The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-01-08
Porto Ricans in America Want
The Island Under Its
Own Rule.
is NATIONAL MOVEMENT
COLONY At VALPARAISO. IND,
HAS FORWARDED PETITION
TO RESlDENT-FoRM CLUB IN
CHICAGO.

Chicago, Jan. S.-A concerted move
ment by Porto Ricaas in the United
States to establish the independence
of their country came TO light in Chi
cago. when Porto Rican club was or
ganized here to act in conjunction with
other such clubs throughout the coun-
try. At the same time protest
against the present policy of the Unit
ed States government in connection
with the island dependency was for
warded to President Taft by the Por-
to Rican colony at Valparaiso. Ind.
All over this country, and particu
larly in the colleges where there are
students from the island. movement
is on foot to enlist every Porto Rican
in the cause In this the organizers
have the help and sympathy of many
South Americans who hope to see Por
to Rica independent.
The club which was organized in
1886 Congress street has twenty mem
bers and the Valparaiso club thirty
five. Armando Arroyo, at whose
home the meeting was held. was elect
Charles ANA of the same address vice
presiden and secretary. respectively.
Send Protest to Washington.
The protest which was sent to Wash
ington yesterday without presuming
to demand. but with the pride of men
who are free by natural right" says
in part:
'You. Mr. President, who sign the
appointments of the governors that in
the name of the great republic of
North America, go to our country to
rivet the odious chain of tyranny
know the sadness of our political stu
alton: you are not ignorant of the fact
that in the colony which the United
States possesses in the West Indies,
the three governmental powers, the
legislative, the executive and the judi
cial. are only partially established.
You can not fail to know. honorable
sir. that this is infamous and despotic
You. Mr.. President, have not for
gotten that when General Miles. aid
ed by shot and cannon caused the
American flag to wave on the castles
of San Juan de Porto Rica and on the
government building. the insular at
fairs of Porto RIGA were being conduct
ed wisely by the Porto Rican people
You remember. worthy sir, that the
Spanish monarchy resored to us that
which the Kings Of Iberia unlawfully
withheld for 39S years-our liberty.
Even the recent legislative conflict
must be latent in your memory. Yet
the Americans at the executive coun-
Gil were the only ones responsible"
People Long for Freedom.
After referring to the Great Wash
ington," the Boston tea party and the
early struggle of the thirteen colonies
the protest concludes:
I'VE trust that our voice may find
an echo in you, that our protest may be
clear and that it may be known that
our aspirations and the aspirations of
the people of Porto RIGA are to be in
dependent. Respectfully, the Porto
Rican Latin Colony.
''ALFONSO LASTRA. Secretary"
Mr. Lastra and E. S. Prats. both of
Valparaiso, were in Chicago yesterday
to assist in the organization OF the
colony here.
1--WE are planning to have a conven-
ton of Porto Rican patriots in Wash
ington within two or three months.
said Mr. Prats. ''At least one repre-
sentative from every colony in the
United States Will be in attendance
and some plan of concerted action will
be agreed upon. Just along what lines
we will act am unable to say, for this
will be the first meeting Of its kind in
this country. But the first thought
in the heart of every one Of us is the
liberty of our country, and we are con-
fident that the great American repub
lie whose watchword is Freedom will
not withhold it from u.s.