The menace., 1919-06-21
LETTERS FROM PORTO RICO
pY eEoReE D. coLEMAN

:"
dead and wounded soldiers were
listed as "men Of foreign coun-
triesi" The Porto Ricans are a peo-
|ple, when one comes to know them,
and, as I do, when one talks with
them In their own language, whom
one cannot fail to love and admire.
And yet, like all peoples Of the Lat
in races, they are very sensitive.
The way we have treated them
would have driven most any other
people to strong expressions Of dis
loyalty; but their first wish is to be
granted statehood 80 they can re-
main under the American flag.
However, if they are to be denied
the civil rights Of citizenship, their
preference is for complete indie
pendence; and I respect them all
the more for that sentiment. They
would be unworthy of the state
hood they seek did they not feel as
they do about it. If were a Porto
Rican by birth, I would feel and
express myself more radically on
the subject than they do.
l have visited several towns and
have talked with the natives; and,
so far as have heard or can learn,
there is an overwhelming senti-
ment, for the present at least, in
favor Of remaining under the stars
and stripes; but, as they say, "If
the United States government will
not grant US the rights guaranteed
to American citizens, then We pre-
fer independence"
1t is quite noticeable here that
the priests and church officials do
not take any public part in the dis
cussion or agitation of these mat
ters; but, from close questioning,
| have concluded that the church
and its clerical agents are quietly
fomenting agitation for independ-
ence.
Considering the Interior pur-
poses and immediate program Of
popery, it is quite natural that
they should assume that attitude.
For the hated free school is here in
} operation, and unrestricted free
dom Of worship is enjoyed by the
Protestant missions These demo-
} cratic innovations are as distaste-
! full to the Roman hierarchy here
as elsewhere.
There are now emphasis on the
NOW a number Of Roman Cath
: olic parochial schools; but the fact
that most parents send their chill
: dren to the public school leaves
l much to be desired by agents Of
8 popery.
, ! have also noted that, in towns
: which I have visited, where there
is an unusually good public school
! the Protestant chapel is also pres
!. ent. Readers Of THE MENACE need
: not be told how Rome feels in the
0 face Of these facts. One Porto
Rican said to me- "I am nominally
( a Catholic, but I am glad to sec
/. these Protestant missions, for their
presence will compel the priests tc
: be more attentive and decent"
: Another, who avowed himself ar
9 agnostic, said: "It's q good thine
Q that these Protestant missions arr
$ here. They teach a lot Of stuff
h that l don't care about, but they
t also teach common morality, fostel
n education, and promote enlighten
0 ment. When the priests had theil
d own way, we had none of these de
r sirable things"
o The Roman Catholic church il
Porto Rico has its back broken, fo
i most Of the intelligent people car
ie little for it. There are many spir
J. itualists and people who are decid
s, edy non-Romanist; and the priest
t. are wise enough to know that fo
,r them to lie about Freemasons 0
,r tell the once common tales of Pro-
estant bogies would not be the leas
d bit helpful to Rome. So the prie:
a. is tolerated as a remnant Of tn
y past, but what influence he exerI
10 must be made by indirection an
Us by methods familiar to the Jesuit
he When former dupe Of prizes
Of craft once leaves Rome he is ge1
he orally altogether Indifferent to a
IT, religions. He jumps from Romi,
superstition into atheism, whic
d: tendency makes the situation di
to fcult for Protestant missionarie
ry The fruit Of Romish culture is a
he Mysticism, for its dupes then reac
he the mental attitude which 10,
to Billings SO aptly stated as follow
IT honestly believe it is better
nit know nothing than to know
nd much that amt so. ;"
~ CIVIL, MARRIAGE SET ACTD