Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1903-01-08
CONDITION Is wOEFUL.
Ric La Worse on Now Than
Under Spain, Says a Native
at Cornell.

Martin Traviesco, Jr., of San Juan.
Porto Rico, now 4 senior in the Cornell
law school, declares that conditions in
Porto Rico are far worse than they
were under the rule of Spain, and that
the government party is carrying on
with a high hand, favoring a minor
ity which consists of worthless poll
t~icians, while the best and honest peo-
pie suffer. These statements, says the
Chicago Chronicle, made in a speech
which was delivered at one OF the
meetings of the Cornell class in ora
tory, made a profound impression, for
Traviesco is well liked by the students,
who admire his devotion to his coun-
try's cause. In part he said:
when the flag of Spain was pulled down
from every place in the island of Porto RICO
Inc that of the stars anG stripes supplant-
ed in its stead the great heart OF the Porto
Rican people was glad, for We thought that
liberty had for the first time made its ap-
pearance ON our dear island. we hao reao
and heard Of Washington Lincoln, Jei,
ferson, and other immortal Americans ana
had also learned to love and admire them,
We knew hat in the American natloh al
men were free and equal, ana we hae
read the American constitution ana there
fore we hoped that the blessings OF liberty
guaranteed in that documen woula De eA-
tended to us.
Have our hopes been realized? Nay,
they nave been d~issipated and blasted. The
supreme court has held that the constitu-
lion does not extend to Porto Rico. AND
instead of autonomy which had been con-
ceded to us by Spain We now have a govern
ment which gives the governor more oes-
potic powers than any Spanish governor
ever had.
1.-The election of November wasthe great
est political crime of the century. All
means were used from fraud to murder to
give the victory to the governmental party
The insular police instead of preserving
order were used by the government to
lntimidate the opposing party and to pre-
vent the honest citizens from casting theli
ballots, and the criminals will remain I'M
punished because the ministers in Inc
temple of justice are politicians.
1--WE have gone back to the dark days OF
Spanish administration of 1887, When oui
mothers and sisters were in constant feal
that their sons and brothers might be ar
rested by the Spanish soldiers to be thrown
into a dungeon and suffer torture for the
sole crime of being a patriot, To-day uncel
the present government they are IN con
slant dread lest their loved ones may d.
brought back to them MANNED or murderet
for the sole crime of being opposeoto I'M
party protected by the governor.
But only the official reports reach thii
country, and in them Porto Rico is repre-
scented as being a happy and prosperou'
country. But these reports are false ana
so d%enounce them. Porto Rico is passlni
through the greatest crisis of its histor'
and the island is p~rOstr&ted.
II believe that my country is entitled
have a government founded on the sam
principles that have made this nation tn
greatest nation in the world, and l believ
We are at least entitled, as civilized an
Christian people, to have our natural r1ght
guaranteed by the government to whlc
We W allegiance. In heavens name W
want instead of profligacy, honesty; In
stead of extravaganza, economy; instead Q
!, rioting, peace. So that everyone from GU
!, beautiful shores to our evergreen noun
tains may learn to love and respect the ma
which floats overhead and be willing to oil
: in its defense"