
ment to the effect that the Federation
Libre men were as a rule Republicans
that the issues which have caused the
disturbances have not been political
issues, have not been mob issues, but
have been the result Of labor differences
between two rival labor leaders, work
ing to obtain the ascendency.
When asked why it was that such a
bitter feeling existed between the two
organizations Iglesias stated that the
Regional men were embittered against
the Libre men because of fhe fact that
workmsn holding political office could
not become members of the Federation
Libre, and that if these men could join
his organization that they would do SO.
It is plain from this statement that the
rivalry is not political, that it is not
personal, but it is composition to
obtain personal influence over the work
ing classes of Porto Rico.
There is however one important
truth which was brought out by
the testimony given by Iglesias yester-
day, and that is that these labor men
wing with each other to obtain the as
tendency have been resorting 10 brltte
force to intirnidate and frighten their
rivals. The testimony throughout
clearly proved that both fdes havs
made use Of force at the throw of d
hat, and that the bloKs have aen given
and taken with equal aggressiveness
on to.h sides.
Whoever is to blame for this disgra-
ceful condition no one can say, but it
seems certain that this matter has
never been Of more importance than an
ordinary street brawl in any town in
the Union but that it has been per
mitted to grow to its present proper
tions by the failure of the police author
tiles TO administer summary jns.iee at
once.
In the settlement Of these quarrels
and these disturbances i should never