The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-25
PORTO RICANs CELEBRATE
 FLAG DAY TODAY.

No change of allegiance was ever made more speedily, nor with greater enthusiasm. than when the people of Porto Rico renounced the Spanish Sam fourteen years ago today, July 25, 1898. Heartily tired of Spanish rule, the inhabitants of the island, with few exceptions, gave a hearty welcome to the Americans, and ever since the twenty-tifth of July has flag day. the anniversary of the landing of the first United States troops and the hoisting Of the Stars and Stripes over Porto Rico. Great
 material and intellectual progress has been made in the fourteen years. Pub der Spanish rule, have been built all over the island. Both English and Spanish are taught but 1t is prob able that the coming generation of Porto Ricans will be an English speaking people. All of the various gone wonderful development and the acreage of cultivated land has more than doubled in fourteen years. The diseases incident to southern clima te5 have not been entirely wiped out, but the sanitary arrangements and medi- cal supervision established by the United States have reduced the mor- tality rate by a large percentage. Po- litical dissatisfaction is not unknown, by any means, but it now finds ex- pression at the ballot. The great ma iority of Porto Ricans are anxious for Statehood and full political rights The granting of such demand, whici. IS also being made by Hawaii, would ir1- volve a distinct departure from prece- dent by the United States government, but eventually there is little doubt that Porto Rico will add another star y0;& F. ison of their own prosperity with the turmoil and revolution of the neigh boring Cuban republic has convinced most Porto Ricans of the wisdom or bearing with the ills they have rather than seeking the independence" en- and the Dominican Republic.
 The expedition which was sent by the United States to capture Porto Rico consisted of the Massachusetts, under Captain Higginson: the, Yale. which had formerly been She Ameri- the little Gloucester, under Lieutenant Commander (r1ow Rear AdmiraD Wainwright. a newspaper tug, and several army transports. The fleet left Guantanamo, Cuba, on July q, 1898 On the twenty-ffth land was f1rai,ght was slight, Commander Vain wright was sent ahead. AS a protec- ton against a possible ambush, the gallant skipper of the Gloucester, who had given such a good account of his tiny vessel in the battle of santiage' aag9 and everything in readiness to repel an attack. Nothing of the sort hap pened Near the spot where the Glou-. cester landed was little village ot twenty or so small houses, over which flew the flag of Spain. Tn order that the villagers, who had gathered along the wooded shore. might be fully in formed of what was impending, few shots were fired into the hills above the town. Two armed boats crews, about fifty men, were sent ashore. Their first act was to pull down the Spanish flag and sent up the Stars and Stripes in it's stead ;s. dars fgH feT 4ae fSe iatter returned the compliment, wounding two men. The village: it t was found, was named Guanlca, ana today. as on this date in past years, the ceremony of fiag-raising will be repeated there, while there will be en- thusias stic observances of the day in Ponce and other cities.