The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-01-21

Ito better than our box freight cars.
II was n rare occasion when the dinky
engine did not broak down. To-day
there are good American locomotives
and comfortable passenger cars.
Steamships TO Porto Rico.
Since the United States took hold OF
Porto Rioo the steamship lines connect
Ing with II have steadily improved.
New onos have Bocn added, and the
Island has now steamers for all parts
of the world Tho wharvcs OF Sin Juan
and Ponce are crowded with American
goods. There arc now twelve different
limos which call at Porto Rico. The
chief ones going to tho United States
arc the Now York and Porto Rico
Steamship Line. the Red d Limo and the
Insular Line. The latter has three
steamers which ply regularly between
New York and San Juan. The Red ID
has five. which call at San Juan OH
their way to Venezuela, and the New
York and Porto Rico Line has week.
~ service, it's boats leaving Now YORK.
every Saturday and reaching Porto
Rico Wedn esday. The fare Is $50 or
$50. Tho Spanish Transatlantic Com
pany piles between Spain and Santo
Domingo, calling at San Juan and 4
French limo goes from France TO Haiti,
calling at the saue port. The liam
burg american Limo has boats to Porto
Rico, and there arc italian and Cuban
boats as we'll. One can go to Porto
Rico from the United states two or
three times every week.
Posts md Tciegrnphs.
The Geographic and postal service
OF the Island. which was very poor ten
years ago. is now as good as that OF
any part OF our country. The United
state government manages the post
offices. and the telegraph system is uu-
der the government of Porto Rico. be-
Ing directed by it's Department Of the
Interior There arc thirty-scvcn tclc-
graph stations. covering all the larger
places. and these are connected by
telephones with all the smaller towns
Messages are sent By telegraph and
transmitted from the stations by. tele-
phone. Tho telephones are owned by
private parties. The island has also
n good cable service connecting 1t with
all parts of the world. and.it has wire
less telegraph stations naintaind by
the Unitd States Navy. 1t has also
street railways run hy electricity. and
San Juan and other towns ar llYhtei
by the power project OF the Concerto
Dam.
Porto Rico Pays It's Own Bills.
When British colony pays it's own
bills II Is considered a success That
Is what Porto Rico docs now. Tho
total cost of the government, and all
tho expenses of the island come out
OF the Porto Rican treasury, which is
allied by Porto Rican taxes. The Unit
cd States has no expense whatsoever
except the Keeping OF n regiment or
troops. consisting altogether of five or
six hundred. the pTivates OF whom arc
Porto hcans. The officers only ara
americans.
The governing ls done by the ma
tiveS, with tho exception of the gov
erno r-Eenaral and a limited number OF
officials appointed by the President
There is Legisla ;uro. cong sting OF
two houses, one of which, known ds
the Executive Council. is appointed ny
the President. and the other. tho House
of Delegates. is elected by the people.
Tire are eleven members in the ENG
cutivc Council and thirty five III the
House of Delegates. und they make all
! the laws OF the island. The thirty
| nve members arc elected every two
years from seven electoral districts
Each Of the districts has five delegates.
Both Of these houses arc now in Sos
| sion. the Assembly having convened
the second Monday in January. I, viii
sit sixty days. The Executive Council
! remains In session throughout the
year, for II is necessary chat !, con
| firm the appointments made by the
| Governor in order tina; they be valid
\ according TO law.
| Jnaticc In rorto Rico.
| In the days of the Spaniards Justice
| liz Porto Rico was Il matter of bar
| gain and sale. The mar who had the
most money got the decision of the
! courts in his favor, and even to-day
judges are still offered brides. heard
OF caee in which i woman the 9th
| CT day called upon the attorney gen
| eral and asked him jus: how mucr
! money 1t would take to get her son
| out OF prison.
| She said she had been saving tds
the past five years, or ever since ne mad
| committed manslaughtcr. and that she
| thought She had now enough 10 bug
Il d ira Il IL. z H.