Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1913-06-05

ton endeayor. and the impoverishment
and the throwing into a condition Of
absolute misery of 100000 Porto Rican
men, women and children.
Worries Democratic Leaders.
The Democratic leaders in congress
are worried more over the Porto Rico
matter than over the Louisiana mat
ter, because of the sentiment which
attaches to a proper guardianship Of
the wards Of the nation. 1t has been the
custom from time to time to point out
the immense advantages which have
come to Porto Rico since the Spanish
rule was overthrown. The hook worm
disease has been almost entirely eradi-
Gated, the Porto Rican laborer has new
vim and energy: sanitation has every
where been improved and the children
Of the island are being taught to
read. write and cipher. Things today
are we'll with the island and now
comes the prophesy of evil that II free
sugar in three years Is voted the last
condition OF the island will be worse
than the first.
Santo Domingo produces sugar and
In that island when a crop is to be har-
vested the la5orers are run in and paid
enough to satisfy them, which is not
enough, 1t Is said, to satisfy the la
borer IN any other place on earth
except in some sections OF the Tar
east. Porto Rico. 1t is claimed. there
fore cannot compete under the pro.
posed conditions with Santo Domingo
and the Porto Rican laborer who used
to work for pitiful sum but who now
is getting a fair wage and other things
which he did not know before, must
give over under new competitive con
ditions all that he has gained and re-
lapse into the old AFFECT state.
In Washington today there is a dele
cation consisting of the speaker OF
the Porto Rican house OF delegates,
the president of the executive council
and several prominent planters and
business men. This delegation is on.
cial, having been appointed by an act
Of the legislature Of Porto Rico for
the purpose OF representing and de-
Tending the island in connection with
the pending tariff BILL"
Guthrie's Difficult Post.
George w. Guthrie of Pittsburgh,
Pa, who has Just been confirmed as
Uncle Sans ambassador to Japan.
was an original Wilson man." and 1t
may be said that original Wilson men
are getting fair chance at preference
ulder the new administration. Mr..
Guthrie will go upon a most difficult
mission, for the relations between this
country and the eastern empire, while
outwardly friendly, so far as diplo-
matte matters are concerned, are not
altogether cordial under the surface.
Mr.. Wilson's appointee to the great
post Of Japan is new to the diplomatic
service, and the state department real
ICES that the Pittsburgh man will need
all the resourcefulness, the tact and
ability which the president Of the
United States says that his nominee
possesses, to enable him to thread
successfully the tangle Of our Japan
ese diplomatic relations. .
Democrat Of Reform School.
The country's new ambassador to
Japan has been lifelong Democrat
of the reform school. When he was
under thirty years of age no was re-
tanned as an assistant counsel for the
Democratic electors in the Tilden-
Hayes controversy. Some years later
he was candidate for mayor of Pitts
burgh on a municipal league ticket.
The campaign was one Of reform. and
Mr.. Guthrie was defeated, but In 1906
he was elected mayor of the big man.
ufacturing town. and held the office
for four years.
In the year 1900 Mr.. Guthrie was
an assistant secretary OF the Demo
cratic national convention. and four
years later he was delegate from the
Pittsburgh district to the national
convention at st. Louis. He has been
interested in sociological and philan-
thropic work for years. He is much
of a student, and more than a little OF
scholar, which, together with his
Wilson predictions. made him the
grateful choice of the administration
for great foreign post.
Henry Breckenridge, who has been
appointed by President Wilson as as
sistant secretary of war to succeed
General Oliver, was more of Wilson
man than was Mr.. Guthrie. for Mr..
Breckenridge was one of the Prince
ton students who took a militant part
III behalf of Woodrow Wilson in a
certain university controversy In
which the present president of the
United States at one time was en-
gagged.
Breckenridge Of Army Family.
The new assistant secretary OF
war was brought up, so to speak. In
the army His father, Joseph C.
Breckenridge, who was born In Mary
land, but who later moved to Ken
lucky, is major general on the re-
tired list of the United States army.
This branch of the Breckenridge fam
lily remained loyal to the Union. and
early in 1852 General Breckenridge
was appointed by Lincoln as a second
lieutenant of the Second artillery,
Jaited States regulars. He served
through the last three years Of the
Civil war and remained on the active
list of the regular army until 1908.
when he was retired as a major gen.
eral His son, the present assistant
secretary Of war. has the army post
view. and. better than most laymen.
perhaps, is fitted for the post to which
he has been appointed.