The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-03
pORrO RIcAN PROBLEMS.
More Elementary schools the First Thing
Needed,

To THE EpIToR OF THE SUN-Sir: The pro.
vision contained in the bill brought before
Congress- by the Hon. 7. LRrrinaga, Porto
Rican Commissioner, to ABOLISH the EGecu-
tive Council of that colony and replace II
by an elective senate Is without question II
harmony with our institutions. 1t ia pro.
posed to make this new body similar TO our
| Senate by electing two Senators from each
of the seven departments of the island.
As stated by me in a letter published In THR
Sun of January rs, the mass OF Porto Rlcan
people is not yet sufficiently enlightened
properly to elect q conservative body suchasa
senate. Having resided In Porto RICO two
years / can confidently assert that the utmost
ignorance still prevails among a large portion
OF It's inhabitants. Our Government, notwith;
| standing it's heroic efforts In an eduoati0nor
way, has not been able In so short a period
to change entirely the condition OF illiteracy
left to us by Spain.
1t will take more than one generation TO
do this. II the electoral law could be 80
amended as to exclude from the privilege
Of voting those who cannot read. much would
be gained for Porto Rico. provided, OF course.
honest elections were held. The danger lies
in the fact that INSCRIPTIONS leaders would
circumvent such O law and bring to thu
polls an ignorant class that would cast us
ballot simply to please political bosses And
as a result the first senate might present
many weak spots, whereas II 1t Is TO consist
only Of fourteen members 1t cannot afford
For this reason it behooves Porto Rico to
make haste slowly in its election OF a senate.
to which IL evidently means to delegate n!uch
power, II is a move In the right direction.
though " may in its early stages prove a dis
With the provision of the bill which EN-;
powers the Governor to appoint the heads ~
the various department., su6Jeot 10 aipTotNSa va
simple reason that il would mean the rejection
OF most American nominees, and nus lay the
way for the final elimination of all american
Influence. The American element in Porto
Rico Is already quite small eng u We are 70
haze 4 few or no "A A dmtSeGriGHsa mo onlG'9 hs n o Tge 'ssHnd
The Porto Rioen must not conclude be-
cause some mistakes have been made by by our
to teach him. 1t is safe to say that our system
Of government will ultimately bring to Porto
tknlSSoo that SSts boon Hd n for T Ts ha II i9ah 4miy oa and j lS wat.
ingly established American ideas and princi-
pies on Porto Rioan soil we must continue to
share In its government. .
the Pr PT;es ia MY Of GfP the Hini ted States &c CONTINUES %I% n -
to appoint as heads of the various depart,
have lived in the United States and are thor
oughly, familiar with and supporters OF our
methods. Be il understood that these eSeCu.
tive officers should no longer form par, OF
an executive council as heretofore. but that
senate. as Is now contemplated.
1fthe house and senate are to be Porto kican
In character, let tho executive Drancn OF tne
administration remain essentially American.
Referring once more to the edlicatlonRl
conditions, l am not indorsing generalization.
The university at Rio Piedras. for instance,
seems premature. Elementary SCHOOLS, how
ever, are very necessary. especially IN the
rural districts, but care should be taken to
provide for the teachers who have TO go to
these remote points comfortable lodgings
and proper nourishment. 1t takes physical
strength to teach in the tropics, and the
nervous strain OF teaching in English is very
great. / nave often thought that n small
commissary department in connection with
the educational work would prove a good
feature.
rina ga seems excessive. as IL would fall most
heavily on the poor, who buy the lower grades
of this commodity and to whom an additional
five cents a pound would prove a hardship.
Some tax there should be, however, 10 protect
this growing industry in our colonies. Be
sides, we are confronted in Porto Rico by
a condition which calls for relief. The island
lost its principal coffee market. Spain. on
account Of our occupation, and the natives
are naturally coffee growers. The industry
has not 1ourished since the hurricane OF 1900
and is not now In a very sound CONDITION,
II a tax could be placed on Java and Mocha
alone, as these are the qualities really com
petlng with Porto Rican coffee. the problem
would meet an easy solution. An additional
revenue of five cents a pound would mean
about $50, 900 to Porto Rico. a large share Of
which would go tosupport the small farmer and
-peon, who are both badly In need Of IL.
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, March 1. E, X,