Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-07
WINTHROP'S VACATION
PORTO RICAN GOVERNOR WILL
TAKE A WELL-EARNED REST.
Has Put in a Strenuous Experience in
Uncle Sans New Domain
Labor Matters
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

cPN'iai correspondence OF Inc StAt
SAN JUAN. p. r. May 90 1905.
The return of Secretary Post this week
will enable Gov. Winthrop to arrange for
an early departure for the United States
for well-earned vacation at the end of
his first year as governor of Porto Rico
He begins to feel the effects of an eleven
months strain, and during the last month
has wisely sought rest over Saturdays and
Sundays in the mountains at Aibonito. 1900
feet above sea level and politicians. The
old Spanish custom of the populace trying
TO put upon the governors shoulders every
responsibility from petty decisions to ar
fairs of state still prevails. and young Gov.
Winthrops temperament Is such that as
far as possible he greets every caller with
equal consideration and courtesy. and
makes n personal matter of their multi
fariOus demands.
in addition To this he insists upon ac-
ccrate and complete information as to the
work of all his subordinates. and promptly
calls to account any employe who may
grow lax and fall below the high govern
mental standard set by the governor. BY
these methods during his first year he has
absorbed much knowledge to Porto
Rican affairs and his knowledge of Spanish
has kept him from being fooled very often
by the politicians
If, as is generally believed here Porto
Rico is President Roosevelt's testing ground
for men destined for higher honors, Gov.
Ninthrop's chances for an enthusiastically
or other distinguished place seem somewhat
roseate. On the other hand il he continues
to do as well here as he has done he is
certainly needed to further Porto Rican
interests. To a considerable degree pion-
GERS blaZed the path he treads. and he
could not, II he would dctract from the
credit due to Governors Henry, Davis. AL
len and Hunt. Nevertheless. his work
though less initiative than theirs has been
distinctive and progressive, and integrity
and honest conviction are stamped on every
page of his gubernatOrial career. He evil
IDENTIFY believes with the sage of Princeton
that public office is a public trust, a doc
trine not always indorsed IN the days of
Spanish rule in Porto Rico. His charming
wife has won hearts all over the island and
has gracefully held place as the social
leader since the day of her arrival Even
politically it is limited. she is entitled to u
share of her husbands laurels.
=
Insular interest this week centers in the
probable decision of Judge McKenna of the
United States court on the application of
the ex-secretary. Charles Hartzell, counsel
for the French Sugar Company. to make
permanent the injunction restraining strik-
ers from entering the premises of the COM
parry. 1t was this injunction and the Incl
dent turmoil that recently stirred Mr.
Samuel Gompers into making a lengthy
public statement as to labor conditions in
Porto Rico. Considerable correspondence
has passed between Gov winthrop and MI.
Gompers on the subject and the great
jority here still sustain the governor in his
determination to maintain order If it takes
all the insular police to do
The cable message from Santiago lglesiaS
to GOmpers denying that there have been
any cane field fires states unqualified
falsehood. and as the local leader of the
Federation of Labor lglesias naturally col
ors reports to suit himself. He is discred-
tied by thousands of laboring men in Porto
Rico who refuse to train under his ban
ner. Any effort to show that the admins
tratior is not deeply in sympathy with aH
moves to better the condition of the work
ingman in Porto Rico. protect him in his
rights and educate his children to be self
sustaining is absurd. 1t will be years be-
fore the native laborer will have the earn
ing capacity of his American brother. This
is so true of all Latin countries that 1t is
ridiculous to place them on the same level.
Unquestionably there are employers in
Porto Rico who pay wages much too small
in proportion to the profits earned through
their workingmen and women. but that is
so In any land. and it is not the govern
ment that sets a bad example. The gov
eminent pays its day laborers more money
than they ever earned before, and skilled
labor is everywhere in Porto Rico better
paid than during the Spanish regime. The
three principal causes of the stagnation
and discomfort among the laboring classes
of the island are: Over-population. under
cultivation and Self-constituted labor lead
ers who urge unreasonable strikes and who
frequently preach anarchy and sedition-
Porto Rico Is poor but she will yet be
rich. Her masses are anemic. but the gov
eminent has this year raised from 5000
TO $1,000 the appropriation to cure them
and enable them to work. Thousands of
acres of land not now devoted to sugar
tobacco cotton, oranges, coffee and other
products will be cultivated within the next
few years More roads and bridges and
public improvements are planned. AS the
demand for labor increases the fttcst Ia
bOrers Will survive and will draw pay pro-
portionate to their worth. Time and Ameri-
can capital. and not Mr.. Gompers or his
present lieutenants in Porto Rico will bring