New-York tribune., 1907-12-01
PORTO RTCANS COMPLAIN.
Sam IabOrers 1re Little Better than
.Slarcs-Reforms asked.
frron The Tribune Bureau !

,,-,t,,, Nov 2o-President Roosevelt to-day
received an appeal from the worklnghch Vi - "
Rico Conditions Of labor. they say nave iilPi -
1t,,i from, those prevailing under the old spanish
rule and six hundred thousand men ana women
.r c,,npalIed TO work ten hours day TOT wages
ranging from Is g cents. Samuel uoINpe'9'
stdent Of the American Federation of Labor
acted As sponsor for the Porto flcahs anu 4'''
ducei them to President Roosevelt Inc ue'ee"
80, consisted Of +. Sanchez Lopez. organizer Oh
49,, ,,;.,r,n,xers' International Union at San juan
Santiago Igleslas general organizer OF the Amer
can Federation Of Labor for Porto RICO anu 'oti
ouln 4 Becerrll president OF the bricHlaSeiS '
Masons' Union OF San Juan
.f,e- discussing general conditions with the
President for few minutes. the visitors iel' q
,,pv OF a memorial which the Free Federation OF
Workingrncn of Por3 Rico. ordered sent 10 "as"-
Inrton After declaring that feudai TRADITIONS oil
suarisb type are s,ill prevalent in the isIhd' 'he
,o,{aI goes on to say that the state OF the forto
r,,c,, ,.borcrs is like that of slaves They have
no economic power political influence the sani-
tar, conditions in the island are bad the price OF
Ii,iur has Increased i5 per cent III the last Ie"
yc,rs and the following reforms, they say are
urgently needed:
That American cl'izensihp ~ si"''eu ~ INV
Eicans. .--...- = .-,-o
That practical ard necessary economies be infro o.
duced in H." appropFli'lo 'louS l'' '''e f''
the iIisular administration .
That the school appropriation ne increased 10
twice the amount now expended annually
,rt,,, tb, salaries Of Porto Rcan school teacn-
crs b. placed on same basis as those OF Amerl-
teachers. .- -, 49,,
That the eieht-hour working day act and u9 me
l,bor liability act shall be observed ana eIliorCeu
hv the heads of the insuiar depart tments'
Tho abolition Of convict labor on public works.
PAYMENT to men engaged In goyernm,Int WP WIrk AZ, IN
t,dr,a' Rico of living wages. compatible WIN oto
800 government, and abolition of the ~ ana ~
cent ten hours day scale
-rho, tho Executive Council bo directed to m
,stIgate and prosecute all corpora tons hoiuhs
NOR Than fjv, hundred acres of land IN VOCATION
of the Foraker act ,,-..,...
passage of the following acts by the Executive
,.,,,,cij nd insular legislature: An act 10 pro
,ct Tho agricultural laborer working IN sugar ana
o,her factories from being pald IN cIhIS, I'l u
.,' -, liLe device. but in American lcEal cur
,S,,. an act to protect workm"n from tIe nrcI-
itsrces Of trust sugar factories; an act proNuIlS
- tborougb inspection of factories. SHOPS
10 t,rant buildings and all KINDS 81 tst'tpISn-
,1"nte far the purpose of improving sanitary con-
ditions. >, 49, ,,.,- 30
rba, tho fnsuIar nolicr force shall no longer ne
IN eNcrtive means Of breaking strikes ana
tcrrorizlng people Will" peac.'u ul'N "c''"'-'''7 "
ter wages better treatment -, ,X
nj as,a hIishment Of branch OF the lapor
-, for the benefit Of the pcople OF the island
~, o,octr1cnt Of a law prohibiting the employ
,,n,t ~ children under the age ~ fourteen III
roctorics workshops and like eStahhsiiiHeh's