The Coolidge examiner., 1931-05-08

mediately increased to 16 officers
and $50 guardSmen, with an officer
of the United States army as in
spectOr. Their work was confined
to rural districts and towns of less
than 5000 inhabitants, with the
municipal police guarding the larger
cities.
Efficient Police.
In 1902 a law was enacted which
intrusted the protection of the en-
tire island TO this organization.
Seven police districts were eStab-
liShed, each commanded by a cap
tain, lieutenant, and as many war
rant officers as the chief might find
necessary. The headquarters of the
chief are at San Juan.
1t is said that no state in the
Union has force that does the en-
tire policing of the commonwealth
cities and rural districts alike
and Porto Rico has for the protec-
ton of her population of l,544,OOo
less than 800 policemen, distributed
over 10 districts.
When one takes into cOnsidera-
tion the mountainous character of
the island, unsettled labor cOndi-
tions. the prohibition enforcement
obligations, increasing traffic, and
trebled property values, ii is little
wonder that these efficient men
have earned an enviable place in
the history of the island. In 1921 re-
tirement with pay was provided for
members of the force who had
served for % years and for those
who had reached given age, vary
ing from fifty years for the low
est ranking officer to sixty years
for the highest.
Recently there has been inaugu-
rated an educational campaign for
the constabulary. instruction is
given in English, mathematic ge-
ography and history, with record
of nearly a 100 per cent voluntary
attendance.
The professional mendicants of
the island are persistent band.
With any sort of shack sufficing
for shelter, with native fruits and
vegetables available for food, with
a very tolerant law and no suffer
ing from the rigors of climate. the
beggar has little to worry about.
Saturday is beggars' day. and
stores, offices and individuals lay
in supplies of pennies. In the
larger establishments a clerk is sta
toned near the door, and as the
mendicants slip in he nonchalantly
pushes several pennies to each. The
coins are usually accepted without
thanks and as just due. The COM
munity thinks it cheaper to issue
these small dOles than to pay taxes
for charitable institutions.
Liberal With Beggars.
Statesmen going their rounds usu-
ally carry pOcketful 0f pennies
as they make a better impression on
customers if they are liberal with
beggars.
AS in most tropical countries, the
hyperbole is a tremendously over
worked figure of speech. Admire a
native horse, his saddle. his gun.
his dog, his house, and he'll tell
you in the most convincing tones
that it is yours. But il is yours
only after a manner of speaking.
Ask him why his people talk in
such prodigal fashion and he will
reply, ut is the custom" and
custom is law to them"
Betting on horse races is almost
passion. Every bettor contrib
utes to pool and the person who
picks the winner takes the money
In this way dollar stands a
chance of winning a thousand or
more.
At dances the ladies of the aris-
tOcracy with their mantillaS caught
with a rose. their splendid tortoise
shell combs. and their inlaid.
carved. and sometimes jeweled
fans of silk or feathers to en-
hance their natural beauty. and the
men, with their velvet or alpaca
coats, white trousers. and multi
hued silk sashes, make a picture
one can never forget.
The average market place on Sun
day is a riot of color and a bee
hive of animation. AfoOt and on
donkey-back, the peasant folk
thrOng the roads, bringing flowers
vegetables and fruits on their
heads and in panniers slung on bur-
rOS or hauled in oXcartS.
The rural and village people
have very simple amusements. The
baptism of an infant is the occa-
sion of feast or a dance From
Christmas to Three Kings day, jan
uary 6, a succession of festas takes
place. A pig roast, resembling the
familiar barbecue of our southern
states, is one of the eliminating
events of the native calendar.
On the eve of Three Kings day,
commemOrating the bringing of
gifts to the new born babe of Beth
lehem, the children put bundles of
grass under their beds or outside
the house, so that the camels of
the kings will stop at their homes
when their masters are distributing
gifts.