Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-30
THE ISLE OF D|SC0RD
Desperate Political Campaign
in Porto Rico.
THE RIOT AT HUMACAO
THREE MEN KILLED AND SEVEN
MORE WOUNDED.
Personal Conflicts Of Daily Occurrence
Troops Appealed to-Efforts
to Have Honest Election.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


litical warfare between the republicans,
to get in. Despite the determined efforts
of Acting Governor Hartzell to maintain.
through the iEsular police. a reasonable
degree of order at political gatherings,
there has already been one serious out
break and more are threatened A short
time ago at Humacao a riot was suddenly
started and in a few minutes three men
were dead and seven were wounded An
other victim died soon after. The federals
charge that the republicans instgated this
trouble, which the republicans deny. Act
ing Governor Hartzel is now investigating
the case. and says the guilty ones will be
severely punished if identified. Personal
conflicts, frequently with bloodshed, be-
tween hot-headed partisans are now of
daily occurrence all over Porto Rico, and
tuated with ugly personal references and
vicious remarks.
A Disgracefu1 Meeting.
Three days ago at a republican mass
meeting on the Plaza Principal in San Juan
the most indecent and obscene language
was used, and the Americans who heard the
harangues were disguested One speaker
declared that the republicans should win
If they walked over five hundred bodies to
do 1t. AT another meeting a republican
orator declared that federal children should
be treated as Herod treated the innocents
slain without mercy.
At Cayey there was so serious a distur-
bance that after hundreds of shots had
been fired, Mayor Aguero was compelled
to appeal to Major Swift comma nding the
battalion of United States troops in Cayey,
for military aid in putting down the riot
Major Swift replied that in case of Sc
r1ous conflict the troops would be ready
to come to the rescue. Orders were issued
for the troops to stay in the barracks that
night The trouble at Cayey arose from
the simultaneous holding of a republican
and federal meeting. which is illegal under
the laws of Porto Rico Captain Molina
of the insular police was hurt in this fight
Discussed Harmony.
Three nights ago at a big Masonic gath
ering in San Juan among the principal
speakers Were Commissioner Degetau, his
opponent candidate, Cuebas, and Mr. Ma
tienzo Cintron federal, of the executive
council Harmony was the general theme
Mr.. Camunas declared that harmony and
fraternity do not exist in Porto Rico He
said that the bludgeon and the arrow used
by the Indians against their rivals have
been replaced by the club and revolver by
the people of the present century.
Mr. Degetau dWelt upon the existence OF
harmony and concordance among the peo-
bulence that reigns here is due to the peo-
pie who do not believe In the existence Of
this tranquility.
Mr.. Matienzo insisted that the island is
suffering and losing its prestige for want
of harmony and fraternity The continual
troubles in the island. he said, are I'M
deniable proofs that the people do not
work in harmony with each other
The Candidates.
Nearly all the candidates are now in the
field The republicans have renominated
Frederic Degetau for resident commissioner
from Porto Rico at Washington Two years
ago Mr.. Degetau was elected practically
without opposition, the federals refusing
to vote, claiming intimidation. This year
they are battling hard with fair pros
poets of controlling the next house of dele
gates, now solidly republican. and they
may elect their candidate for commissioner
at Washington. Felipe Cuebas of Maya
guez.
The negro vote, which is generally repub-
!ican and which is controlled by DR.. Bar
bosa of San Juan, may largely be lost to
both parties this year and be cast indie
pendently for black candidates. If the ne
groes are not awarded some nominations
The federals openly declare in favor of
white government, and the generally Of
fensive conduct of Porto Rican negroes has
turned even the white republicans against
them. The problem Of dealing with the ne
SToeS mere Is q more OllIlcuit ana DANGER
Gus one than in the southern states and a
race riot might easily be precipitated
Hence DIR. Barbosa has the fight of his life
on his hands. and must handle his black
followers cautiously.
To Insure Honest Election.
The insular government is doing every
thing In its power to insure an honest cleo
ton. In view of the fact that the insuiar
police have frequently been accused of
winking at disorders and of refusing to
make arrests. Chief Frank Techter has
caused a general shake-up of the force.
making transfers from captains down
throughout the island. Chief Techter, who
is sturdy German. and who came to Porto
Rico during the Spanish-American war as
first lieutenant in the 47th New York
Volunteers. is handling his big native force
without gloves to prevent political connec-
lions from interfering with police duty Su-
pervisor of Elections Benjamin F. Butler
formerly of Boston. has organized the cleo
ton boards in the seven districts Of the ISL
and. and has, in every case, named an indie
pendent American chairman of the board,
to serve with one republican and one fed
erai. These American chairmen and their
respective districts are:
San Juan, James H. Harrison: Arecibo
Charles b. Hobart; Aguadilla, Gregory E.
Norton: Mayaguez. H. McLeary Hutchin-
son; Ponce Benjamin j. Horton; Guayama
Chandler II. Pierce; Humacao, Byron w.
tricts into precincts as near as possible. Civ
ing about 300 electors to each precinct, and
will also appoint three persons as judges Of
election for each precinct one to be re-
publican, one a federal and the third an in
dependent In addition TO this there are to
be appointed two poll clerks. one from each
of the political parties. who must be quail
fled voters of the municipal district
Political Press Bitter.
The political press throughout the island
Is bitter. vituperative and reckless to a de-
gree beyond the comprehension of those not
familiar with It, The republicans will this
week establish in San Juan a new daily
paper, the Sun, to be printed in English and
Spanish. to offset the work the San Juan
News is doing for the federals. Last week
Editor Hobart S. Bird Of the News was
convicted of criminal libel on the charge of
Judge Ramos. and was sentenced to four
months and a day in Jail.
Judging from the manner in which Porto
Ricans now conduct their elections it will
be several decades before they can safely
be intrusted with the territorial rights for
which they clamor
Church Anniversary.
The twenty-third anniversary OF St.