The Washington times., 1902-06-29

fashionable young senoritas of Ponce
used to repair daily for their ablutions
One day the elder Degetau was walk
ing through his garden when a carriage
in which there were several young Por-
to Rican ladies on their way to the baths
drove by. He was just making arrange
ments for house party preparatory to
taking UP hisl abode in the new resi-
dence which lie had erected and which
was considered one Of the most beauti-
full villas" OF Ponce. When the senori-
tas returned he had his servants bring
them out somr fruits and confections.
AS they drore away again. he said TO
the old Belgian gardener whom he had
brought over to be lis servant:
Hans, you saw the youngest Of those
senoritas. She will be the mistress of
the new house,
1t was even so, for six months from
that time, the young German banker
was married to Senorita Gonzales, one OF
the recognized bellies Of Ponce. A little
less than two years later their son
Federico, the present resident commits
sioner from Porto Rico. was born in the
first American house built on the island.
The elder Degetau died when the pres
ent commissioner was but eight
Oib' nhA ~ anu
education were left in the hands of his
mother.
She was a woman OF high refinement
and literary tastes. and to her influence
Mr.. Degetau attributes all his success
in life. She devoted her entire time and
attention and large part OF her for
tune to the education Of her son.
Under her tutelage he acquired a
highly cultivated literary taste. espe-
cially for the English classics. of which
Mrs. Degetau was very fond. Mr.. Dege-
tau's early education was received at
the schools OF the island and at the In
stitute de Secunda Ensenanza in San
Juan, which was closed by the govern
ment in 1874. After that his mother
took him TO Spain where he continued
his studies in the Central University at
Madrid and also at the universities OF
Salamanca and Granada.
While a young man he was elected by
the Academy OF Anthropological
Sciences at Madrid to the presidency of
the department of moral and political
sciences. His mother died in Madrid
twelve years aao.
Mr. Degetau is a lawyer by profes-
sion. bit has devoted great deal of
his time toward the improvement OF
political conditions in Porto Rico. and
ever since he entered the arena of Porto
Rican politics he has been recognized
as leader and cnc of the foremost
men CT the island. He esDoused the
cause of republican form Of govern
ment, and in 1896 was one of the four
commissioners sent by Porto Rico to
Spain in the interests OF autonomy. In
the convention which selected the dele
gates. one Of his colleagues on the Com
mission who was q monarchist. in an
swer to Mr.. Degetau's argument in
favor of making Spain a republic, de-
clared that such a change would not be
accomplished in an hundred years. To
this Mr.. Degetau replied that either
Spain would be republic within two
years or the civilized world WILL inter-
fere in her affairs, and she would be
shorn OF her much cherished insular
possessions. The recent history of tho
world is fulfillment OF Mr.. Degetau's
prophecy. She was not made a repub-
lie, but within two years she did sign a
treaty Withdrawing from Cuba. ceding