New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-07-27
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
PORTO RICO NEEDS REGENERATION.
Most of the Natives Living in Filth and
Squalor.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: One day last week. on a trip IN the interior
of the island. 1 interviewed several poems TO in
form myself on the status OF the people-what they
do how they live. and how much they know. In
view OF the relations of this island to the States
OF the problems of self-governneat and the stories
Of starvation. thought possibly these interviews
may have some importance. The persons inter
viewed were the comnlen everyday zibanos, drift
ing along the road. They constitute the great mass
Of the population I asked four questions OF each
What do you do? Do your children go 70 school?
What do you have TO eat? and Who is Mr.. Roose-
welt? give in brief the answers to these questons
Juan Rosado-Works a plantation; also fishes
when out OF work: gets about four days work in
week: gets 40 cents day; Is married; has four
children who never go 20 school Asked why not.
he said their mother was teaching them; asked If
she could read and write, he answered no. asked
IL they could learn read and write. he replied:
No they will never be anything but poems. and
what they don't know Will not trouble them" He
said he lives on beans. rice, sweet potatoes. cod
fish. herring. coffee. but doesn't have them all at
once; very seldom meat. as that IS a luxury. he
never heard OF Roosevelt.
Juan Perez-Earns "a q month and his food which
consists OF rice beans bread and coffee; gets cod
fish once week: didn't know who Roosevelt is
jose MunoZ-Works 4 sugar plantation for 40
cents a day and gets three or four days work
week; Is married and has two children; the elder
went to school. but is sick now: lives plantaius.
goldfish rice. beans and coffee; has FISH sometimes.
II he catches any. Roosevelt? No, who Is hs2''
Juan Ruiz-Roofs huts with az - cents
day; is busy about half the time; fishes some; is
married: has three children. but none attend
school: lives rice. beans, coffee and bread meat
about three times month Never heard the
name of Roosevelt mentioned.
joss Sotero-Digs holes for planting. makes ditch
es. etc; 20 cents day. but gets work only
half the time; three children. but none In school,
to-day had herring, bread and coffee for dinner.
and rice beans and coffee for supper; doesn't
know who Roosevelt is.
Francesca Rivera-Breaks stone the roads:
earns 80 TO 30 cents day. according TO OF
stone broken; works all week; two children. who
do not go to school: lives vans Goldfish and rice
but on bread and coffee. II he gets steady work
Never heard OF Roosevelt
Sandalio Rivera-Works IN cane fields at 20 cents
day, not steady work; not married but has four
children by woman he lives with. none go to school,
day When times are Sood, has Goldfish. beans,
rice. plantatns. but never beef. Never heard OF
Roosevelt but did Of Mckinley. who he knows is
There were other interviews bat all OF this tenor
They anord glimpse OF what have assini-
late. They the lowest but thckest stratum OF
society. The vans and beans they eat are n1os+Iv
grown here. but the -four. the Goldfish and the rice
are brought here. though the rice be gTown in
and black. The Pastures thick with fine cattle
but the poems seldom set taste of beef There
heard or any since the year after the cyclone
Csg9l. AL these men with whom I talked were
dressed in cotton trousers and Jackets They wore
no shoes or shirts. They live in small matched
huts. generally without doors windows or fUrni-
ture, and smelly and dirty. At night the
novels shut tight and the inmates breathe Ire
nearly every Zibaro ne meets. Some sort of re-
generation that cuts wide swath is badly needed
the selt-government plane. E & w
San Juan. July II.