BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-06-04
SArlJUAN, JUNO A
The Ridiculous Side of
American MunifiCence.

Hardly had the news of the grea
disaster in Martinique been received IN
the United States before the entire
continent was awake with the energy
of the relief associations, vy1ng
with One other in the effort to
be the first to bring aid to what were
believed to be a starving and naked
people. Private subscriptions, then cha
ritab1e institutions, then business orga-
limitations and finally the various
states and the national government took
a hand and before many days had pass.
ed enough money had been gathered
together to buy the island of Martinique
and paw for it at double rates, includ
ing the city of St. Pierre before its
destruction. This was all very splendid.
and it was perfect example OF what the
American people can do when neces-
sity drives. Our relief was so tar above
that contributed by any other nation
that it also showed to the world what
Our resources for any possible purpose
might amount to.
In the midst of this hurry and hustle
to be the first on hand to help the poor
starving people Of Martinique, very
little consideration was taken OF the
nature of the people, Of the size of their
island, of the conditions which prevailed
or of any other reasonable data such as
might be most useful in sensible distrib-
ution of the relief The result OF this
failure to be perfectly familiar with the
conditions led to the most ridiculous
and absurd situations. which could pos
dire catastrophe as the loss of the city
of St. Pierre aud its entire population.
In the first place the Potomac brought
to Martinique some two tons OF provls-
ions (a11 that she could carry for the
immediate relief of as many people as
could be helped with such limited
amount of food. On our landing at
Fort de France, tile first thing that
struck all the party was the fact that
no one seemed to be begging for bread,
that nakedneSs or seni-nakedneSS was
the normal garb, and that the greatest
concern which the reiidents OF the
island seemed to have respecting any
thing at all (as we were informed by a
continental Frenchman) was d, to the
final outcome of an election which was
near at hand, and which was apparent
1y of more moment to the people of
Martinique than the loss of fathers and
and mothers, and in fact all SORTS Of
kith ard kin.
And the truth Of the matter is that
every man ore met had sustained great
losses amongst the members of his fam
ill.,. The first fellow we came in con-
tact with informed us that he had lost
eleven relatives when we reached the
city we found others who had lost thir-
ty, forty, and SO on, until finally the
greatest mourner was one gentleman
who had lost one hundred and ten peo-
pie who bere the same name as his
own.
Despite all this however politics was
the question of the hour, and the arrival
of the Americans with their relief ships
seemed to be treated like an intrusion
These people were engaged in what is
considered to be the principal occupa
ton in lands where the coins bear the
inscription Liberty, Equality and Fra
ternity". Politics everywhere, and of
course all plentifully interspersed with
French cognacs and cordials. In fact
for short while after our arrival it
looked like as if what the people need
ed were drinks and not food
At last the time came for the dis
charge of the Potomac cargo, and bet
ween the captain of the tug and the
American consul the food was finally |
landed For several days thereafter it
lay on the wharf where it had been plac-
ed, without even being opened, and then
it disappeared from view, until some of
the party reported that he had found the
Potomac stores adjoining the shelves Of
a prominent political grocer. Others of
the party afterwards visited the place
and were satisfied that the first man
was right.
Then came the arrival of the Sterl-
ing with her stores, mules and medical
corps Some OF the stores were finally |
landed and placed in storage at the
Navy Yard, where the great -balk of
them lay up to a week ago yesterday. +
The nearest the mules came to doing
any good was to be put ashore for an
airing and walk out" The medical
corps came back without binding a
wound or writing pres ,ription.
In the midst of the general excite
ment, an xcitement which was most
ly manifested by the invading for
eignor, that is, the American the En- /
gllshman and the other nations who
sent a.d, The Frenchman himself was
most cool and seemed to be amazed "a
the exhibitions Of unusual activity the Il
Dixie arrived with It's cargo Of food l.