New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-12-01
Correspondents Consider the Situation from Different Points OF
Vew-Isnorance the People-Defence Hunt

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In The Tribune's issue for November
was an editorial Porto Rico which was much
criticised by THE San Juan News because it
asserted that too much freedom had been given
TO the islanders, 1.-The News puts all the blame
for misgoVernnent On the Governor and his
aids. While it is undoubtedly true that the in
action Of the American officials has encouraged
the mobs in their lawlessness. that is not by any
means the only cause. Back Of this the
dense ignorance and total absence of sense of
truth and justice the part of the people.
a people living for centuries under the mill
tary rule of foreign nation subsisting rice,
beans, bananas and Goldfish; people reeking
in immortality. with a mere handful of schools
Of the most elementary class in the cities, and
none in the remoter country districts; with
neither papers, magazines, books nor lectures
for self-improvement; with nearly every man
armed with at least a knife. with which to set
tie any dispute he may have with neighbor;
a people who have control themselves
nor their children, but who fly into torrent of
rage when irritated and instantly resort to
blows is not a people adapted to civil gov
eminent without years of training.
When the Americans came here they found
autonomy, from which it appeared that the peo-
pie were more advanced than they have since
been found to be. The autonomy had been
granted through SPANS fear of instruction
here similar to that in Cuba, and it had just
been established. The people had had no op-
portunity to prove their ability. Moreover, the
liberty was by no means as great as at present,
and Spain still at hand to quell the first
disorder.
Each party claims that these depraved, reck-
less characters belong entirely to the lower ele
nnent OF its opponent, but to the impartial OBJ
servers who have been here several years and
are not connected with either side there seems
to be six of one and half dozen of the other
The Republican leaders are rich and well
educated as the Federals There are perhaps
not many Of them. When they were elected
charges were made against their ability nor
honesty-they were respectable members of So
ciety. Their course has been the logical out
come of their former training-force, deceit.
partiality-and the members of the opposing
party would do the same if they had the power.
Neither is it the lower class only who resort to
blows in their disputes. The richer and better
educated nearly always armed, and words
serve but little here. All is force.
I once heard Jacob Riis say that the roughs IN
the States were the sons of the foreigners, but
never the grandsons; because, although they
themselves might be lawlesS and beyond the
control Of their parents, because they under
stood the English language and customs of the
country better, yet they wanted their children to
will be no sd tisfactory government by the peo-
pie until the children who are being trained
in the public schools to better habits of neat
ness. order selfcontrol, truth. iTnpartlalfty and
to respect honest labor enter the political field.
If the island is to continue governing itself 1t