Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-27
UNCLE SAM IN THE CARlBBEAN---X
ny EREDERIC ). HAsKIN

trated every year in tho carnival hold
here In San Juan. Three queens OF
the carnival arc crowncd--an American
queen Porto Rican queen and
spanish queen. There arc likewise
American. Porto Rican and Spanish
balls. all three OF which are attend
ell by. people of all three races. Tn,
Porto Ricans never think of this Gus,
tom as indicating a divided allegiance:
1t Ia simply an expression OF the three
dominant historical traditions which
have united to make these people wha,
they are.
So the Porto Rcan is In no sense a
"hyphcnate." even though he is
Spanish American. For Spain IN no
longer potential enemy OF the Unit
ed states. And. Furthermore, his sem
timental allegiance is not SO much to
modern Spain as TO the Spanish Ian
guaRe and culture and to tina. Spain
OF glorious memory which conquered
half the western world.
San Juan to-day Is certainly a good
American city; II ia vastly moro Amer
lean than many parts OF tho contin-
entail United States. both on the At
lantic coast and in tho Middle wcst
There II nowhere under the faR n
more modern. lively. interesting city
OF It's size.
Analysis OF political feeling in Porto
Rico does not bear out the pcssimis;lc
T.
There arc two main parties in tho
island. tho tnionist and tho Repub-
liCan. II liz true that the platform
Of tho Unionist party. which at prca-
ent dominates tho island. contains an
Independent plank. but IL tx also true
that this only inserted AFTER in
timations had come from Washing
ton during the TAFT administration that
the Porto Ricans would probably never
achieve citizenship.
Jones nh Works ChanRr.
Since tho passage OF the Jones bill.
tho leaders OF this party have been
loudly proclairins that they arc for
the United states FIRST. last ai,d all
tho time. There Ia no doubt Ger
tain amount OF demaroEucry about
this sudden change. but what the dem
aEoEues say is good indication OF
what the people want TO hear.
The independence sentiment Is really
represented by very small indcpeud-
cncc faction within tho Cnionist party
The Republican party Is for the closest
possible relation with the home gov
I eminent, and IL Ia nearly az strong as
the other, and controls tho city Of san
Juan.
Whcn,thc Congress OF tho United
states pusa upon its records AN attack
upon the Amcricanism OF tn. Porto
/ Ricans, IL might also consider what
the Americans have done for the Porto
Ricans They have developed the is
land and multiplied it's productive
power. but all the wealth made hero
has flowed away. and the people are
as poor as they were under tho span
iards. There arc not enough schools
to teach tho people English. although
they want to learn It. y large number
OF Americans have been sent to Porto
Rico and paid out of the Porto Rican
Golfers TO run the island government
and many Of these people In their clubs
and on tho streets are heard 10 eA-
press the. most disparaging opinions
( OF the land and the people which feed
them, and the making Of which IL In
their hande
ono force for Amcricanization which
deserves mention is the Porto Rico
| Progress. a weekly. and the only pub
| LEGATION In English on tho island. 1t
! is read by many Porto Ricans. and con-
I sistently unho!ds the idea that Porto
! Rico is loyal and deserving part OF
/ the Union
Crudenesa of Tourists.
I More American tourists are going I"
| Porto Rico every year. and they ois-
/ play cven less comprehension OF the
+ native point OF view than do the most
/ obtuse OF the resident Americans. For
/ one thing, they fall to realize that the
/ Latins arc a very polite race. They
/ walk about the streets and into the
cafes In their shirt sleeves. which Is
AS bad preach OF etiquette mere d"
| for a lady TO appear without her stock
! ings in New York. When asking a
| Porto Rican question on the street,
they say, Here. boy" when the proper
| form would he 10 raise the hat and
cay, Pardon me. senior" Nevertheless.
! the tourist is well and Hospitality re-
! ceived In Porto Rico; he meets with
none Of the spitcful neglect which Is
| said to be meted out TO some Amer
leans In Cuba. The Porto Itican thinks
| that those Americans are certainly
pretty crude people in some respects,
but the United states is a great and
| glorious country. and between com
! patriots little things can be and should
be overlooked.