BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-23
Q|eyiQS TeyifeS.

Ig|eSQS IeS|IeS.
Says That He Is A Professional
Labor Agitator. Charges Distur-
Dances To Incompetent Police
Judges. Demands the Appoint
ment of Impartial Justices of
the Peace. Says That He Has
Never Advocated Violence
Denies That Federation Libre IS
A Political Association. Critici-
ses Both Parties.
The "Las Turbas" investigation was
continued at o3o o'clock his morning in
the office of Secretary Hartzell The
entire morning was taken up with the
testimony of Santiago Iglesias, who
arrived here from Mayaguez last night
for the express purpose of appearing
before the Secretary. The Republican
Committee of Defense was represented
by Pedro Gomez and other members of
thato rganization.
Ig1esias stated in answer to questions
of the Secretary that he was an advo-
Gator of the rights of labor, and that
for many years past he had been en-
gagged in organizing labor unions in
both Spain and Porto Rico. He stated
that the Federation Libre was the Por-
torican representative of the American
Federation of Labor, and that the labor
organizations which existed in other
towns on the island were under the
Jurisdiction of the Federation Libre
which was equal here to what state labor
organizations are in the United States.
He stated that until the American oc-
cupation he had never been able to Or
ganize workman's Union owing to
the opposition of the Spanish author
tiles, and the many obstacles which
were placed in the way of the working
man.
He explained that when the civil
government started in Porto Rico two
political parties, the Republicans and
the Federals, were organized and that
Mr. Jaime Sire then a prominent Rep
ublican leader, sent letter to him as
Regional, requesting that the Federation
Regional join the Republican party
That Mr. Rosendo Rivera, who was
hen president of the Federation Re
gional of which organization, he lyle,
sias, had been the founder, favored the
joining Of the Republican party. That
Immediately thereafter a split took
place in the ranks of the Federation
Regional men, and that various organ
izations of laboring men joined the
Republican party and that others re-
fused to affiliate with any party, insist
ing that the constitution of the Feder-
alton Regional prohibited political af-
filiations of any kind.
IglesiaS stated that he has made ap-
plication to become an American citi-
zen, and that he was born in Spain.
That he had been prosecuted by the
Spanish authorities here not because
of any criminal acts but simply for his
advocacy of the rights of the work
ingman
He stated that it had been charged
that he was not a workingman, and he
desired to say in answer to this charge
that he was a wnrkingman. and that he
had worked here in various offices and
departments, and that while in New
York he had been employed in a joiners
shop.
lglesias also stated that the Fedora
ton Regional was connected officially
with the Republican party and that
as proof of this he desired to
show that Mr.. Timothee, an employee
of this municipality had gone over
the island and made over thirty
two speeches against the Federation
Libre, and that he was being paid
by the municipality at the same
time. When asked why it was that
the Federation Regional men were,
SO opposed to the Federation Libre
lglesias stated that the constitution of
the Federation Libre did not permit
men holding official positions to become
members of that organization, and that
this was the reason. He stated that
most of the members of the Federation |
were office holders under the
municipality.
When Secretary Hartzell asked if
Igiesias had ever advocated any vioien-
ce being used. or whether any of his |
doctrines would cause the use of violen-
ce, he stated that he had never advocat
ed the use of violence and that he only
knew of one instance where a Fedora I
ZION man had attacked one of The Tur-
bas, d that was during his absence
n the States He stated that the Tur-
bas we're always attacking the Fedora
ion men, ard that they would continue
- 90 50 Just as long as the authorities
permitted the appointment of political
lud2cs to the police courts.
y hen asked to suggest a remedy for
tie dis urbances which had been occur
Li1g lglesias stated that there were
tUo remedies, first the suppression of
III the gambling houses in town these
being the places were the Turbas laid
heir plans, and where they gathered
-ogether money on which to live without
working the second thing was the ap-