Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-16
LABOR IN PORTO RICO
AGITATION MAKING TROUBLE
FOR CAPITAL AND ENTERPRISES
Special Correspondence of The Star.


SAN JUAN. 2. r.. July D. 1908.
Labor troubles and the agitation of labor
ers by noisy and often self-constltuted lead
ers are making. thoughtful men in Porto
Rico think seriously az to what must be
done to insure peace between capital and
the workingmen. San Juan has been In a
ferment for ten days over a walkout by the
men employed in loading and unloading the
vessels of the New York and Porto Rico
Steamship Company.
These men We're receiving 10 cents an
hour. and demanded - cents, with 10 cents
an hour on holidays and Sundays. General
Manager Latimer declined to accede and
consultation. The steamer Ponce was being
unloaded and the striking Iongshoremen
felt that they had the company at their
mercy. Such, however, was not the case
Manager Latimer Immediately dispatched
the steamer Porto Rico to Ponce to bring
back 100 laborers from that city to take the
place of the strikers. arrangements having
been made by telegraph.
The Porto Rico arrived Tuesda- night with
the laDorerS. and the men went to work as
soon as they reached here. with the result
that the Ponce was able to sail Wednesday
night for points around the island. 1t Is the
intention OF the steamship company to en-
ploy the Poncenians regularly and to care
for them on board the Porto Rico.
Ample Police Protection.
Acting Governor Post promptly furnished
ample police protection at the steamship
pier. but the strikers offered no violence.
The San Juan teamsters next struck from
sympathy. complicating the situation by re-
| fusing to haul goods. Thus the merchants
have suffered considerable loss by delay
Public temper has been tried by the recent
sugar strikes. cigarmen's strikes and others,
and the agitators are blamed for the trouble.
The Porto Rico News, Of which Mr.. Charles
HartZell, ex-secretary of Porto Rico, is the
head. declares:
After all, 1t is probably not the fault of
the majority of these laborers that they are
today without work and their places filled.
Generally 1t Is the influence of the walking
delegate. He IS paid to make mischief, and
he earns his wages.
He is insidious and pernicious, and he has
gained foothold In Porto Rico which he
tries to make secure by fomenting strife,
! sowing discomfort and jeopardizing indus
try. In the United States he has had his
day.
The Walking Delegate.
I'm Porto Rico. 1t seems. he has not
| wrecked enough homes nor starved enough
wOrkmen yet But his day will come
here, 1t did over there, and then labor.
organized on proper lines, unswayed by pas
sion and deaf to the whines of indictments,
will thrive and prosper, and closer commu-
mon will exist between employer and en-
poye
LAS matters stand today, however. the
situation IS a precarious one for both en-
ployer and employe The New York and
Porto Rico Steamship Company has demon
strated that disaffected workmen cannot
paralyZe commerce by promptly filling their
| places with other laborers. who are always
| available in Porto Rico. The striker would
do we'll to ponder over the situation. Want
| is a disagreeable tenant, and hunger foe
not easily got rid Of
The American Federation of Labor now
claims a membership of 1900 in l25 unions
| in the island. At convention of delegates
from these unions. held last week in Maya
gueZ, a proposition to organize AZ a po-
ltical party WAS opposed by Santiago Lyle
sails head of the federation. and was beaten.