Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-11-25
Gorrfsponntnee.
"a Chapter on Porto Rico.
MAYAeuEz, P. R, Nov. Z, Z

MAYAGuEz, p. r., Nov. z, '03
TO the Editor of The american:
Since Porto Rico became ours ] have
had considerable desire to visit the
island, and that desire is now fairly
well satisfied. II Is not quite so much
American as hoped TO find it. II would
doubtless be interesting to visit the place
again 10 about hundred years from now.
You have recently heard great deal
about the discomfort of the people; OF the
riotous acts and professions, OF black flags
and socialism. and all that kind OF rot.
But that is nothing; no Spanish. blooded
people were ever happy except when dis
contented. This lot have simply been
given too much freedom all at once; they
we're not used to any such thing; they do
rot yet understand 1t, aud will NOS be
really fit for it for some time to come. 1t
will take long time to "paeltyn them.
1t took Spain a hundred years to pacify
the is 900 poor. peaceful Indians that she
found here 400 years ago. She first made
slaves OF them, and then Christians, and
at the end of century they were all
pacified--ail dead. But Spain was always
ingenious.
Our government goes to the other ex-
treme In dealing with her subjects, both
old and new. A little more water-cure
might sometimes be good thing--even
at home. The people here expected too
much--thought they were to become
prosperous American people imme-
diately that tho island came under
American control They now find that
they must either work, steal or starve.
the came a. before.
But did it ever occur to your mind what
q remarkable thing IL really is for peo-
pie to be suddenly shunted off from the
control OF one government to that of
another, and especially where me differ
ence Is SO great as that between the ancient
kingdom of Spain aud the modern, free
republic OF the United States? There is
no cause for wonderithat The whole people
do not know at once just how to behave
or Just what to expect.
When our southern states we're seced-
ing was a little school boy, and there
was larger boy who knew everything,
and we smaller chaps believed all that he
said. He told US that our country was TO
be divided up. aud tnat Eng had sent
over word that she would take Maine, that
we would very soon all be Engiishmeu.
Ii gave me shock thai have never for
gotten. thought 1t fearful hing to be
made an Engiishmsn after having once
been safely born an American. And SO
others, and older ones, may have similar
feeling regarding any sucn radical change
of required allegiance.
From Spanish history 1t seems tina, this
island has been more loyal, aud has given
Spain less trouble, than any other OF her
ope-time many colonies. There have been
few insipid instructions, more like local
riots, while through ages the peop'e
bravely helped to defend the island
against England, France aud Holland, as
each in turn and at d fferent and many
times oesieg the place. And.so for 400
years 1t was constantly held FOE Spain
while she neglected aud abused it for the
most OF that time. AS there was but little
gold here, the Island had no such value &c
Spanish eyes as had Peru and Mexico; its
greatest use was for a penal coioay.
Theonly prosperity the island ever knew
was along through the middle OF the last
century. In 1915 Spain issued the most
liberal and remarkable decrees regarding
the island that she ever offered to any oil
her colonies. Land was given entirely
free to immigrants VINO would settle
there; the quantity regulated By the nam
Der OF slaves the settler should Dsing OF
import. Tie DEGREES covered everything
that was generous aud encouraging
looking not onty az the time being, but
towards future events that might occur
term OF prosperity then started, which
the many changes Ia the home govern
ment, during the second aud third guar
tiers of that century, did not entirely
overcome.
Between 1895 and 1875 there were TWEEN
ty-seveu captaius- general, and each one
with different policy. In 1873 the
slaves were all freed, the government pay
ing for them in bonds redeemable In ten
years. The planters sold the bonds for ls
per cent. and without labor the most OF
them were raiued or gave up business,
and Porto Rico became again impover-
ished and has tried to remain SO with con-
siderable success.
1t is, OF course, a fine island, and
naturally able to produce great oeai
but 1t now needs capital and brains, both
of which are slow in coming. The poor
native can raise certain kinds of simple
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