Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-26
THE AGONY OF THE ANTILLES
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

! underestimate the independence move
ment in Porto Rico, especially among
the younger intelligentsia. He knows the
| young p2ople of the island we'll He
| hears their fiery talk about liberty
| from the United States. He also notes
that as they grow Older and come To
understand more of what their land
was in earlier times. and what it is
| today they become successful business
/ and professional men and see the bene-
/ fits of the systems of education and
| the administration of justice which the
| United States has brought to the is
| land. Then they realize how the adj
| vantages of American rule have a
| thousand times offset any theoretical
| liberties which might accrue from to-
| tai independence. He sees how the
| very education which has reduced IL
| literacy on the island from more than
| 80 per cent to less than 40 per cent
| has inculcated the ideals of independ-
ence. The Americans taught Porto
| Rico to celebrate the Fourth Of july,
| Some Porto Ricans now want a. Fourth
of July of their own.
knowledge of Two Peoples an Asset.
Huyke is especially cognizant Of the
advantages of dual education, in the
! language. the classics and the culture OF
| North America and Of Spain and the
old Spanish America. He sees Porto
| Rican youths going out into all parts
of the new world from their own high
| schools and universities, and outdoing
| the youths of other Latin American
nations because of their knowledge OF
| two languages and two social systems,
and their ability to assln1ilate the best
| Of each. Thus in place of an inevitable
and perpetual conflict between the two,
/ -taf
| in Porto Rico demonstration that har-
mony. progress and happiness may come
from blending of the two.
The Porto Rico professor does not
overlook the causes Of unrest in Latin
America opposing the progress of the
United States in all the lands To the
south. He comedies that great areas
of land in Porto Rico are owned by
absentee landlords, but he points out
that the change from Spanish to Anert-
can ownership in 1898 took these lands,
not from native owners. but from Span
ish to American owners. He hopes that
time and progress will see much Of this
land ownership returned to native
hands Meanwhile he sees even the
absentee-owned lands in prosperous cul-
tivation, furnishing regular employment
and great returns in wealth to the peo-
pie of the island. He recognizes that
American tariff and immigration laws
have brought their share of prosperity
to Porto Rico. advancing her ahead Of
neignboring islands of the Antilles. He
points out that even the unfriendly
Spanish author admitted his respect for
courts of law where the native litigant
had equal standing with the American
or the Spaniard or the Frenchman,
and law was the same for the poor as
for the rich.
Porto Rico's Aspirations.
Politically Mr. Huyke thinks probably
the majority of Porto Ricans are, in
theory, for independence within the
United States but not actively con-
cerned about it. The Immediate clamor
is either for statehood as one of the
United States or for the present autou-
omy plus the right to elect the governor
instead of having him appointed from
Washington. He comedies the difficult
ties of the color question because Porto
Rico is approximately three parts white
population and one negro. In the re-
ligious problems he thinks the Catholic
Church is far from being opposed to the
United States administration as Araqui-
stain contends, He points out that a
strictly American institution the
knights of Columbus, is taking strong
place with the Catholic population,
while. the growing Protestant churches
of the island have helped to strengthen
religion generally, both Catholic and
Protestant.
AS Porto Rican and leader of the
educational system of his people. Huyke
gives thoroughly healthful and hopeful
outlook for the experiment of the United
States in the rich Antillean island He
does not exaggerate 1t as a perfect
thing, but he sees in it the very genuine
blessings brought to his own people and
believes that education and progress will
bring the United States and Latin
America closer together instead of
splitting them apart