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diff --git a/30987-h/30987-h.htm b/30987-h/30987-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9a60602 --- /dev/null +++ b/30987-h/30987-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6085 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> + <head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Porto Rico, by A. D. Hall. +</title> +<style type="text/css"> + p {margin-top:.75em;text-align:justify;margin-bottom:.75em;text-indent:2%;} + +.c {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;} + +p.guanica {text-indent:60%;margin-top:5%;} + +.hang {text-indent:-2%;margin-left:2%;} + +.head {text-align:center;text-indent:0%;font-weight:bold;} + +div.image {border:none;margin:auto;text-align:center;padding:3%;} + +.nind {text-indent:0%;} + +.poem {margin-left:25%;white-space:nowrap;text-indent: 0%;} + +.r {text-align:right;margin-right:5%;} + +.sml {font-size:70%;} + + h1 {text-align:center;clear:both;margin-top:15%;font-size:300%;} + + h2,h3 {text-align:center;clear:both;margin-top:15%;} + +.top5 {margin-top:5%;} + +.top15 {margin-top:15%;} + + hr {width:90%;margin:2em auto 2em auto;clear:both;color:black;} + + hr.full {width:100%;margin:5% auto 5% auto;border:4px double gray;} + + table {margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto;border:none;} + + body{margin-left:10%;margin-right:10%;background:#fdfdfd;color:black;font-family:"Times New Roman", serif;font-size:medium;} + + ul {list-style-type:none;text-indent:-1em;} + +.un {text-decoration:underline;} + +a:link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + + link {background-color:#ffffff;color:blue;text-decoration:none;} + +a:visited {background-color:#ffffff;color:purple;text-decoration:none;} + +a:hover {background-color:#ffffff;color:#FF0000;text-decoration:underline;} + +.smcap {font-variant:small-caps;font-family:"Times New Roman", serif;font-size:95%;} + +.blockquot{margin:10% auto 5% auto;} +</style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Porto Rico, by Arthur D. Hall + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Porto Rico + Its History, Products and Possibilities... + +Author: Arthur D. Hall + +Release Date: January 16, 2010 [EBook #30987] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PORTO RICO *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This book was +produced from scanned images of public domain material +from the Google Print project.) + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<div class="image"><img src="images/cover.jpg" +id="coverpage" +width="384" +height="550" +title="book cover" +alt="book cover" +/></div> + +<div class="image"><a href="images/map.jpg"> +<img src="images/map_sml.jpg" +id="map" +width="697" +height="550" +title="map of Porto Rico" +alt="map of Porto Rico" +/></a></div> + +<h1>PORTO RICO.</h1> + +<hr style="width:20%;" /> + +<h3 class="top5">Its History, Products<br /> +And Possibilities.</h3> + +<p class="c"><b>BY</b></p> + +<h2 class="top5">A. D. HALL,</h2> + +<p class="c"><b>Author of "Cuba" and "The Philippines."</b></p> + +<div class="image"><img src="images/ill_logo.png" +alt="image of logo not available" +width="100" +height="101" +/></div> + +<p class="c"><b>NEW YORK<br /> +STREET & SMITH, P<span class="smcap">ublishers</span><br /> +81 F<span class="smcap">ulton</span> S<span class="smcap">treet</span></b></p> + +<p class="c top15"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5"></a><b>Copyrighted 1898<br /> +<span class="smcap">by</span><br /> +S<span class="smcap">treet</span> & S<span class="smcap">mith</span>.</b></p> + + + +<h3><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6"></a><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS.</h3> + +<hr style="width:10%;" /> + +<table summary="toc" +cellspacing="0" +cellpadding="2"> +<tr class="sml"><td align="right">CHAPTER</td><td> </td><td align="right">PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">I</a></td><td>—The Aborigines of Porto Rico</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_7">7</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">II</a></td><td>—Struggles of the Past</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_18">18</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">III</a></td><td>—Topography and Climate</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_27">27</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">IV</a></td><td>—Population and Towns</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">V</a></td><td>—Resources</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_42">42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">VI</a></td><td>—Manners and Customs</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_53">53</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">VII</a></td><td>—The Dawn of Freedom</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">VIII</a></td><td>—Naval Lessons Taught by the War</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_77">77</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">IX</a></td><td>—What Our Army Achieved</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_88">88</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">X</a></td><td>—How the Porto Ricans Received Us</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">XI</a></td><td>—Our Claim to Porto Rico</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_128">128</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">XII</a></td><td>—What the Possession of Porto Rico Will Mean</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_143"> 143</a></td></tr> +</table> + + + +<h2><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7"></a>PORTO RICO.</h2> + +<hr style="width:15%;" /> + +<h3 class="top5"><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h3> + +<p class="head">THE ABORIGINES OF PORTO RICO.</p> + + +<p>Porto Rico, or Puerto Rico, as it is sometimes called, +has lately become of the first importance in the eyes of +the world. To Americans it has assumed special interest, +as it is now practically in the possession of the +United States, and sooner or later will be represented by +a new star in our beautiful flag, that flag which recently, +by the magnificent exploits of our navy and army, has +assumed a greater importance than ever among the +standards of the universe.</p> + +<p>Uncle Sam will certainly find this beautiful and fertile +island a most valuable possession, every foot of +which he could sell at a large substantial price, if he +chose to do so.</p> + +<p>Until recently there has been an impression in the +United States that Porto Rico did not amount to much, +that Cuba was the only island in the West Indies which +was of any especial value. But this is the most grievous +error, as we shall endeavor to show in the course of this +little book.</p> + +<p>The island, without much exaggeration, can really be +called the garden spot of the world, and there is no +doubt but that when the Stars and Stripes wave <a name="Page_8" id="Page_8"></a>permanently +over it, and there is an influx of American enterprise +and wealth, there will be a marvelous increase +in values of all kinds.</p> + +<p>Like all Spanish colonies, Porto Rico has been +wofully mismanaged. The Spaniards have looked upon +it in the light of a more or less valuable cow from which +every drop of milk must be squeezed. But now, under +more fortuitous circumstances, under a more beneficent +rule, the charming little island will undoubtedly +"blossom as a rose"; for those who have looked into +the subject have declared that more can be raised on an +acre of land in Porto Rico than in any other portion of +the globe. Later on we shall examine in detail the truth +or falsehood of this statement.</p> + +<p>Porto Rico is older than the United States, for it was +discovered by Columbus on November 16, 1493, during +his second voyage to America. The great discoverer remained +there only two days in the port of Aquadilla, +but he did not come in contact with any of the ingenuous +natives, for they fled in terror when they saw his +ship.</p> + +<p>During their subsequent conquests in the West +Indies, the Spaniards paid no attention to Porto Rico +until 1509. At this time Ponce de Leon, then governor +of Hispaniola, afterward known as Hayti, determined +to extend his dominion. With the idea of obtaining +fresh supplies of gold, he went to Porto Rico and made +a long visit to the chief of the natives, by whom he was +received and entertained with the greatest kindness and +hospitality. The chief willingly pointed out to his<a name="Page_9" id="Page_9"></a> +Spanish guests all the great resources of the island, and +when, with the greed which has ever distinguished the +men of their country, they asked for gold, he took them +to streams where the sands were loaded with the precious +metal.</p> + +<p>Ponce de Leon was so delighted with the beauty and +fertility of the island that he imagined he could find +there the fountain of perpetual youth for which he so +long sought in vain. In this chimerical idea, however, +as in Florida, he was doomed to disappointment.</p> + +<p>The original name of the island is said to have been +Borinquen, and the population of the natives, who were +of the same race as the inhabitants of the other islands +of the Greater Antilles, has been estimated at six hundred +thousand.</p> + +<p>Dr. C. T. Bedwell, recently British consul at Porto +Rico, has published a most interesting report in regard +to the aborigines, and from this report we have obtained +considerable of the information which follows.</p> + +<p>Among the Sibaros, or sallow people of to-day, one +rarely sees a physical trace of Indian descent, although +in their mode of living much of Indian character exists. +Fray Inigo Abbad, who wrote a work on Porto Rico, +published in Madrid in 1878, says that when the Spaniards +first came to Porto Rico "it was as thickly populated +as a beehive, and so beautiful that it resembled a +garden." Fray Inigo says that the color of the Indians +of Porto Rico was the copper color known to the aborigines +of America, though they were of a sallow and +somewhat darker complexion. They were shorter in<a name="Page_10" id="Page_10"></a> +stature than the Spaniards, stout and well-proportioned. +They had flat noses with wide nostrils, bad teeth and +narrow foreheads. Their heads were flat, both in front +and at the back, "because," says the author, "they +were pressed into this shape at the time of their birth." +They had long, thin, coarse hair, and, according to +Fray Inigo, they were without hair on their face or on +other parts of their body. This, however, is disputed +by some writers.</p> + +<p>The small quantity and little substance of the food +they used, the facility with which they supplied material +wants without labor, the excessive heat of the climate, +and the absence of quadrupeds for the exercise of +hunting, caused them, he says, to be weak and indolent, +and averse to labor of all kinds. Anything that was not +necessary to satisfy the pangs of hunger, or that did not +afford amusement, such as hunting or fishing, was regarded +with indifference. Neither the hope of reward +nor the fear of punishment would tempt them to seek +the one or to avoid the other.</p> + +<p>Fray Inigo admits, however, that there were some exceptions +among them, and says that some of the Indians +displayed much bravery and strength in the contests +with the Spanish soldiers.</p> + +<p>Their forms were light and free, and there were no +cripples among them.</p> + +<p>They were governed by Caciques, whose eldest sons +inherited the succession. In the absence of a son the +chief was succeeded by the eldest son of his sister, that +there might be no doubt as to true descent.<a name="Page_11" id="Page_11"></a></p> + +<p>The tutelary deity was Cerni, who was made to speak +by the Buhitis or medicine men, who were at the same +time the priests. The Buhites hid themselves behind +the statue of Cerni and declared war or peace, arranged +the seasons, granted sunshine or rain, or whatever was +required, according to the will of the Cacique. When +announcements were not fulfilled the Buhites declared +that the Cerni had changed his mind for wise reasons of +his own, "without on this account," says Fray Inigo, +"the power or credit of the pretended deity, or his mendacious +ministers being doubted, such being the simplicity +and ignorance of the Indians."</p> + +<p>The chiefdoms were divided into small provinces, +which for the most part only comprised the inhabitants +of a valley; but all were subject to the head Cacique, +who at the time of the conquest was Aqueynoba. He +was actually governor-in-chief, the others being his lieutenants, +who carried out his orders in their respective +districts.</p> + +<p>Men and unmarried women wore no clothing, but +painted their bodies abundantly, and with much skill, +drawing upon them many varieties of figures with the +ores, gums and resins which they extracted from trees +and plants. In this uniform they presented themselves +in their military expeditious, public balls, and other +assemblies. To be well painted was to be well dressed, +and they learned from experience besides that the resinous +matter and vegetable oils with which they painted +their bodies served to preserve them from excessive heat +and superabundant perspiration. The paint also served<a name="Page_12" id="Page_12"></a> +to protect them from the changes of atmosphere, the +dampness of climate, and the plague of the numerous +varieties of mosquitoes and other insects, which, without +this precaution, constantly annoyed them. They +wore headdresses made of feathers with exquisite colors. +They put small plates of gold on their cheeks, and hung +shells, precious stones and relics from their ears and +noses, and the image of their god Cerni was never forgotten. +The chiefs used as a distinctive emblem a large +golden plate worn on their breasts. Married women +wore an apron which descended to about half their leg; +but no clothing was worn on the rest of the body. The +wives of the Caciques wore their aprons to their ankles +except at the national game of ball, when they also wore +short ones.</p> + +<p>The men took two, three or more wives, according to +their ability to support them. The chiefs possessed a +larger number of wives than their subjects, but one of +them was generally preferred over all others. The women, +besides their domestic duties, had charge of the +agricultural pursuits and worked in the fields. Those +best loved were buried alive with their husband on his +demise. The men did not intermarry with relatives of +the first degree, from a belief that such marriages resulted +in a bad death.</p> + +<p>Their huts were similar in structure and in character +to those of the North American Indians.</p> + +<p>The hammock was the chief article of furniture of the +aborigines, and the calabash shell their only cooking +utensil.<a name="Page_13" id="Page_13"></a></p> + +<p>Their arms were a bow and arrow, in the use of which +they were very skilful. They had canoes both for fishing +and sea voyages. These were hewn out of the timber +of enormous trees, the like of which, owing to fires and +seasons of drouth, no longer exist upon the island. +Some of the canoes were large enough to hold forty or +fifty men.</p> + +<p>When the Indians saw that the sick were near to +death they suffocated them. Even the chiefs did not +escape.</p> + +<p>After death they opened and dried the body by fire, +and buried it in a large cave, in which were interred +also some live women, the arms of the deceased and +provisions for the journey to the other world. Sticks +and branches of trees were then placed on the top, and +the whole was covered with earth, which was thus kept +from the bodies of those interred.</p> + +<p>They were accustomed to perform a national dance +which was called the areito. At the conclusion of this +dance, all became intoxicated with drinks made by the +women of fruit, maize and other ingredients, and with +the smoke of tobacco which they inhaled in their nostrils.</p> + +<p>As has been said, at the time of the conquest the +name of the native chief was Aqueynoba. He was +friendly to the Spaniards at first and lived peaceably +with them for some time.</p> + +<p>There is no doubt but that the aborigines were confiding, +generous and peaceful. But, like all savages, +they were very superstitious. They worshipped a vast<a name="Page_14" id="Page_14"></a> +quantity of idols, but believed in one superior deity. +With the exception of the Caribs, who occupied the +eastern part of the island, they were not cannibals. +They were in the habit of practicing quite a large number +of domestic arts, such as the cultivation of the soil, +the carving in wood and stone, and the manufacture of +pottery and furniture.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards have ever been treacherous, selfish and +a nation of money-grubbers.</p> + +<p>Now followed an instance which is only one of many +to prove the truth of this statement.</p> + +<p>After Ponce de Leon had won the confidence and had +been the recipient of boundless hospitality from the +islanders, he returned to Hayti and at once commenced +to fit out an expedition for the invasion and subjugation +of Porto Rico. From a purely selfish point of view, this +was a most senseless proceeding on his part. He could +have done much better without having any recourse to +force, for at first the natives regarded the Spaniards as +immortal visitors from Heaven, as superior beings +whom they could not kill.</p> + +<p>But they speedily recognized their mistake and discovered +the abominable character of the invaders.</p> + +<p>De Leon killed off all the natives that he could and +made the rest slaves to work in the gold mines of +Hayti.</p> + +<p>When any one resisted he was killed, and if he attempted +to escape he was hunted down by bloodhounds.</p> + +<p>It is related that Ponce de Leon had a dog which +became noted as a slave catcher. So valuable was he in<a name="Page_15" id="Page_15"></a> +this respect that his name was actually carried on the +army payroll for the benefit of his master.</p> + +<p>When the natives found that they were being slain or +deprived of their liberty they naturally became exasperated +and turned against their dastardly oppressors. +But from their point of view it was absolutely necessary +to find out if the Spaniards were mortal. If they were +not, it would be an act of impiety to resist them.</p> + +<p>This vital question must be settled, and therefore one +of the native chiefs was detailed to try if he could kill a +Spaniard. The trial was eminently successful. A +young man named Salzedo was found alone and was +drowned by the natives.</p> + +<p>The action is thus related in the words of a competent +authority:</p> + +<p>"The guides conducted Salzedo to the bank of a small +river through which they must pass, and to prevent his +being exposed to the water one of the Indians kindly +offered to take him on his shoulders and carry him over. +Salzedo mounted to his high seat and was borne into +the middle of the stream, when the Indian and his burden +fell into the water. The other Indians immediately +rushed into the river with the apparent purpose of rescuing +their guest, but contrived, while professing to +offer him assistance, to keep his head continually under +water. The result of this practical biological experiment, +so adroitly conducted, brought hope and joy to the despairing +natives. The body was kept immersed until +long after every sign of life had gone, but they +still feared animation might return. Carrying the<a name="Page_16" id="Page_16"></a> +body to the bank, a new farce was acted; they +lamented over him, they begged his pardon for the +accident, and they protested their innocence of any +design. In every way they provided themselves with a +plausible defense in case he should recover or they +should be suspected. After several days, putrefaction +happily settled all their doubts about the mortality of +their conquerors, and the glad news was communicated +to their people."</p> + +<p>The natives then at once commenced to massacre the +Spaniards. But this did not last long. Ponce de Leon +immediately sent for reinforcements, and the Indians +believed that these newcomers were the resurrected +bodies of those they had killed. This idea caused them +to lose all hope and courage, and they fell an easy prey +to their enemies. It was not many years before the +aboriginal population, large as it was originally, was +completely exterminated.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards now began to colonize the island and +the town of Capana was the first one settled by them. +Its site was found, however, to be too high and inaccessible. +It was therefore abandoned and in 1511 the present +city of San Juan was founded.</p> + +<p>In this city Ponce de Leon built the governor's palace +called Casa Blanca, a structure which is still in use.</p> + +<p>After de Leon's unsuccessful expedition to Florida, +where he received a mortal wound at the hands of the +Indians, his remains were brought to Porto Rico and +interred in the Dominican church.</p> + +<p>The inscription upon his monument reads as follows:<a name="Page_17" id="Page_17"></a></p> + +<p><i>Mole sub hac fortis requiescunt ossa Leonis +Qui vicit factis nomina magna suis.</i></p> + +<p>These words may be translated into English as follows:</p> + +<p>"This narrow grave contains the remains of a man +who was a Lion by name, and much more so by his +deeds."</p> + +<p>His cruel treatment of the gentle natives, inspired +though it may have been and probably was by the home +government, by no means causes him to deserve so flattering +an epitaph.<a name="Page_18" id="Page_18"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h3> + +<p class="head">STRUGGLES OF THE PAST.</p> + + +<p>Ever since the days of Ponce de Leon, Porto Rico has +been a Spanish possession. It has never been captured, +although many attempts have been made to take it both +by external and internal forces.</p> + +<p>None of these attacks seriously affected Spanish +authority on the island.</p> + +<p>But although the island has never been taken, it has +been sacked. It may be said that it was pirates who +did this, for while the commanders of several of the expeditions +against the island bore great names, they +were really little more or less than pirates.</p> + +<p>The first to attack was no less than the famous English +commander, Sir Francis Drake, who had Elizabeth +behind him. This was in 1595, and Drake then scored +his first failure, in spite of the fact that when he left +his ballast consisted of ducatoons, and the shops of San +Juan were in ruins.</p> + +<p>It is rather a strange coincidence that Drake's failure +was due to the fact that the Spaniards had recourse to +the same scheme that was so daringly and successfully +carried out by Lieutenant Hobson in the harbor of Santiago.</p> + +<p>They sunk a ship in the neck of San Juan harbor, +thereby preventing Drake's fleet from obtaining an entrance.<a name="Page_19" id="Page_19"></a></p> + +<p>Dr. Griffin, the accomplished assistant librarian of the +Congressional Library in Washington, has recently been +making a study of Porto Rican literature which has +been pregnant with interesting results.</p> + +<p>Dr. Griffin discovered the following in an old English +chronicle:</p> + +<p>"Confession of John Austin, mariner of London, of +the late company of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John +Hawkins.</p> + +<p>"Directions were given that if any of the fleet lost +company they should make for Guadaloupe in the +Indies; his ship did so, but having lost her rudder +failed, and was taken by five Spanish frigates and the +crew imprisoned in the Isle of St. John de Porto Rico. +Sir Francis, who lost company of Sir John Hawkins, +was told of this by a bark which saw the fight. The +prisoners were examined and threatened with torture +to tell what the English forces were. The Spaniards +sunk ships in the harbor to hinder their entrance. Sir +Francis summoned the town, and on their refusing to +yield sent fifteen vessels to burn the frigates in the harbor. +Two were fired, but the light thus made enabled +the Spaniards to fire on the English ships and drive +them away. The English attacked the fort, but Sir +John Hawkins was killed. Sir Francis sent back to the +governor five prisoners whom he had taken, and begged +that the English might be well treated and sent home, +in which there was an improvement in their diet, etc. +Sir Francis then went to the south of the island, got +provisions and water and went to Carthagena. This was<a name="Page_20" id="Page_20"></a> +reported by two frigates that watched him, and then the +treasure ships in Porto Rico with $4,000,000 on board +sailed for Spain, and reached St. Lucas, bringing the +English prisoners, who still remain in prison, but the +examinante escaped. Two fleets, each of twenty-five +ships, and 5,000 men, are said to be sent out to follow +Sir Francis Drake, March 25, 1599."</p> + +<p>In Barrow's "Life of Drake," there are further particulars +given of this unsuccessful attack on San Juan, +which was under the command of Sir Francis Drake and +Sir John Hawkins, the two greatest British naval commanders +then living. Barrow says:</p> + +<p>"The fitting out and equipment of this grand expedition +were not surpassed by that of 1585 to the West +Indies under Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral Forbesher +and Rear Admiral Knolles. Its destination, in the first +place, was intended for Porto Rico, where the queen +had received information that a vast treasure had been +brought, and intended to be sent home from thence for +the use of the King of Spain in completing the third +grand armament (the second having been destroyed by +Drake) which he had in contemplation for the invasion +of England. The object of the present fleet was to intercept +the treasure and thereby cut off the main supply +of his navy and army destined for that purpose.</p> + +<p>"Their first intention, however, had been to land at +Nombre de Dios and proceed direct from thence over the +Isthmus of Panama in order to seize the treasure generally +brought thither from the mines of Mexico and +Peru; but in a few days before their departure from<a name="Page_21" id="Page_21"></a> +Plymouth they received letters sent by order of the +queen informing them that advices had been received +from Spain announcing the arrival of the West Indian or +Plata fleet, but that one of them, a very valuable ship, +had lost her mast and put into the Island of Puerto +Rico, and it was therefore her majesty's recommendation +that they should proceed direct to that island to +secure the ship and treasure which was on her."</p> + +<p>The expedition left Plymouth, August 28, 1595. Before +going to Porto Rico, Drake, against the protest of +Hawkins, tried to take the Canaries and failed. The +voyage was then continued.</p> + +<p>"On the 30th of September," the historian continues, +"Captain Wegnot, on the Francis, a bark of thirty-five +tons, being the sternmost of Sir John Hawkins' division, +was chased by five of the king's frigates, or zobras, being +ships of two hundred tons, which came with three +other zobras for the treasure at San Juan de Puerto Rico. +The Francis, mistaking them for companions, was taken +in sight of our caraval. The Spaniards, indifferent to +human suffering, left the Francis driving in the sea +with three or four hurt and sick men, and took the rest +of her people into their ships and returned to Porto +Rico.</p> + +<p>"The squadron now intended to pass through the +Virgin Islands, but 'here,' says Hakluyt, 'Sir John +Hawkins was extreme sick, which his sickness began +upon neues of the taking of the Francis.' Remaining +here two days, they tarried two days more in a sound, +which Drake, in his barge had discovered. They then<a name="Page_22" id="Page_22"></a> +stood for the eastern end of Porto Rico, where Sir John +Hawkins breathed his last.</p> + +<p>"Sir Thomas Baskerville now took possession of the +Garland as second in command. The fleet came to +anchor at a distance of two miles, or less, at the eastern +side of the town of San Juan de Porto Rico, where, says +Hakluyt, 'we received from their forts and places, +where they planted ordnance, some twenty-eight great +shot, the last of which stroke the admiral's ship through +the misen, and the last but one stroke through her quarter +into the steerage, the general being there at supper, +and stroke the stool from under him, but hurt him not, +but hurt at the same table Sir Nicholas Clifford, Mr. +Browne, Captain Stratford, with one or two more. Sir +Nicholas Clifford, and Master Browne died of their +hurts.'</p> + +<p>"Drake," continues Barrow, "was certainly imprudent +in suffering the squadron to take up anchorage so +near to the means of annoyance; but his former visit +had no doubt taught the enemy the prudence of being +better prepared for any future occasion, and it is somewhat +remarkable that Drake should not have observed +his usual caution. Browne was an old and particular +favorite of Drake.</p> + +<p>"The following morning the whole fleet came to +anchor before the point of the harbor without the town, +a little to the westward, where they remained till nightfall, +and then twenty-five pinnaces, boats and shallops, +well manned, and furnished with fireworks and small +shot, entered the road. The great castle, or galleon<a name="Page_23" id="Page_23"></a> +the object of the present enterprise, had been completely +repaired, and was on the point of sailing, when certain +intelligence of the intended attack by Drake reached +the island. Every preparation had been made for the +defense of the harbor and the town; the whole of the +treasure had been landed; the galleon was sunk in the +mouth of the harbor; a floating barrier of masts and +spars was laid on each side of her, near to the forts and +castles, so as to render the entrance impassable; within +this breakwater were the five zabras, moored, their +treasure also taken out; all the women and children +and infirm people were moved to the interior, and those +only left in the town who were able to aid in its defense. +A heavy fire was opened on the English ships, but the +adventurers persisted in their desperate attempt, until +they had lost, by their own account, some forty or fifty +men killed, and as many wounded; but there was consolation +in thinking that by burning, drowning and killing, +the loss of the Spaniards could not be less; in fact, +a great deal more; for the five zabras and a large ship +of 400 tons were burned, and their several cargoes of +silk, oil and wine destroyed."</p> + +<p>After thus being defeated in his main object, Drake +did not return to San Juan. He contented himself with +laying tribute upon Porto Rico, and burning the towns +on the Caribbean side of the island.</p> + +<p>He then sailed for Wombee de Dios, and, when the +fleet was off the South American coast, he died on the +28th of January and was buried at sea. Drake was succeeded +in command by Sir Thomas Baskerville.<a name="Page_24" id="Page_24"></a></p> + +<p>When the latter was on his way back to England he +encountered a Spanish fleet and engaged in battle off +the Isle of Pines. The victory was decidedly with the +English, but the Spaniards were apparently the same +then as they are to-day. Everybody remembers Blanco's +famous dispatches, famous for their absurd falseness. So +then the Spanish admiral issued a bulletin in which he +claimed a magnificent triumph. Baskerville was so +angry that he publicly declared the admiral to be a liar +and challenged him to a duel. Nothing, however, ever +resulted from this challenge.</p> + +<p>Three years later the Duke of Cumberland, who might +also he called a corsair, but a private one, as he acted on +his own hook, attacked San Juan, and after three days' +fighting, laid the city in ruins. He was unable to follow +up his victory, however, as the fever killed his men +by the hundreds.</p> + +<p>The English tried to take it in 1615, and again in +1678.</p> + +<p>Once more in 1795, seeing the great advantage of +owning the harbor of San Juan, the English attempted +to capture it, but they were repulsed with great +slaughter.</p> + +<p>Spain has never given as much attention to Porto +Rico as she has to her other colonies, and therefore the +government, while practically of the same character, +has not been so intolerable as in Cuba and the Philippines.</p> + +<p>For nearly three hundred years the island was +neglected. During all that time it was used chiefly as a<a name="Page_25" id="Page_25"></a> +watering station for ships and as a penal colony. In +1815 it was thrown open to colonization, and land was +given free to all Spaniards who went there to settle. +As a consequence a host of adventurers hastened to +Porto Rico, as well as a number of Spanish loyalists, +belonging to the better classes, who had been expelled +by the decrees of other and rebellious colonies.</p> + +<p>About this time there was a large importation of +negro slaves to work on the sugar plantations. For these +reasons the wealth and population rapidly increased.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless there has been a large number of revolutions +against the home government.</p> + +<p>As early as 1820, long before Cuba had made any attempt +to throw off the Spanish yoke, the Porto Ricans +made an effort to obtain their independence. After a +short guerilla war, this first rebellion was suppressed, +as were also several other abortive attempts.</p> + +<p>In 1868, the year of the great uprising in Cuba, the +most formidable outbreak occurred in Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>After two mouths of severe fighting the Spanish regulars +were victorious, and the leader of the rebels, Dr. +Ramon E. Bentances, who has since resided most of the +time in Paris, was captured, as was also J. J. Henna, +afterward a New York physician. All the prisoners were +sentenced to be shot, November 4, 1868.</p> + +<p>On the very day preceding that date news came to +the island that Queen Isabella had been deposed, +and in consequence the political prisoners were +released.</p> + +<p>But they were afterward banished, and in their exile<a name="Page_26" id="Page_26"></a> +they have ever since been active in devising measures +for the freedom of the island.</p> + +<p>There is no reason whatever to think that there will +be any discontent in the future under the liberal and +beneficent government of the United States.<a name="Page_27" id="Page_27"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h3> + +<p class="head">TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE.</p> + + +<p>Now that there is no doubt of the acquisition of +Porto Rico by the United States, many of our people +will be going there, and it is therefore of great interest +to note how its general features will please and its climate +be adapted to Americans.</p> + +<p>The island is most eastern of the Greater Antilles, +and it is the fourth in size and importance of all the +islands of the West Indies. In fact, in point of density +of population and general prosperity, it takes the first +place. On the east, the Lesser Antilles extend in a +curve toward Trinidad, on the South American coast, +inclosing on the westward the Caribbean sea. A strait +of seventy miles separates Porto Rico from Hayti on the +west, and the distances from San Juan, the capital, to +other points are 2,100 miles to the Cape Verde Islands, +1,050 miles to Key West and 1,420 miles to Hampton +Roads.</p> + +<p>Porto Rico lies near enough to the Gulf of Mexico to +receive the benefit of the soft Gulf breezes and the very +best and most desirable of the trade winds.</p> + +<p>The island is almost a rectangle in shape. Its length +from east to west is 108 miles and its breadth from north +to south about 37 miles. Its area, including its dependencies, +the isles of Vieques, Culebra and Mona is +3,530 square miles.<a name="Page_28" id="Page_28"></a></p> + +<p>The coasts are generally regular, but there are a large +number of bays and inlets, and the north coast is full of +navigable lagoons.</p> + +<p>The principal capes are San Juan, Mala Pascua, Rojo +and Bruquen.</p> + +<p>Generally speaking, the conformation of the island is +slightly undulating, with the exception of a mountain +range which traverses it from east to west, running +through nearly its whole length in a zig-zag course, and +on the average about twenty-five miles distant from the +north coast.</p> + +<p>This range divides the island into two unequal portions. +The largest is on the north, and the rivers flowing +through that section are much the longer. A part of +the main range is called Sierra Grande or Barros. +The northeast spur is known as the Sierra de Luquillo +and the northwest as the Sierra Larea. The general +height of these mountains is about 1,500 feet above the +sea, but there is one peak, Yunque, which reaches a +height of 3,678 feet. This can be seen seventy miles at +sea, and would be a magnificent place for a shore signal +for the benefit of the ships that sail the South Atlantic +seas.</p> + +<p>It is noticeable that there are no extensive lakes in the +highlands of the interior, but there are many interesting +caves in the mountains, the principal ones being +those of Aguas Buenos and Ciales.</p> + +<p>The elevated ridge which crosses the island intercepts +the northeast trade winds which blow from the Atlantic +and deprives them of their moisture. The consequence<a name="Page_29" id="Page_29"></a> +of this is that the rainfall in the northern portion of the +island is very copious. It also has the effect of reducing +the rain south of the mountains, so that there is a +prevalence of droughts in that section and agriculture +can be advantageously carried on by irrigation. Up to +the present, however, this work of irrigation has been +very imperfect and unsystematic, and the results on the +whole have not been satisfactory.</p> + +<p>The Luquillo range ends ten miles from San Juan. +The capital is, therefore, to a certain degree sheltered +by a mountain wall from the rain-bearing winds, which, +in the warmest months blow mainly from easterly points. +Still all the northern adjacent shores and lowlands are +subject to flooding by torrents of rain.</p> + +<p>Taking it as a whole, the island is approximately +roof-shaped, so that the rainfall is rapidly drained off.</p> + +<p>In the interior are extensive plains and there are level +tracts from five to ten miles wide on the coast.</p> + +<p>The soil of Porto Rico is exceedingly fertile. In the +mountains it is a red clay, colored with peroxide of iron, +in the valleys it is black and less compact, and on the +coasts it is sandy, but capable of some culture.</p> + +<p>The pasture lands in the northern and eastern parts +of the island are superior to any others in the West +Indies.</p> + +<p>Porto Rico is essentially a land of rivers and streams. +Of course none of them are of any great length, but of +the entire number, some thirteen hundred, forty are +navigable for more or less distances for commercial purposes.<a name="Page_30" id="Page_30"></a></p> + +<p>Mr. John Beggs, a former planter of Porto Rico, says +that the island is perfectly adapted for commerce. +Sugar, coffee, cotton, corn and potatoes are constantly +shipped down the navigable rivers, and were Porto Rico +to be fully cultivated, many more streams could be +opened and communication made between others by +means of canals, so that the entire island would present +a system of water ways which would make it an ideal +place for the shipping of useful articles to the United +States.</p> + +<p>The water of the rivers and brooks and lakes is remarkably +pure, and there is quite an industry in its +shipment for sale to other West India islands. It is +stated that more than twenty of these islands send to +Porto Rico for water. Little boats sail up the harbor of +San Juan, fill their tanks with water and sail away +again, Havana's chief scourge is the lack of fresh water, +but Porto Rico has all the water it can use and enough +to supply islands hundreds of miles away.</p> + +<p>The anchorages can not be said to be the best in the +world, although a few of them are excellent, and most +of them sufficiently deep for ordinary craft.</p> + +<p>Mayaguez Bay on the west coast admits vessels of any +size and is the best anchorage on the island. Guanica is +the best on the south coast, of which it is the most +western port. It was here that the American troops first +landed. Still Guanica is not visited by much shipping. +The district immediately surrounding it is low and +swampy, and the roads leading from it are not good. +Guanica has been the outlet for the produce of San German +<a name="Page_31" id="Page_31"></a>Sabana Grande and, to some extent, of Yanco, +which is on the railroad. The western and southwestern +parts of the island have been particularly over-run by +the Porto Rican rebels, and this has undoubtedly done +much to injure its commerce. But with the advent of the +Americans all this will be changed.</p> + +<p>The eastern coast is fairly indented and washed by a +sea which is usually smooth.</p> + +<p>On the rugged north side, where the ocean currents set +to southward, there are no good anchorages between +Arecibo and San Juan. The port of San Juan, however, +affords good shelter and will be an important centre for +merchant shipping as well as an attractive rendezvous +for yachts on a pleasure cruise. The harbor is deep +enough to admit large vessels, but its channel communicating +with the sea is winding and difficult, and can be +navigated safely only with the aid of a pilot.</p> + +<p>One of the leading seaports of the island is Aquadilla +on the west coast. This has the advantage of a spacious +bay, which is sheltered from the trade winds. From this +place are shipped the sugar and coffee produced in the +northwest part of the island.</p> + +<p>There are seven or eight other ports of minor importance.</p> + +<p>The main highway of central Porto Rico runs from +Ponce to San Juan, in a northeasterly direction, through +Juana Diaz, Coamo and Abonito. From the latter place +it proceeds almost eastward to Cayey, and there it takes +a winding course to the north as far as Caquas. Thence +it turns west to Aquas Buenos, and then goes straight<a name="Page_32" id="Page_32"></a> +north through Guaynola and Rio Piedras to San Juan. +The entire length of this highway is about eighty-five +miles.</p> + +<p>The distance from Ponce to San Juan, as the bird flies, +is only forty-five miles.</p> + +<p>And now to take up a most important point—the climate. +Of this much can be said in favor.</p> + +<p>On the whole, it may be stated that Porto Rico, for +a tropical region, is very healthful; in fact, by far the +most so of any of the West India islands.</p> + +<p>There have been no climatic observations which cover +the whole of the Porto Rican territory, but the Spanish +Weather Bureau has published certain observations +which show the general conditions prevailing in San +Juan and the vicinity.</p> + +<p>The climate, though hot, is agreeably tempered by +the prevailing northeast winds. At night there is always +a pleasant breeze which carries sweet fragrance along +the northern coast. A temperature as high as 117 degrees +has been recorded, but this is most unusual. At +San Juan, the average temperature in August is about +81 degrees Fahrenheit; in September, 80.5 degrees, and +in October, 79.3 degrees. At night it sinks to 68 or 69 +degrees, which is more than it frequently does in New +York or Chicago during heated spells. The most marked +feature of the climate is that the summer's heat and +rainfall keep up until late autumn. In the hottest +months the calm days average not far from ten a +month, and these have a very relaxing effect. For this +reason it is advisable for residents of temperate climes<a name="Page_33" id="Page_33"></a> +not to visit Porto Rico until November, when the +weather becomes beautifully fine and settled, and almost +always continues good during the winter and early +spring.</p> + +<p>The rainfall in San Juan, which can be taken as a fair +index of that along the northeastern coast, averages +about 6.65 inches during August, 5.30 during September +and 7.10 during October. But in some years the +heaviest fall was in September. Not infrequently the +cultivated fields and plantations are inundated, and +swamps are formed. As has been intimated, the southern +part of the island is relatively much drier than the +northern, though the former is apt to experience excessive +rains during the passage of a hurricane.</p> + +<p>It is fortunate for Porto Rico that it does not lie +directly in the track of West Indian cyclones. It has +been visited, however, at long intervals by devastating +hurricanes, notably those of 1742 and 1825, which destroyed +a vast deal of property, and during the passage +of which many lives were lost. The terrible tornadoes +of the tropics are very erratic in their course, and are so +apt to be deviated from their accustomed paths that it +is unsafe to assume that danger has passed for Porto +Rico until late in the autumn. Captains of all vessels +during the summer mouths should therefore exercise extraordinary +vigilance to avoid being caught in a hurricane.</p> + +<p>The prevailing diseases of the island are yellow fever, +elephantiasis, tetanus, March fever and dysentery. +There is no question but that a lack of proper sanitary<a name="Page_34" id="Page_34"></a> +measures is responsible for much of the illness. Even +the most to be dreaded of these diseases, yellow fever, +could in all probability be rooted out if proper precautions +were taken and every available means employed to +prevent its recurrence. As it is, yellow fever never +scourges Porto Rico as it does parts of Cuba.</p> + +<p>In the winter and early spring Porto Rico is less subject +than Cuba to those chilling winds that blow from +the freezing anticyclones moving east from the American +coast toward Bermuda. Under American auspices +and enlightened systems of sanitation, there will doubtless +spring up a number of attractive winter resorts, +which will prove formidable rivals to those of Florida, +especially if, as is not unlikely, San Juan Bay becomes +the headquarters of the North Atlantic naval station +from November until April.</p> + +<p>In this regard, the manager of a prominent life insurance +company has spoken as follows:</p> + +<p>"Let me raise my voice in prophecy and then wait +and see if events do not bear me out. I want to prophesy +right now that five years from date that island will be +a great popular winter resort. No one can appreciate its +natural attractions unless he has been there, and when +to them have been added a few good American hotels it +is bound to become a popular resort.</p> + +<p>"I was in Porto Rico several years ago, and I +then expressed surprise that it was not boomed as a +winter resort. The Porto Ricans to whom I spoke +shrugged their shoulders and smiled. The ground is +high, the climate is fine, and the place is healthful.<a name="Page_35" id="Page_35"></a></p> + +<p>"It has many attractions of its own that are lacking +in the other West Indies.</p> + +<p>"Close on the heels of the army will march some enterprising +American hotel man, and then look out for +results."<a name="Page_36" id="Page_36"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h3> + +<p class="head">POPULATION AND TOWNS.</p> + + +<p>According to the latest statistics, the entire population +of the island of Porto Rico is estimated at 900,000. +Of these about 140,000 are <i>peninsulares</i>, as the natives +of Spain have been termed throughout her former colonies. +From 12,000 to 14,000 are foreigners, mostly +Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, Englishmen and Americans. +Other nationalities have little or no representation. +The so-called native population is composed of two-thirds +whites who are descendants of Spaniards and +people of other European countries, and one-third +negroes and mulattoes or those of mixed blood, half +castes, as they are denominated.</p> + +<p>It is valuable to note the large proportion of whites, +which is very unusual for a tropical country.</p> + +<p>The census, which was taken December 31, 1887, +states that the women outnumbered the men by about +one thousand. As the immigrants from Spain are mostly +men, however, the actual ratio between the two sexes, +as far as the native population is concerned, would be +greatly in favor of the feminine.</p> + +<p>The area of Cuba is thirteen times larger than that of +Porto Rico, and yet even before the butcher Weyler exterminated +a third of the native Cubans, it contained +not quite double as many people as the smaller island.<a name="Page_37" id="Page_37"></a></p> + +<p>This will give some idea of the density of the population +of Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>Thirty per cent. of the whites and seventy-five per +cent. of the negroes were classed in the census of 1887 +as laborers.</p> + +<p>The western part of the island is far more densely +populated than the eastern. The reason for this probably +lies in the fact that the east coast is on the windward +side, and offers less protection for shipping. Consequently +it is not so conveniently situated for trade. +All the larger towns of the east are situated inland, or, +at least, some distance from the coast. They are in the +hilly portion of the island and surrounded by rich coffee +plantations and grazing lands of large extent.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants of Porto Rico are scattered all over the +country, and the land is greatly subdivided. The Spanish +authorities have made many efforts to collect the +people into villages, but the people themselves have +frequently resisted a change which they considered +would not suit the conditions of their lives or tend to +improve their finances.</p> + +<p>Still, in the last fifty years more than half of the +population has gravitated to and around the towns, +especially those which are situated on the seashore. +Most of these people live in comfortable houses, and +have the means to provide themselves with all the +necessities and many of the luxuries of life.</p> + +<p>The population, by the way, has been steadily increasing +since the beginning of the present century.</p> + +<p>Ponce, named after Ponce de Leon, is the largest city<a name="Page_38" id="Page_38"></a> +and the one of the most commercial importance upon the +island. It is beautifully situated about three miles north +of the port of Ponce, in a fertile plain, and is surrounded +by plantations and gardens. It is the terminus +of one of the three short railroads which have +been constructed, and along the beach in front of the +port are large warehouses, where the produce, forwarded +through Ponce, which is the trading centre, is stored +for shipment. The population of Ponce has been estimated +at 44,500 inhabitants, and this is probably not +far from the actual truth.</p> + +<p>Ponce has quite a number of fine buildings, including +the town hall, the theatre, two churches, the charity and +the woman's asylums, the barracks, the Cuban House +and the market. Between the city and the seashore is an +excellent road which forms a beautiful promenade.</p> + +<p>Near Ponce are hot springs which are quite famous +and held in high estimation by invalids.</p> + +<p>The capital of Porto Rico is San Juan, which in many +respects has always been the most important city. It is +on the north coast, and as has already been stated, was +founded by Ponce de Leon in 1510. It now has a population +of 31,250 inhabitants, which includes the town +and its suburbs.</p> + +<p>The situation of San Juan is somewhat peculiar, as it +is built on a high and narrow peninsula, which is separated +from the mainland by shallow water spanned by +a bridge known as the San Antonio.</p> + +<p>The town is about half a mile wide, inclosed by high +walls of masonry, which are very picturesque, and with<a name="Page_39" id="Page_39"></a> +their portcullis gates and battlements recall vividly to +one's mind the description of mediæval times.</p> + +<p>The bluff is crowned by Morro Castle, rendered +familiar to Americans in the recent war.</p> + +<p>San Juan is really quite a beautiful place with straight +and narrow streets and many imposing buildings. It has +a number of public institutions and colleges, several +churches, and seven small parks. Among the latter may +be mentioned the Plazuela de Santiago, in which is an +excellent statue of Columbus.</p> + +<p>It was on the western end of the island that Ponce de +Leon built the governor's palace, which is enclosed +within the Santa Catalina fortifications, where are also +the cathedral, town house and theatre. This portion of +the city is now known as Pueblo Viego, and is the seat +of an Episcopal see, which is subordinate to the bishop +of Santiago de Cuba.</p> + +<p>The city is lighted by gas, which is controlled by an +English company, and it also has an electric plant +under local management.</p> + +<p>There is a local telephone company.</p> + +<p>There are eleven newspapers of various descriptions, +the chief one being La Correspondencia, a local political +paper, which has a circulation of seven thousand copies, +more than that of all the other papers put together.</p> + +<p>The water is obtained entirely from cisterns. About +fifty years ago a project was formed to build a reservoir, +and the plans were approved by the government. But, +with that spirit of procrastination so characteristic of +the Spanish, in all public and private walks of life, and<a name="Page_40" id="Page_40"></a> +which is known as manana, the reservoir has never been +completed.</p> + +<p>The harbor of San Juan is in almost all respects a +very fine one. On the east and south it is surrounded +by swamps, and on the west it is protected by the +islands of Cabra and Cabrita, which are practically connected +to the mainland by sandbars. There are strong +fortifications which guard the entrance to the outer +harbor.</p> + +<p>The inner harbor is spacious and landlocked. It has +been dredged to a uniform depth of twenty-nine feet +from the docks to the anchorage.</p> + +<p>The old city is divided into four wards, three of which +are outside of the fortifications. The houses are of stone, +or brick, and from the roofs beautiful sea views may be +obtained. In the patio or court of almost every house +there is a garden.</p> + +<p>Besides Ponce and San Juan, the largest towns on the +island are Arecibo (30,000 inhabitants), Utuado +(31,000), Mauaguez (28,000), San German (20,000) +Yanco (25,000), and Juana Diaz (21,000). There are +also about a dozen other towns with a population of 15,000 +or over.</p> + +<p>These figures are only approximate, as no regular census +has been taken in ten years, and even then the Spanish +officials were none too correct.</p> + +<p>Railways on the island can as yet be said to be only +in their infancy. There is only about 150 miles of railroad, +with about as much more in construction. It is +intended to have stretches of railroad parallel with the<a name="Page_41" id="Page_41"></a> +coast, which shall make the entire circuit of the island. +From these there will be short branches to all the seaports +and inland markets.</p> + +<p>The cart roads are very primitive, some of them being +little better than cattle tracks. There is, however, be +it remembered, one fine road, which extends across the +island from San Juan to Ponce.</p> + +<p>The telegraph system is also in a very incomplete +state and is poorly managed.</p> + +<p>There is one line of cable which runs to Cuba, +Mexico, Panama and the coasts of the South American +continent, and another which connects the island with +St. Thomas, Jamaica, and thus the rest of the world.<a name="Page_42" id="Page_42"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h3> + +<p class="head">RESOURCES.</p> + + +<p>It is somewhat difficult to tell exactly what is the +commercial value of the new colonial possessions which +the Spanish-American war has placed at the disposal of +the United States. The figures are naturally based upon +the conditions which prevailed under Spanish rule.</p> + +<p>But, all for all, it may be said that Porto Rico, taking +into consideration its area, has been the most valuable +of all Spain's colonial possessions.</p> + +<p>For some reason, which seems to be inscrutable, +Spain has given the inhabitants of Porto Rico far better +treatment than she accorded to the natives of Cuba. She +dealt with the island more as if it were a Spanish +province than a colony to be bled to the fullest extent +possible for the financial benefit of Spanish officials and +the mother country. Quite the contrary has been the +case in Cuba and the Philippines.</p> + +<p>It may be stated that, as a matter of fact, Porto Rico +has been, in a political sense, a province of Spain for +the past twenty years.</p> + +<p>Spain has paid but little attention to internal improvements, +but this has been an advantage. For with +her heavy hand relaxed, the people have had a certain +opportunity to develop such spirit of enterprise as they +possessed.</p> + +<p>Porto Rico, in proportion to its size, is immensely<a name="Page_43" id="Page_43"></a> +wealthy. It is very doubtful if the Philippines can +equal it in richness, square foot for square foot.</p> + +<p>With the island in the possession of the United States +and with the abolishment of the differential duties in favor +of the Spanish government, its geographical position will +undoubtedly cause most of its commerce to flow to and +from the ports of the United States.</p> + +<p>There will be a market furnished for great quantities +of food products, textile fabrics, iron, steel and coal. +From the island the United States will chiefly receive +coffee, tobacco and sugar. Indeed it may be said that in +the line of coffee cultivation, the greatest development +of Porto Rico may be expected in the near future.</p> + +<p>Mr. John Beggs, whom we have quoted before, says +that Porto Rico is one of the finest pieces of property +on the earth's surface. May it prove so in the hands +of the United States!</p> + +<p>The soil of Porto Rico is of remarkable fertility. Its +dominant industries may be said to be agriculture and +lumbering.</p> + +<p>In the elevated regions, most of the vegetable productions +of the temperate zone can be grown.</p> + +<p>More than five hundred varieties of trees can be found +in the forests of the island, many of which are very +valuable, and the plains are full of palms, oranges and +other fruit-bearing trees. There are several very interesting +trees, especially a beautiful <i>Talauma</i>, with immense +white odorous flowers and silvery leaves. This +tree is exceedingly ornamental. It is used for lumber +and called Sabiuo. A <i>Kirtella</i> with crimson flowers is<a name="Page_44" id="Page_44"></a> +also rather common. A tree which is called Ortegon by +the natives is found at high altitudes, but chiefly near +the coast. It has immense purple spikes, more than a +yard long, and is very striking. It seems to be confined +to Porto Rico and Hayti. There are many varieties of +cabinet and dye woods, including mahogany, ebony, +lignum vitæ, cedar and logwood. Plants valuable in +the arts and pharmacy abound. Tropical fruits grow +everywhere to perfection.</p> + +<p>The chief products of Porto Rico, outside of lumber, +may be said to be sugar, coffee, tobacco, rice, honey +and wax, and these have greatly enriched the island, +making many of the people well-to-do.</p> + +<p>Sugarcane is cultivated on the fertile plains, yielding +three hogsheads on an average per acre without any +manure.</p> + +<p>An excellent grade of coffee is produced, and it does +not appear that as yet any blight has perceptibly affected +the shrubs.</p> + +<p>Rice is very commonly cultivated on the hills in the +Sierra. It must be a kind of mountain variety, as no +inundation or other kind of watering is used.</p> + +<p>Rice and plaintain are in fact the staple food of the +natives.</p> + +<p>Cotton and maize are also raised to a certain extent.</p> + +<p>There should in the future be an industry from the +manufacture of tannin extracts from the bark of Coccolala, +Rhizophora and the pods of various acacias, the +latter of which are a great nuisance on account of their +rapid growth.<a name="Page_45" id="Page_45"></a></p> + +<p>There are a long number of fruits on the island, such +as cherries, guava plums, juicy mangoes and bell apples.</p> + +<p>Edwin Emerson, Jr., a war correspondent, speaks of +some of the fruits as follows:</p> + +<p>"The most astonishing and the best of all was a fruit +called pulmo—in our language, sour-sap. It is about as +large as a quart bowl, and so nourishing and full that a +single fruit was enough for a good meal, although that +did not deter my horse from eating four. Later I found +that they are also relished by dogs. Of springs and +streams there were so many that I had no fear of dying +of thirst. If water was not handy, I could always climb +a cocoanut tree and throw down the green nuts, which +were filled with an abundance of watery milk, more +than I could drink at one time. Other nuts there were +in plenty; but many were more curious than edible, +even to my willing appetite. One had a delicious odor. +I tasted a little, and thought it ideal for flavoring candy. +But it soon dissolved in my mouth in a fine dust, absorbing +all the moisture, so that I had to blow it out +like flour. Nothing ever made me so thirsty in my life, +and even after rinsing out my mouth I felt for a long +time as if I were chewing punk or cotton. The fruit of +the tamarind only added to my torments by setting all +my teeth on edge. When we reached the next spring I +fell off my horse for fear he would get all the water. +Only after I had satisfied my thirst would I let him +drink."</p> + +<p>The poverty of the fauna and flora is remarkable, +there being scarcely any wild animals, birds or flowers.<a name="Page_46" id="Page_46"></a></p> + +<p>There is a great deficiency of what may be called +<i>native</i> animals of any sort.</p> + +<p>The most troublesome quadruped is the wild dog, +which chiefly attack pigs and other small domestic animals. +Mice are probably the greatest pest of the island, +but they are considerably kept down by their natural +enemies, the snakes. The latter not infrequently reach +a length of from six to nine feet. There are a good +many mosquitoes, but they are no worse than they are +in New Jersey. Numerous species of ants and bees exist +as well as fireflies. The latter occasionally fly in great +masses, producing beautiful effects in the tropical nights.</p> + +<p>It may be stated that, on the whole, Porto Rico is +singularly free from those noxious reptiles and insects +which seem to inherit the rest of the West Indies as +their peculiar possession.</p> + +<p>Immense pastures occupy a part of the lowland, and +feed large herds of cattle of an excellent quality. St. +Thomas and the French islands all obtain their butcher's +meat from Porto Rico. Even Barbadoes comes there for +cattle. Sheep always thrive in a hot country, and they +grow big and fat in Porto Rico. Fresh lamb and mutton +are constantly shipped from there. A very numerous +class of the people are shepherds, and these live upon +mutton and the kind of highland rice, already alluded +to, which is very easily prepared for food.</p> + +<p>Poultry is most abundant, and the seas and rivers are +full of the finest fish.</p> + +<p>Agriculture has hitherto been almost exclusively in +the hands of the natives, but most of the business and<a name="Page_47" id="Page_47"></a> +commerce have been controlled by foreigners and Spaniards +from the Peninsula.</p> + +<p>Although the island is certainly well developed agriculturally, +it certainly admits of considerable expansion +in this direction. Under a different political system, and +when it is freed from the oppressive and vexatious taxation, +Porto Rico will certainly become far more productive +and prosperous even than it is now.</p> + +<p>There is no question but that the island, richly endowed +as it is by Nature, has been miserably governed.</p> + +<p>But agriculture in the near future will certainly not +be the main industry of the island. For there are known +to be gold, copper, iron, zinc and coal mines, which +have never been developed. In fact, strange as it may +appear, none of these valuable mines is worked at all. +The vegetable productions have been considered so +valuable that in order to cultivate them the minerals +have been neglected. There are also extensive sponge +fields, which are very valuable, but which have not been +touched, owing to several causes, chiefly the lack of +capital. The same can also be said of the quarries of +white stone, granite and marble.</p> + +<p>Then there is the question of salt, which is sure to be +of importance. There are large quantities of salt obtained +from the lakes. Salt works have been established +at Guanica and Salinas, on the south coast, and at Cape +Rojo, on the west. This constitutes the principal mineral +industry of Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>Hot springs and mineral waters are found at Juan +Diaz, San Sebastian, San Lorenzo and Ponce, but the<a name="Page_48" id="Page_48"></a> +most famous are at Coamo, near the town of Santa Isabella.</p> + +<p>It is now interesting to see what the trade of Porto +Rico has been with other countries, and especially the +United States during recent years.</p> + +<p>A very large part of the island's trade has been carried +on with the United States, where corn, flour, salt-meat, +fish and lumber have been imported in return for +sugar, molasses and coffee.</p> + +<p>The natives are not a sea faring people, and care little +or nothing for ships of their own. Therefore, by far the +larger part of their trade with other countries has been +carried on by the means of foreign ships.</p> + +<p>Porto Rico has paid into the Spanish treasury about +4,000,000 pesos annually, which is equivalent to about +$800,000.</p> + +<p>In normal years, that is, when no war was going on, +the total value of imports into the island amounted to +about $8,000,000, and the exports to about $16,000,000.</p> + +<p>The latest Spanish statistics, that is, during 1896, +give the importations into Porto Rico as amounting to +$18,945,793, and the exports to $17,295,535.</p> + +<p>The average entrances of ships into the ports have +been 1919 vessels of an aggregate of 327,941 tons, of +which 544 of 81,966 tons were British. Articles of import +have been distributed by countries as follows:</p> + +<p>From Spain come wines, rice, oils, flour and textiles; +from England, machinery, textiles, salted provisions, +rice and coal; from France, a small amount of textiles, +some jewelry and perfumery, and some fine wines and<a name="Page_49" id="Page_49"></a> +liquors; from Italy, wines, vermicelli and rice; from +Germany, glass and porcelain wares, textiles, paper, +cheese, candied fruits, beer and liquors; from Holland, +cheese; from Cuba, rum, sugar and tobacco; from the +United States, petroleum, ironware, glassware, chemicals, +textiles, paper, lumber, barrels, machinery, carriages, +dried and salted meats, butter, grease, codfish, +flour, coal, fruits, vermicelli and cheese.</p> + +<p>A commercial arrangement was entered into between +the United States and Spain in 1895, in consequence of +which the following proclamation was issued by the +Spanish Government:</p> + + +<p class="head">PROCLAMATION:</p> + +<p>The executive is authorized to apply to the products +and manufactures of the United States which coming +from the ports of the United States be admitted into +the ports of Cuba and Porto Rico, the benefits of the +second column of the tariffs in said islands; provided +that the United States, in their turn apply their lowest +rates of duty to the products of the soil and of the industry +of Cuba and Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>This modus vivendi shall be in force until a permanent +commercial treaty between the two parties concerned +is concluded, or until one of them gives notice +to the other, three months in advance of the day on +which it wishes to put an end of it.</p> + +<p>Therefore, I command all the courts, justices, chiefs, +governors and other authorities, civil, military and +ecclesiastical, of all classes and dignities, to observe<a name="Page_50" id="Page_50"></a> +and cause to be observed, obeyed and executed this present +law in all its parts. Given in the palace, February 4, +1895. +<span style="margin-left: 8em;">I, the Queen Regent.</span></p> + +<p>Alejandro Groizard, Secretary of State.</p> + +<p>The above is translated from the Gaceta de Madrid of +February 6, 1895.</p> + +<p>This agreement, if so it can be called, is of course +now at an end. Hereafter Porto Rico will enjoy all the +privileges of a colony of the United States.</p> + +<p>But still it is interesting to note the duty on the leading +articles of export from the United States to Porto +Rico, as expressed in the second column of the Spanish +tariff.</p> + +<p>This was as follows:</p> + +<table summary="tarrif" +cellpadding="0" +cellspacing="0"> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, cornmeal, +oatmeal, barleymeal, ryemeal, per 100 +kilograms, gross,</td><td align="right"> $4 00</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Pork, per 100 kilograms, net</td><td align="right"> 9 90</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Beef and all other meats, per 100 kilograms, net</td><td align="right">6 50</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Sausage, per 100 kilograms, gross</td><td align="right">20</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Hay, per 100 kilograms, gross</td><td align="right">80</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Pig iron, per 100 kilograms, net</td><td align="right">50</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Bar iron, per 100 kilograms, net</td><td align="right">2 15</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Barb wire (for fencing), per 100 kilograms, net</td><td align="right">40</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Coal, per 100 kilograms, net</td><td align="right">60</td></tr> +<tr valign="bottom"><td>Patent medicines, including weight of container and wrapper</td><td align="right">35</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>One hundred kilograms amounts to something over +two hundred pounds.<a name="Page_51" id="Page_51"></a></p> + +<p>The people on the island are rather luxurious, so +much so that in one year five million dollars worth of +goods were carried there. These goods consisted principally +of manufactured products, such as clothing and +household wares.</p> + +<p>The principal exports from the United States have +been flour, pork, lard, lumber and shooks.</p> + +<p>But, of course, all this will be largely increased now +that Porto Rico is practically a portion of the United +States, and the increased commerce will be to the advantage +of both.</p> + +<p>During the five years from 1893 to 1897, the trade of +Porto Rico with the United States has been as follows:</p> + +<table summary="trade" +cellpadding="2" +cellspacing="2"> +<tr align="center"><td> </td><td> <br /> + Exports to<br /> + United <br /> + States:</td> +<td> Imports<br /> + from<br /> + United<br /> + States:</td></tr> +<tr align="right"><td>1893</td><td> $4,008,623</td><td> $2,510,007</td></tr> +<tr align="right"><td>1894</td><td>3,135,634</td><td>2,720,508</td></tr> +<tr align="right"><td>1895</td><td>1,506,512</td><td>1,833,544</td></tr> +<tr align="right"><td>1896</td><td>2,296,653</td><td>2,102,094</td></tr> +<tr align="right"><td>1897</td><td>2,181,024</td><td>1,988,888</td></tr> +</table> + + +<p>Whatever disadvantages Porto Rico may possess, and +when all is said and done, they are beyond question few, +it is certainly lovely enough and prolific enough to +make one forget them all.</p> + +<p>A writer in Ainslee's Magazine concludes his very +clever article as follows, and undoubtedly every word he +says is true:</p> + +<p>"Unfortunately for the development of Spanish countries +<a name="Page_52" id="Page_52"></a>the mental activity of the people is principally +manifested in an exuberant imagination which finds expression +in superlative and poetical language. If there +were any corresponding creative genius and executive +ability in material affairs such a fertile and well-watered +land as Puerto Rico would be the home of one of the +richest communities on the globe. By her situation she +is adapted to become the centre of a flourishing commerce +whose goods might be carried down dozens of +navigable rivers from the interior of the island. Under +a good government, with enterprising colonists, the +natural resources of the island, some of which have been +scarcely touched, would bring comfort and wealth to a +large population."<a name="Page_53" id="Page_53"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h3> + +<p class="head">MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.</p> + + +<p>Let us examine briefly in the first place what has +been the management of Porto Rico under Spanish rule, +or, rather, perhaps we should call it mismanagement, +for no one of Spain's colonies has ever been properly +directed.</p> + +<p>Porto Rico has been governed under a constitution +voted by the Spanish Cortes in 1869. The government +has been administered by a captain-general, assisted by +an administrative council appointed at Madrid.</p> + +<p>The revenue has been about four millions of dollars a +year, considerably more than half of which has been derived +from customs, and the rest from taxation, direct +and indirect.</p> + +<p>The captain-general was president of the superior tribunals +of justice and of the superior juntas of the capital; +but the fiscal administration had a special chief +called intendant. The supreme judicial power lay in a +royal <i>audience</i>. Justice was administered in the cities +and in the country by judges of the first instance and by +alcaldes. There were nine special tribunals: civil, +ecclesiastical, war, marine, artillery, engineers, administration, +probate and commerce.</p> + +<p>Ecclesiastical affairs were presided over by a bishop +chosen by the crown and approved by the pope.</p> + +<p>For administrative purposes the island and its dependencies +<a name="Page_54" id="Page_54"></a>were divided into nine districts: Porto Rico, +Bayamon, Arecibo, Aquadilla, Mayaguez, Ponce, +Humacoa, Guayama and Vieques.</p> + +<p>The Spanish administration in Porto Rico, although +not so bad as in other colonies, has, nevertheless, been +one of cruelty and oppression. The Spaniards, as will +be remembered, began by exterminating the native Indian +population in less than a century.</p> + +<p>There was not a branch of the administration which +was not conducted under a system of corruption. The +law was constantly violated by the Spaniards, and the +natives deprived of their rights.</p> + +<p>When elections took place the Spanish or Conservative +party always won, and this in spite of the fact that this +party was in a large minority. No more corrupt and +farcical elections have even been known to take +place.</p> + +<p>Such a thing as liberty of the press was utterly unknown. +Articles that had been printed in the Madrid +or other Spanish papers attacking the government could +not be reproduced in any Porto Rican papers, without +the editors being arrested and punished. And this +occurred even if the article in question had not been +considered as offering ground for the prosecution by the +authorities in Spain.</p> + +<p>The papers, by the way, were ridiculously inadequate +in every sense of the word. Only one attempt was ever +made to establish a magazine. This was about eleven +years ago. It was called the <i>Revista Puertorriquena</i> +and was intended "to carry the highest expression of<a name="Page_55" id="Page_55"></a> +our intellectual culture to all the people of Europe and +America where the magnificent Castilian language is +spoken."</p> + +<p>The magazine was conducted by a committee composed +of a director, two editors, "and other illustrious +persons" elected by the subscribers. The founder of the +magazine lamented that the "race of artists" who first +settled in Puerto Rico "were so overwhelmed by the +exuberant and pompous beauty of the tropics that the +natural means of artistic expression were exaggerated +to the detriment of ideas," and that the crying evil of +the periodical press of the island was "the abundance of +sonorous and high-sounding articles having nothing to +say to the understanding."</p> + +<p>The founder of the magazine was Don Manuel Juncos, +who is the author of several books of travel. He speaks +of the Brooklyn bridge as "a magic vision of the Thousand +and One Nights," while the smoke that rose from +myriads of New York chimneys "formed the holy and +blessed incense of a mighty and busy population, rising +directly up to God from the fecund altar of labor." In +the streets he was amazed at the "incessant avalanche +of men, all having the purpose of certain or probable +utility."</p> + +<p>No more than nineteen persons, under the old regime, +were allowed to meet in any place of the island, without +special permission from the government, and the mayor +of the town was obliged to attend the meetings to see +that nothing was said or done against "the integrity of +the nation."<a name="Page_56" id="Page_56"></a></p> + +<p>Licenses were required for everything, even for an +ordinary dancing party.</p> + +<p>The manner of life in the large towns of Porto Rico +is not dissimilar from that of European countries, with +the exception of some slight differences due to the heat +of the climate. The fashions for men and women alike +are imported, especially from Paris and London. Those +who are in comfortable circumstances dress just like +people in European countries. The men wear woolen +clothes all the year round. The young women dress +very elaborately and all wear hats, the Spanish mantilla +being adopted by elderly women only.</p> + +<p>In the small towns, men dress after the fashion of the +cities, except that their clothes are made of linen. +Woolen fabrics are uncomfortable, and they are considered +a luxury to be donned only on Sundays and holidays.</p> + +<p>Laborers and farm hands wear neither coats nor shoes. +They do not care to do so, in the first place, and, in the +second, they could not afford to, as their earnings are +very small.</p> + +<p>In San Juan the streets are rectangular and are closely +built with brick houses usually two or three stories, +stuccoed on the outside, and painted in different colors. +In one house live several families, and the degree of +rent, as well as of social position, rises with the height +of the floor above the ground.</p> + +<p>The lower floors, as a rule, are very dirty, and are +crowded in a most unhealthful way by negroes and the +servants of those who live above.<a name="Page_57" id="Page_57"></a></p> + +<p>Sanitary conditions, by the way, as in all Spanish +possessions, are the very worst possible, and much will +have to be done in this respect when the United States +takes permanent possession.</p> + +<p>There is one feature which strikes every foreigner, +and that is the roof gardens. In many parts of the +island, especially in the smaller towns, the whole population +enjoys itself at night on the housetops. The +houses are built a little off the ground, and they look +not unlike castles in the air which have been built for +pleasure rather than for living purposes.</p> + +<p>In all tropical countries people have the habit of +sleeping in the daytime, and do their shopping and +attend to their social duties in the evening. In Porto +Rico this custom is almost universal.</p> + +<p>Every man of any means is the possessor of two +houses, a town house and a country house. At carnival +times, or when any special celebration is going on, he +takes his family to town and brings them back again +when the sport is over.</p> + +<p>Poverty is almost unknown in Porto Rico, for almost +every man owns his horse and every woman is the possessor +of chickens. Horseback riding is an almost universal +pastime. There are many fine horses on the +island, and they are used daily by men and women.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants have but few wants which are not +satisfied by Nature without any effort on their part. They +lead a <i>dolce far niente</i> existence, swinging to and fro in +their hammocks all day long, smoking cigarettes and +strumming guitars.<a name="Page_58" id="Page_58"></a></p> + +<p>Life at San Juan and the other principal towns is +more or less monotonous, amusements being few. There +is a <i>retreta</i> or concert by the military bands twice a +week and theatrical performances three or four evenings +a week. Matinees are very seldom given. The theatres +are owned by the cities and rented to European and +American companies traveling through the island at so +much an evening.</p> + +<p>Unlike Cuba, there are no bull fights, but cock fighting +may be called the national sport, and is universally +indulged in. Game cocks are the greatest attraction of +the markets. Every Sunday there are public fights in +the cockpit, and these are invariably accompanied by +betting, often very large amounts being involved.</p> + +<p>Gambling, by the way, may be said to be universal. +Every one, from the rich planter down to the lowest +laborer and beggar, is given up to this vice, and will +squander away every dollar if the mood takes him.</p> + +<p>There is nothing but hospitality on the island. The +people are exceedingly polite to strangers, and the traveler +who offers money deeply offends his host.</p> + +<p>A curious feature of the streets is the milk delivery, +which is not unlike that prevailing in Cuba.</p> + +<p>This takes place before and during the noon, or breakfast, +hour, breakfast being taken here between 12 and 2 +o'clock. Sometimes the milk is still being sold at 4 or 5 +o'clock. The milkman drives from door to door from +one to four or five cows, each branded with a number +and usually one or more of them accompanied by a calf. +The driver cries his approach, and the customer fetches<a name="Page_59" id="Page_59"></a> +sends out a pan, pail, bottle, or cup, which he hands +to the milkman. The milkman puts into the receptacle +the quantity of milk paid for, which he induces the cow +to yield after the usual manner.</p> + +<p>Mr. W. G. Morrisey gives an interesting description +of how funerals are conducted in Porto Rico. He says +that when a native dies preparations are immediately +made for the burial.</p> + +<p>No women are allowed to attend the funeral and the +casket is carried on the shoulders of four natives. The +cemetery being reached, the remains are deposited in +one of the many vaults in the place, provided the sum +of four pesos per year is paid to the authorities. If this +sum is not forthcoming the corpse is placed in a corner +of the graveyard and left there to decay. Mr. Morrisey +said it was a common occurrence to see seven or eight +funerals pass by every day.</p> + +<p>Another thing that struck Mr. Morrisey was the railroad +that runs from Ponce to Playo. The train is made +up of an old-fashioned engine and three cars. There are +first, second and third class coaches, the only difference +between the first and second class being the seats in the +first class coach, which are cushioned. It is first class in +name only, and very few of the visitors and the better +class of natives use it, because of the fact that the +cushions are full of vermin. Everything seems to be +filthy, from the Hotel Ingleterra, which is considered +the best house in Ponce, to the most miserable of huts +on the outskirts of the city.</p> + +<p>Mr. Morrisey said that it is not a question of one place<a name="Page_60" id="Page_60"></a> +being cleaner than the other, but one place not being as +filthy as another.</p> + +<p>The facilities for lighting the city at night were investigated, +and it was found that very little light is +used. The stores are lighted with one or two incandescent +lights, which are put in by the managers of a +small electric light plant that has been in operation for +some time. Kerosene oil cannot be bought for less than +forty cents a pint, and consequently is not used to any +great extent. An ice plant has also been established in +Ponce, where they manufacture ice in small cakes about +the size of a brick. This sells at $1.50 per hundred-weight.</p> + +<p>There is no public school system, and a large number +of even the white population can neither read nor write. +The daughters of the well-to-do are sent to convents on +the island, while the sons go abroad to be educated. +Among this latter class there is considerable culture and +refinement, and most of them speak English.</p> + +<p>The women are of medium size, but exquisitely +formed. They have all the coquetry which is typical of +the women of the tropics, and no one who visits Porto +Rico can fail to be impressed with their beauty, delicacy +and grace.</p> + +<p>It has been affirmed that Porto Rico has been in the +past a perfect Mecca for fugitives from justice. At one +time no less than one hundred of this description were +traced there.</p> + +<p>It is really possible to live on very little money there, +and lives are prolonged to an incredible period. Fugitives +<a name="Page_61" id="Page_61"></a>therefore find it a haven in which to turn over a +new leaf and begin a better life.</p> + +<p>The Porto Ricans are naturally Roman Catholics and +are very devout.</p> + +<p>The manner of keeping Sunday would be apt to shock +our New Englanders of Puritan descent.</p> + +<p>A correspondent of the New York Sun, who was with +the army in Porto Rico speaks of this as follows:</p> + +<p>"Sunday at Ponce, if it continues as at present, will +add still further variety to the somewhat different observances +of the day which now characterize the territory +of the United States.</p> + +<p>"'To-morrow,' said a native last Saturday, 'to-morrow +I shall go to the theatre.'</p> + +<p>"'It's Sunday,' said his American soldier companion. +'You should be going to church.'</p> + +<p>"An elevation of the shoulders.</p> + +<p>"'The same thing,' said the native.</p> + +<p>"The show at the theatre that day, by the way, was +given by an American troupe that has been touring the +Indies.</p> + +<p>"There is, of course, nothing new in the custom in +Catholic countries of giving Sunday mornings to church +and Sunday afternoons to pleasure. In Ponce the merchants +are not willing to close their stores for the religious +observances of the day, but hold that it would be +wholly wrong to mar the hours of pleasure by business +attentions. The stores are all open Sunday mornings as +on other days, but shut tight Sunday afternoons. Vesper +services are all but unknown. There may be a change<a name="Page_62" id="Page_62"></a> +regarding services presently. The priests have not been +paid since the arrival of the American army. It was the +Spanish custom to pay them from the customs receipts. +Colonel Hill has refused to give them any money since +he has been in charge of the custom-house, and has told +them that hereafter their people will have to support +them voluntarily. What the people will say to this at +the start it is hard to guess. They may not wholly understand +it. Under existing laws they are taxed for the +support of the church. What their voluntary support of +it will be remains to be seen. Protestants have almost +a clear field for mission work here. The only Protestant +church on the island is at Ponce, and that was opened +on the Sunday after the Americans' arrival, for the first +time, it is said, in ten years.</p> + +<p>"The chief service at the cathedral is held at 9 o'clock +Sunday mornings, mass being said hourly from 5 o'clock +until then. At the 9 o'clock service many Americans +drift in. Even the Catholics among the soldiers who +have attended have appeared to drift in rather than go +with the purpose of doing their devotions. It may be +that there seemed something inconsistent in kneeling +before the altar with a row of cartridges girded around +the body. One man crept into the nave behind the seats, +took off his cartridge belt and laid it beside him, and, +kneeling, bowed his head very low, while he joined in +the prayers. When the service was over he carried the +war belt in his hand to the door and there stopped and +buckled it on. Fifty yards from the door a company of +the Nineteenth Infantry was encamped on guard duty in<a name="Page_63" id="Page_63"></a> +the principal public square, on one end of which the +cathedral stands.</p> + +<p>"While the services were going on late comers of the +native congregation edged their way in at the rear doors, +and, passing round the screen beneath the choir loft, +dropped to their knees on the marble floor, there remaining +until the close. Noticeable among these worshippers +were the old and widowed and the very poor. The last +recked little or not at all of the filthy floor, trailed with +dirt and spotted with tobacco juice. Some of the others +brought with them prayer rugs, even though they were +but ragged strips of carpeting."</p> + +<p>The same correspondent has also this to say about +the shops, which is interesting:</p> + +<p>"One of the things revealed by a shopping tour is +the absence from the shops of anything distinctly characteristic +of Porto Rico. The tourist has not made the +island a favorite stopping place, and the people seem to +prefer when buying anything not edible to buy foreign-made +articles. The only things that even bore a stamp +indicative of Porto Rico found by several hunters after +curios were fit relics of a Spanish city—case knives inscribed +"Viva Ponce." Fortunate seekers after mementoes +secured a few of the peculiar native musical instruments +called guiros. It is straining courtesy as well as +language to call them musical instruments, but they are +used by the natives to make what to the natives is music, +and one of them is included in each group of street or +cafe musicians. The instrument is a gourd shaped like +some of our long-necked squashes, hollowed out through<a name="Page_64" id="Page_64"></a> +two vents cut in one side, and the surface over half the +perimeter slashed or furrowed so as to offer a file-like +resistance to a metal trident, which is scraped over it +in time to the music made by the guitar, or whatever +other instrument or instruments make up the orchestra. +There are times when the result is suggestive of the +couchee-couchee music and scratching."</p> + +<p>For nearly three centuries slavery existed in Porto +Rico, but it was finally abolished by the Spanish Cortes +in March 1873.</p> + +<p>The New York Herald in its special correspondence +has much to say about the inhabitants that is of undoubted +interest, and from this article we have culled +considerable that follows. The article in question was +written after the virtual surrender of Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>These people have been accustomed to military rule +all their lives, and to withdraw it in toto and tell them +to go in and govern themselves is an experience which +many regard as dangerous. Of a race excitable, with +blood that courses quickly and with wrongs of many +years' standing, the natives are intoxicated with their +freedom. Their delirium has but one course—revenge—and +when the entire population is fully awake to the +opportunity offered there may come a break from all restraint, +and then it may be shown that the depletion of +our army was a blunder.</p> + +<p>Without the menace of the Spanish soldiery, without +the fear of the Church, and without the guiding hand of +a good American officer and wisely-located American +army of occupation, there may be trouble ahead.<a name="Page_65" id="Page_65"></a></p> + +<p>With the going of the soldiers comes the influx of +the mercantile classes. Salesmen are arriving in large +numbers and promoters and speculators abound. Everything +is being boosted from its former lethargic tropical +calm. Prices of commodities are rising. Land has +quadrupled in value in the owners' minds, and even the +street gamins now demand twenty-five cents American +money for a single button alleged to be cut from the +coat of a Spanish soldier, which they formerly had +trouble at disposing of at the rate of twelve and one-half +cents per dozen.</p> + +<p>These commercial avant couriers are bright, active +'hustlers,' who make the native nabobs gasp at their +breezy ways, but, all the same, these nabobs are pretty +shrewd persons and know how to buy closely.</p> + +<p>There is one thing the native merchants have to +learn, and that is to display their goods and wares. Not +a single show window exists, and if some enterprising +Yankee will just tear out the forbidding front of one of +these business houses, replace it with one on the showcase +style and set forth a dazzling array of merchandize, +arranged by the deft hand of the artistic window decorator, +there will be a revolution in trade in this place.</p> + +<p>Another portion of the business life to be renovated +is the sugar industry. The crudest system exists for the +transformation of the juice of the cane into the saccharine +crystals of commerce. Machinery so ponderous that +it requires a volume of steam all out of proportion to the +energy actually needed, and wasteful methods in the +extraction of the syrup residue after crystallization,<a name="Page_66" id="Page_66"></a> +obtain. Yankee machinery, coupled with Yankee push, +will cause a wonderful difference in the cost of the finished +product.</p> + +<p>"At the same time the manner of herding the hangs +on these huge plantations must surely be changed. Such +conditions exist in the quarters that a mere recital +would be unprintable, and from an examination I made +of the quarters of a very large estate I came away ill +mentally and physically."</p> + +<p>Members of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty +to Animals have a great field before them in this island. +The inhabitants are the most cruel in their handling of +beasts of burden and, in fact, of all living creatures below +the grade of mankind that could be imagined.</p> + +<p>Oxen and bulls furnish the principal means of merchandise +transportation. They are yoked together with +a huge horn rising upon the neck just back of the horns +and held in place by bandages around the forehead. The +driver carries a goad about five feet in length, in the +end of which is inserted a sharp steel point about one +inch long. This is used so freely that it is common to +see streams of blood running down the sides of the poor +maltreated beasts. Not satisfied with using the sharp +end, the inhuman drivers frequently deliver terrific +blows with the butt across the tender noses of their +charges.</p> + +<p>Many an American soldier has knocked down these +cruel drivers for their abuse of the patient beasts, but +the drivers do not improve with the thrashing. The +American military authorities have imported several<a name="Page_67" id="Page_67"></a> +American yokes and an effort is to be made to compel +their use instead of the timber of torture which now +obtains.</p> + +<p>An author of the last century has this to say about +the Porto Ricans:</p> + +<p>"They are well proportioned and delicately organized; +at the same time they lack vigor, are slow and indolent, +possess vivid imaginations, are vain and inconstant, +though hospitable to strangers, and ardent lovers of +liberty."</p> + +<p>Referring to the mixture of races, the same author +continues:</p> + +<p>"From this variety of mixture has resulted a character +equivocal and ambiguous, but peculiarly Porto +Rican. The heat of the climate has made them lazy, to +which end also the fertility of the soil has conduced; +the solitary life of the country residents has rendered +them morose and disputatious."</p> + +<p>A writer of more recent times declares that they are +"affable, generous, hospitable to a fault, loyal to their +sovereign, and will to the last gasp defend their island +from invasion. The fair sex are sweet and amiable, +faithful as wives, loving as sisters, sweethearts and +daughters, ornaments to any society, tasteful in dress, +graceful in deportment, and elegant in carriage. In fact, +visitors from old Spain have frequently remarked their +resemblance to the <i>doncellas</i> of Cadiz, who are world-renowned +for their grace and loveliness."</p> + +<p>"The truth is that they all have the Spanish <i>cortesia</i>," +says Frederick A. Ober, in the Century Magazine, +<a name="Page_68" id="Page_68"></a>when commenting upon the above opinions, "and +are more like the polite Andalusians of the south of +Spain than the boorish Catalans of the northeast. Even +the lowliest laborer, unless he be one of the four hundred +thousand illiterates, signs his name with a <i>rubrica</i>, +or elaborate flourish and styles himself 'Don,' after +the manner of the Spanish grandees, and the humblest +innkeeper, when receipting a bill, will admit he 'avails +himself with intense pleasure of this occasion for offering +to such a distinguished gentleman the assurance of +his most distinguished consideration!'</p> + +<p>"This need not imply affectation, nor even insincerity, +but merely a different conception of the social amenities +from that of the all-conquering American, who, it is to +be hoped, will not treat this foible with the contempt +which, in his superior wisdom, he may think it merits."<a name="Page_69" id="Page_69"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h3> + +<p class="head">THE DAWN OF FREEDOM.</p> + + +<p>When the United States declared war against Spain +for the purpose of freeing Cuba from Spanish misrule +under which she had suffered for so long, and also with +the desire to avenge the dastardly blowing up of the +Maine, but little or no thought was given to Porto Rico. +That island was an unknown quantity, but still one +which was destined to play a considerable part in the +near future.</p> + +<p>This was in the natural sequence of events. After the +terrible havoc wrought by our navy at Manila and at +Santiago de Cuba, attention was turned toward Porto +Rico.</p> + +<p>The feeling became widespread throughout the United +States that the war would fail in its object if Spain were +not driven from the possession of all her colonies in the +West Indies. Even those who in the beginning thought +that the war was unnecessary, gradually came round to +this point of view. It was quite sure that the expulsion +of Spain from the western hemisphere would prevent +the provoking of another war of the same character, and +this desirable result could not be achieved so long as +Spanish rule was maintained in any part of the West +Indies.</p> + +<p>The demand for the freeing of Cuba, the possession of<a name="Page_70" id="Page_70"></a> +Porto Rico, as well as a protectorate over the Philippines, +was just, and the nation demanded it.</p> + +<p>The Boston Herald aptly remarked:</p> + +<p>"This may well stand in the place of any exaction of +money. The United States is much too rich to desire to +compel money payment from an exhausted and practically +beggared nationality. Such a course would be belittling +the war in the eyes of the nations of the world, +and it is not at all in accordance with ideas of our own +national dignity. Here is the substantial concession of +Spain, and it involves all and more than all for which +the war was declared."</p> + +<p>The invasion of Porto Rico was not commenced until +after the result of the war had been definitely decided.</p> + +<p>But the Spaniards with that unfailing belief in +"manana" (to-morrow) behaved like true Orientals, as +they are in part, and acted as if time gained was half-way +toward victory. With scarcely an exception, they +are all indolent and fatalists.</p> + +<p>The prime minister, Senor Sagasta, put off everything +with that word which has proved so fatal to Spain, +which undoubtedly precipitated the war, and which was +at the bottom of all Senor Sagasta's policy—"manana."</p> + +<p>It is related that one day in the Cortes, a deputy criticized +the idleness and indolence of Senor Sagasta, and +the latter replied:</p> + +<p>"<i>A nadie le ha sucedido nado por no hacer nada.</i>"</p> + +<p>A free translation of this is: "Nothing happens to +him who does nothing."</p> + +<p>Both Sagasta and the Spaniards have doubtless found<a name="Page_71" id="Page_71"></a> +out by this time the falsity of the saying. To show the +feeling prevailing in Spain, it may be well to quote a +Madrid corresponded of the London Times:</p> + +<p>"Though peace is regarded as assured, it may not be +attained so quickly as is generally expected. Senor +Sagasta objects to be hustled, and insists upon everything +being done in a quiet, orderly and dignified manner. +He considers it necessary to have full and satisfactory +explanations as to all doubtful points, in order to +enable him best to protect the national interests against +the aggressive tendencies of the Washington Cabinet.</p> + +<p>"He has also to examine very minutely the exigencies +of the internal situation and home politics, so as to +avoid popular dissatisfaction and political unrest. The +Spanish people, though sincerely desirous of peace, are +disposed to admire this hesitancy and tenacious holding +out till the last, although aware that it implies greater +sacrifices.</p> + +<p>"As an illustration of this feeling, while General +Toral is blamed for capitulating at Santiago, Captain-General +Augustin, in continuing a hopeless resistance +at Manila, bids fair to be a popular hero."</p> + +<p>About this time, before any attack by the Americans, +Macias, captain-general of Porto Rico, discovered a conspiracy, +which if it had not been quickly checked would +have placed the island in a state of insurrection.</p> + +<p>Eduardo Baselge and Danian Castillo, both prominent +Porto Ricans, were active leaders in the incipient insurrection.</p> + +<p>The Spanish postal authorities discovered the <a name="Page_72" id="Page_72"></a>conspiracy +through a letter written by Castillo to Baselga. +General Macias was informed of this discovery, and a +quiet investigation disclosed the fact that there were +involved in it all of the most prominent residents of the +city of San Juan, both native and foreign.</p> + +<p>The headquarters of the conspirators were located +and a quantity of dynamite, arms and provisions was +found.</p> + +<p>It was the intention of the leaders, after their plans +had been perfected, to give wide publication to a proclamation +calling upon all native and patriotic Porto +Ricans who hold liberty dearer than life, to join them +and accomplish the overthrow of the Spanish government +and the death of the governor and his officials. +The plans of the conspirators were so carefully laid that +had it not been for the accidental discovery of Castillo's +letter, they would unquestionably have been carried out.</p> + +<p>The discovery of the conspiracy occurred about the +time of the visit to Washington of Dr. J. J. Henna and +Ramon Todd, both prominent Porto Ricans, of whom +we have had occasion to speak before, and whose purpose +in going there was to hold a conference with President +McKinley relative to the establishment of a provisional +United States government in the island after the +Spaniards had been driven out.</p> + +<p>Within twenty-four hours after the arrest the two +leaders, Baselga and Castillo, were shot.</p> + +<p>The residents became very much excited over the +affair, and feeling against the Spanish officials ran high.</p> + +<p>From the very beginning the real Porto Ricans, as we<a name="Page_73" id="Page_73"></a> +shall see hereafter, were in favor of the Americans. +The Spaniards, however, were most bitter, and as +had been the case in Havana and Manila, kept up an +absurd show of superior strength. This is well manifested +by a proclamation which, signed by Jose Reyes, +Celestins Dominguez and Genara Cautino, was issued +to the people of Guayama on May 20, 1898. As one of +the curiosities of the war, it can only be compared to +the celebrated and laughable manifesto which Captain-General +Augustin issued at Manila just before the appearance +of Admiral Dewey's fleet.</p> + +<p>The Porto Rican proclamation ran as follows:</p> + +<p class="top5">"To the people of Guayama. Hurra for Spain!</p> + +<p>"A nation that is our enemy, by its history, by its +race, and because she is the principal cause of our misfortunes +in Cuba, having fomented in this island that +is our sister a war in which she supplied all kinds of resources, +taking away at last the mask with which she +concealed her fictitious friendship, has excited us to-day +to vowed war.</p> + +<p>"There is a deep abyss between the manner of being +of that people and ours, which established antagonism +that we should never be able to remove. Our sonorous +language, our habits, the religion of our ancestors, and +our necessities are conditions of our life so different from +those of that race, so opposite to those of that people, +that we are frightened in thinking that we should be +constrained to accept a manner of being that is repugnant +to our origin, our heart and our feelings. We are a +<a name="Page_74" id="Page_74"></a>people entirely Spanish, and we were born to a civilized +life under a flag that was, and we hope ever will be, that +of our wives and children. For four hundred years the +warmth of the mother of our native country has given +life to our organisms, ideas to our brains, majestic +thoughts to our souls, and generous undertakings to +our hearts, and in those four centuries the glories of the +Spanish house have been our glories, her gayeties our +gayeties, and her misfortunes our own misfortunes.</p> + +<p>"We have been full of haughtiness when, being considered +as the Conqueror's sons, we know that we had +participation in the heroic actions of our brothers, and +that the laurels with which they crowned their hero's +front were also our laurels. When in tranquil hours +we heard in our hearths our predecessors' epopee, describing +as superfluously exact their achievements; +giving them lively color that always inspires our tropical +fancy, our nerves felt the thrill produced by enthusiasm; +at those moments, our being all affected, our +breast with its strong aspirations and our fiery tears +rolling down the cheeks reminded us, obliging the cords +of patriotism to vibrate, that we were Spaniards, and +we neither could nor would like any other thing than +to remain Spaniards.</p> + +<p>"As if it could be that the country of Sergeant Diaz, +of Andino, and Vascarrondo's, and all those conspicuous +countrymen that irrigated with their blood Martin +Pena and Rio Piedras camps could measure either the +vigor or the haughtiness of an enemy who has not yet +exhibited his face after so many ostentatious and angry +<a name="Page_75" id="Page_75"></a>vociferations. No! and thousand times no! The light +fishermen of Porto Rico's shores, merchants, lawyers, +musicians, mechanics, journeymen, all persons who +may have strength to grasp a gun must ask for it. All +united, with a solid front we shall go to intercept the +invader. Behind us and as a reserve legion will come +down from the highlands like a raging storm, if it is +necessary, the <i>jibaros</i>, our fields' brothers, the most +accomplished exemplar of abstinence, probity and bravery; +the same that formed the urban militia; the same +that were sent to Santo Domingo to defend gentile +honor; they, who in number of more than 16,000, covered +the plains of the north shore of the island, and +compelled the Englishmen in 1797 to re-embark hastily, +leaving their horses and artillery park.</p> + +<p>"Porto Ricans! the moment is rising when not a single +man of this country gives a step backwards, as it is +said commonly; the hour of organizing ourselves for +defense is sounded. The Spanish lion has shaken his +dishevelled mane, and our duties calls us around him. +Our temper is to fight, and we shall fight. Our fate is to +overpower, and we shall overpower. Honor imposes +upon us the obligation of saving home, and we shall +save it in this land of our loves. Before North American +people carry their boldness so far as to tread our sea-coasts +it is necessary that we must be ready to receive +them; that they may find in every Porto Rican an inexorable +enemy, in every heart a rock, in each arm a +weapon to drive them away; that that people feels +that here it is detested intensely, and that Porto Rica's +<a name="Page_76" id="Page_76"></a>spirit is Spanish, and she will ever be so; therefore, +inhabitants of Guayama, we invite you for a meeting at +the Town House next Tuesday and offer our kind offices +to the government, who will give us arms.</p> + +<p>"It would be unworthy of our so gentle history, we +should deny our blood, if in these moments of struggle +we should endure indifferently. Let our enemies know +that we are a brave people, and that if we are soft in +peace days, we are also fit for war chances; that all his +command, all his pride, and all his arrogance may fall +out with a wall composed of all Porto Rican breasts."</p> + +<p>In the light of ulterior and posterior events, this +document is really as comical as anything in opera-bouffe.</p> + +<p>"We have no means of knowing," says the New +York Sun, in commenting upon this precious effusion, +"whether Senor Jose Reyes, Senor Celestino Dominguez +and Senor Genaro Cautino actually grasped +their guns and immolated themselves upon the altar of +four centuries and in the presence of the ostentatious +and vociferous invader; or whether they prudently +joined the light fishermen, merchants, lawyers, musicians +and <i>jibaros</i> of Porto Rico, to whom they had +vainly appealed in the name of Spain in yelling themselves +hoarse as the Stars and Stripes went up in town +after town. Perhaps they took the latter course. Perhaps +they will turn out good Americans. In Porto +Rico, as elsewhere, times change, and men's minds +change with the changes of time and destiny."<a name="Page_77" id="Page_77"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h3> + +<p class="head">NAVAL LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE WAR.</p> + + +<p>After the remarkable victory at Santiago de Cuba, +where Admiral Cervera's fleet, which attempted to steal +out of the harbor, with the loss of but one man on the +American side, Admiral Sampson, with a portion of his +fleet, proceeded to San Juan in Porto Rico. This city he +bombarded, directing his principal fire against Morro +Castle.</p> + +<p>What followed bears strong testimony to the remarkable +gunnery of our "jackies."</p> + +<p>Morro Castle and the buildings on the high ground +in its rear were simply riddled. Great holes were in +places blown out by our large shells and the walls were +pitted by the hail of the smaller ones.</p> + +<p>There was one entire building which was blown to +pieces, and a whole section of the Cuartel was laid in +ruins. To be sure, many of our shells were wasted in +the sea wall, but this is not to be wondered at, as the +parapet had embrasures for guns, and from where our +ships were lying, these would naturally be mistaken for +a sea battery.</p> + +<p>Neither in Morro Castle nor in the more pretentious +fortifications known as San Cristobal, were there any +great number of modern guns. There were a few Krupp +guns, but the remainder consisted of muzzleloaders of +an ancient pattern; most of the latter were mounted<a name="Page_78" id="Page_78"></a> +upon parapets of masonry. It may be said that the defences +of San Juan were opposed to every theory of +modern military science. The defenses might have been +considered impregnable some fifty years or so ago, but +to-day they are by no means formidable.</p> + +<p>Our marvelous naval victories have taught a lesson to +the entire world, and America to-day stands stronger +than she ever did before. In fact, there is not a nation +that does not respect us and fear us, which possibly +could not have been said before the American-Spanish +war. Prior to that, it was rather the fashion to sneer at +the Yankee army and navy, but that will never be done +again.</p> + +<p>Foreign nations know now what the United States +really is.</p> + +<p>"Dewey's and Sampson's victories must be very depressing +to French, German and Russian naval aspirations," +observes a gentleman of Washington, who is a +most competent authority. "For years they have been +measuring up against England, and quietly calculating +what combinations they could make to overthrow British +sea power. France, particularly, has been building +a navy which she hoped, in spite of past experience, +might cope with England's. She has spent immense +sums upon it, and relative to the interests it has to +guard, it is larger and stronger than England's. But +Spain's experience reiterates the old story that it is not +so much the ships as the men on them who win victories. +Had the Americans been on Spanish ships and +the Spanish on the American there would have been a<a name="Page_79" id="Page_79"></a> +very different story to tell. While the French are very +superior to the Spanish, they are of the same Latin +blood, and there is just enough similiarity between the +two peoples to hint at the success French ships would +have in encountering with Anglo-Saxons, either sailing +under the Star Spangled Banner or the Cross of St. +George. Germany is likely to have the same sort of a +chill. The Gentians have never been a maritime nation. +A German war vessel has never fired a hostile shot, and +Germans may well have solicitous thoughts as to the +result of a struggle with men who have shown themselves +past masters in the art of naval warfare. Russia is +in the same situation. She has never actually fought +anybody at sea but the Turks. The wiser among these +peoples are very likely to begin thinking that their +dreams of sea power are vain illusions, and that they +had better save the money they have been spending on +navies and resign the dominion of the sea to the English-speaking +races."</p> + +<p>There is no doubt that our naval victories have +taught many and valuable lessons, and it is perhaps +proper to make a slight digression here and show what +some of these lessons are.</p> + +<p>Let us then consider the deliberations of a board of +naval officers, some of the ablest experts in the service, +appointed by Admiral Sampson, after the battle of Santiago +de Cuba, to report upon the condition of Cervera's +sunken fleet, the extent of damages done by American +shells and the lessons to be learned therefrom to guide +the United States in its future ship construction.<a name="Page_80" id="Page_80"></a></p> + +<p>The conclusions reached by the board were as follows:</p> + +<p>The use of wood in the construction and equipment of +war ships should be reduced to the utmost minimum +possible.</p> + +<p>Loaded torpedoes above the water line are a serious +menace to the vessels carrying them, and they should not +be so carried by vessels other than torpedo boats.</p> + +<p>The value of rapid-fire batteries cannot be too highly +estimated.</p> + +<p>All water and steam pipes should be laid beneath the +protective deck and below the water line and fitted +with risers at such points as may be considered necessary.</p> + +<p>The board also found that the ships Infanta Maria +Teresa, Almirante Oquendo and Viscaya were destroyed +by conflagration, caused by the explosion of shells in +the interior, which set fire to the woodwork. The upper +deck and all other woodwork on their ships was entirely +consumed except the extremities. This shows the importance +of fireproofing all woodwork on board ships.</p> + +<p>Many of the guns on board the burned ships were +found loaded at the time of the board's visit, indicating +the haste with which the crews were driven from the +guns.</p> + +<p>With talks with experts the following was developed +as to what the war showed:</p> + +<p>First—That the gun is still the dominating factor in +war.</p> + +<p>Second—That rapid-fire guns are especially valuable, +but that it is advisable to retain guns of large calibres.<a name="Page_81" id="Page_81"></a></p> + +<p>Third—That smokeless powder is absolutely essential +for modern warfare.</p> + +<p>Fourth—That there should be a great reduction in the +amount of woodwork on board ship and that that left on +board should be fireproof, some going so far as to say +that woodwork should be eliminated entirely, its place +to be taken by some other substance.</p> + +<p>Fifth—That armor should be distributed over the entire +ship rather than be limited to the section where its +vitals are located.</p> + +<p>Sixth—That monitors are useless for cruising purposes +or for fighting in rough waters.</p> + +<p>Seventh—That the United States should have a larger +navy, with speedier battleships and fast armored +cruisers, and with coaling stations in different sections +of the globe, where men-of-war can procure supplies +and make repairs if necessary.</p> + +<p>Captain Charles O'Neil, chief of the bureau of +ordnance, gave his opinion as follows:</p> + +<p>"I do not think the battle off Santiago de Cuba demonstrated +that we should abandon the heavy calibres of +guns. Serious injury to an enemy's thickly-armored +battleships can be inflicted only by large-calibre guns.</p> + +<p>"It is possible that with rapid-fire guns you may +shoot away the lightly armored superstructure, but as +long as the vitals are protected and the turret armor is +intact the guns in the turret will be able to do execution, +and large-calibred guns will be necessary to perforate +the armor and disable those weapons. Even with +her 12-inch guns the Texas can fire at the rate of one<a name="Page_82" id="Page_82"></a> +round per minute, and this record is as good as that +made by any foreign ships. Rapid fire consists in good +facilities for handling ammunition and loading the gun +with a quick working breech mechanism.</p> + +<p>"We are now building at the Washington gun factory +an experimental 6-inch rapid-fire gun, different from +the rapid-fire guns we have now in service, which are +supplied with what is termed fixed ammunition. The +powder and projectile to be used in the experimental +gun will be separate, and two operations consequently +will have to be employed in loading. This can be done +so quickly that it is expected that a very rapid fire will +be obtained.</p> + +<p>"It is the policy of the Department to have our ships +a little ahead of those of any other nation, to have +them equipped with armor of greater resistive power, +and guns capable of doing more execution. The 13-inch +gun, as at present designed, is a more destructive gun +than a 12-inch ordinarily, and its energy is very much +greater, the result naturally being that it has superior +armor-piercing powers.</p> + +<p>"I think we should keep the 13-inch gun on board of +our battleships. On account of the light armor which +protected the Spanish men-of-war, it is difficult to compare +the ships and the effect of their fire, or to draw +conclusions. We would have learned more if the Spanish +fleet had been made up of battleships, and the fire +of their gunners had been more accurate. As it is, the +value of the secondary battery was certainly demonstrated.<a name="Page_83" id="Page_83"></a></p> + +<p>"The necessity of eliminating wood to the greatest +extent possible and fireproofing what remains, was +shown by the destruction of the Spanish men-of-war. +Fire mains should be kept below the protective deck. +The battle proved that ships moving rapidly can attack +other vessels also under way and inflict serious injury.</p> + +<p>"The excellent gunnery of the American sailors is +entirely due to the practice which they had undergone, +but the target fired at was stationary, while their ship +was moving. The conditions were different in action. +The Spanish were under way, yet the American gunners +fired as well as if they were merely practising."</p> + +<p>The New York Herald speaks as follows of our naval +victories:</p> + +<p>"Ramming, that expedient of despair, was not attempted. +Torpedoing, despite the opportunities afforded, +was estopped by the quick service of rapid-fire guns on +board an inferior but superbly handled construction, +and that final effort, a 'charge through,' was never +allowed to challenge the combined energies of our fleet. +If audacity could have merited success, these Spaniards +deserved much, but here the marrow of the war +proverb was not with them.</p> + +<p>"Pitted against similar ships, even in superior numbers, +some of the fleeing cruisers might have slipped +seaward in hot haste for the breaking of the Havana +blockade. Failing that, all might have concentrated an +assault upon certain selected vessels and found consolation +for final defeat in the foundering hulls of their +enemy. But audacity did not count, individual bravery<a name="Page_84" id="Page_84"></a> +went for naught; because, while heavier constructions +barred the way, and superior guns smashed the pathways +of escape, energized skill overcame untrained courage +and patient discipline crushed unorganized effort.</p> + +<p>"The battleships not only fought the armored cruisers +in a long, stern chase down the shore, but destroying as +they ran, finally forced them blazing in their own wrecks +upon a hostile coast. The torpedo boat destroyers engaged +single handed by the Gloucester succumbed so +quickly to inferior armament and speed that their value +in a day attack, or, indeed, their value at any time save +as weapons of surprise, need no longer be reckoned +with. This will be a rude awakening to the zealots +who had seen in this weapon the downfall of the ship of +the fighting line, but it will be a heart-cheering confirmation +to the loyal seamen who in season and out +have never ceased to proclaim that the integrity of sea +nations rests on battleships and the well-served guns of +a fleet."</p> + +<p>"I think sometimes if it had not been for the work of +the Oregon the Colon might have got away," was the +statement made by an admiral on the retired list. "I +am not sure that the Brooklyn, with all her speed, could +have stopped the Colon, but I think it quite likely that +the New York would have finally overtaken the Colon +and stopped her."</p> + +<p>More emphasis was laid upon the speed of the Oregon +and the closeness of her position than upon her 13-inch +shells, one of which played such havoc. The admiral +was not seemingly impressed with the difference in<a name="Page_85" id="Page_85"></a> +effectiveness between the guns of large and small calibre, +but continued to lay stress on the admirable speed of +the Oregon.</p> + +<p>"But," he continued, "the war has proved nothing +so far as the navy is concerned. The Spaniards showed +no enterprise. If we had come up against the navy of +England there would have been some basis for a conclusion, +but shooting in the air, as the Spaniards did, +proves nothing. They had a fine fleet, with most modern +equipment, and yet they could kill only one man in the +whole encounter."</p> + +<p>Admiral Sir George Elliot, of the British Navy, considers +that at least five important lessons have been +taught by the war. His opinions are as follows:</p> + +<p>"First, in state of peace be fully prepared for war in +every respect; second, the value of adequately-protected +coaling stations; third, the value of superior speed for +the cruiser class, and especially for the more weakly-armored +vessels; fourth, the naval defense of seaports +by gunboats and the raising of the naval volunteer +corps as an integral portion of the naval reserve forces; +fifth, that great importance be attached to a steady gun +platform for quick-firing guns, looking to the small +number of hits compared with numerous shots fired.</p> + +<p>"In this connection," said Sir George Elliot, "I +am informed that the Americans are likely to adopt +Captain Hodgett's form of bottom for their new ships, +which must give greater steadiness than bilge keels."</p> + +<p>Admiral Sir Henry Nicholson, who was captain of +the Temeraire at the bombardment of Alexandria, and<a name="Page_86" id="Page_86"></a> +has since been commander in chief at the Cape of Good +Hope and at the Nore, has spoken thus:</p> + +<p>"This war has taught us nothing. The state of the +Spanish navy has been for years so hopelessly rotten +that when the moment for action arrived its military +value was nil. The Spanish gunners hardly seem to have +got a hit in on any American ship. Nothing is taught +us as to the relative value of the belt or deck armor."</p> + +<p>As regards ships versus forts, he said:</p> + +<p>"The Spanish forts seem to have been, probably from +various reasons, as inefficient as their ships. Both the +Spaniards and the Americans in their use of torpedo +craft have shown very remarkable absence of dash. +Practically neither side has made any use of this +dreaded arm."</p> + +<p>Captain Montagu Burrow, who is professor of modern +history at the University of Oxford, had this opinion +to offer:</p> + +<p>"There are no new lessons to be learned, but only +confirmation of some that are very old. The state of +unreadiness in Spain when the war suddenly broke out +might, from the unfortunate circumstances of that +country, have been expected, but if the United States +had had to deal with a Power anything like its own +strength it would have found its own position intensely +difficult. The war will probably have the effect of inducing +their government to keep up a standing army +and navy of a very superior kind to that of their present +system. The recent warning of their admirable writer, +Captain Mahau, will now have a chance of being<a name="Page_87" id="Page_87"></a> +listened to, but the Americans have only to expand +what is already proved to be good. The training of +their officers and men must have been of a superior kind +to enable them to handle their ships and point their +guns with such excellent effect. It was at one time considered +doubtful whether modern guns could be as accurately +fired at great distances as the old armament at +shorter ranges, but they were laid quite as accurately, +and were far more destructive."</p> + +<p>As the New York Herald declared at the time, the +United States had now attained their majority. They +were now of age, and their voice must be heard in the +council of nations.</p> + +<p>There were misgivings all over Europe, especially in +Germany and France, old and bitter foes though they +are.</p> + +<p>A prominent Parisian thus summed up these misgivings:</p> + +<p>"The young American giant," he said, "is only trying +his strength on Spain, but what if he should use it +against us?"<a name="Page_88" id="Page_88"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h3> + +<p class="head">WHAT OUR ARMY ACHIEVED.</p> + + +<p>Now to turn from the navy to the army, and see what +the latter achieved in Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>On July 21, 1898, General Miles sailed from Guantanamo +Bay with a force of 3,415 men. General Wilson +had sailed the day before from Charleston with 4,000 +men, and General Schwan and his command sailed from +Port Tampa two days later.</p> + +<p>The entire army of invasion numbered about eleven +thousand men.</p> + +<p>The hardships on the transports were very great.</p> + +<p>The Massachusetts carried three troops of cavalry +from New York and Pennsylvania to Porto Rico and the +events of the voyage have been thus narrated by an eye-witness:</p> + +<p>"With the penetrating of the tropics come days of +languor and nights of inactivity so delicious it seems +profanation to move. More than one thousand men, who +boarded the Massachusetts with the vigor of the North +in their veins, have succumbed, one by one, to the +lethargy of the soft breeze of the Bahamas.</p> + +<p>But an awakening is at hand. Pumps that have been +running steadily day and night slow down and stop. +Troopers had become so accustomed to the quick beating +of the smaller machines that the cessation of throbs +between the slower pulsations of the heavier engines is<a name="Page_89" id="Page_89"></a> +noticed instantly. A quick inquiry as to the cause +brings the answer from one less well-informed: "Only +the water pumps broken down." That is all, only eleven +hundred parched horses awaiting the answer to the +bugle call they had learned so well—"Water horses!"—which +sounded at the moment of the fatal break in the +pumps. Only a transport carrying ten hundred and +thirty men, and no means of extinguishing a fire!</p> + +<p>Twenty minutes; one-half hour, and Captain Read, +who has gone down into "the hole," asks for five Troop +A men. "No hurry," so the order said. Somebody +knew better, and the troopers go, hand over hand, down +into the ship's hold. A few bales of hay come up and +over the side of the ship, and sizzle as they strike the +water. The troopers nurse a few burned fingers, and +Captain Read reappears on deck, smoked, wet with perspiration, +and makes his usual answer to a question, +"What's the trouble?" with "Nothing at all." But +five men of Troop A and Captain Read knows that a +dangerous fire has been extinguished for the third time +in one day with men's bare hands.</p> + +<p>"Three-quarters of an hour, and no sound from the engine-room, +except the steady throb of the propeller.</p> + +<p>"'Thirty men from Troop A, thirty men from City +Troop, and thirty men from Troop C!' and ninety men +in three squads silently are lined around that entrance +to Hades—the hole. 'Another fire,' was the quick +alarm, but it was worse than that. 'Water! water! +water!" the cry comes from the sunken eyes that look +pleadingly at men; from harsh breathing; from parched<a name="Page_90" id="Page_90"></a> +throats; from hanging heads of eleven hundred horses +and mules that had not been watered since receiving a +scant quart eighteen hours before. 'Let's see,' said the +United States cavalrymen, quietly, 'the pumps are +hopeless, but we can draw up one bucketful every minute +from the hold aft, and one every minute from the forward +hatch. We ought to water all in ten hours. Form +lines and water solid. The horse you skip will be dead +in the morning.'</p> + +<p>"The horses stand with swollen legs far apart, instinctively +to prevent a fall. Once down, they know +they never can get up. Their heads hang low and their +breathing comes in a whistle from parched lungs +through a long, dry throat and dusty mouth. There is +an occasional form in the black galleys. It is some +trooper, his big arms around the neck of his beloved +dying mount, with tears in his eyes, but petting and +talking to the animal as if it understood. Then ropes +over blocks begin to draw buckets of water from sixty +feet below. Immediately each horse or mule has its +draught, it is bathed in perspiration, and skin dry and +shriveled becomes soft and pliable. One can feel in the +dark, whether a horse has been missed or not.</p> + +<p>"There is a delay and an anxious inquiry from above: +'What's the matter?' 'Haul away,' is the response, and +the bucket comes heavy this time. Oh, it's only a man, +stark naked, fainting, with a rope beneath his arms, +and head away to one side. 'Hospital case, overcome, +haul away,' and another bucket swings upward."</p> + +<p>Of course the objective point of the whole campaign<a name="Page_91" id="Page_91"></a> +was the capital, San Juan, on the northeastern coast of +the island. Nevertheless the troops were mostly landed +on the southern coast not far from the southwestern +corner. The plan was to drive all the Spanish troops +upon the island into San Juan, where they could be captured +upon the surrender of that city.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards abandoned precipitately the whole +southern coast line, and this seemed to promise an easy +march for the Americans across Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>But this was not exactly the case, as we shall proceed +to demonstrate.</p> + +<p>There were several causes why the Spaniards fled before +the invading Americans.</p> + +<p>One was that in the beginning the Spanish forces, +from lack of knowledge as to where the Americans +would land, were widely scattered. By retreating, the +coast garrisons were brought together in bodies of more +or less magnitude. More than this in the interior could +be found stronger positions for defense, and there only +land forces would have to be dealt with.</p> + +<p>It is probable that the Spaniards in Porto Rico, knowing +as they must have, that the war was virtually over, +hoped by a show of resistance at the end to come out +with a certain degree of credit, and had resolved to give +up the fight only when they received an order to do so +from Madrid.</p> + +<p>At all events, the Spanish troops disputed the American +advance at several points. At Fajardo the American +forces raised the Stars and Stripes, but the Spaniards, +several hundred in number, pulled it down and even<a name="Page_92" id="Page_92"></a> +sought to drive away the landing party that held the +lighthouse on the shore. This attempt was most manifestly +absurd, as in the harbor was a squadron, consisting +of the monitor Amphitrite, the protected cruiser +Cincinnati and the Leyden. No time was lost in landing +men to support the lighthouse force, and to open +fire from the ships. The Spaniards were driven back +and suffered much from their foolish temerity.</p> + +<p>In the beginning the plan of campaign included an +advance along three lines.</p> + +<p>The first division, under General Schwan, was to advance +along the western coast to Aguadilla, in the north-western +corner of the island, and then to push to the +east until Arecibo, on the northern coast and about half-way +between Aguadilla and San Juan, was reached. +The second division, under General Henry, was to push +directly to the north from Ponce, forming a union with +Schwan at Arecibo. The main advance was to be along +the military road from Ponce to San Juan. As this road +runs for some distance parallel to the southern coast, a +division was dispatched under General Brooke to land +at Arroyo and capture Guayama, an important city on +the military road, about forty miles east of Ponce. By +this means, whatever detachments of Spanish troops +might be stationed on the road between these two +points were exposed to attack from both front and +rear.</p> + +<p>Before any of these movements could be completed, +however, came the armistice and the consequent cessation +of hostilities.<a name="Page_93" id="Page_93"></a></p> + +<p>Much, though, had been accomplished before this, +enough to show what American arms were capable of.</p> + +<p>In the east, General Brooke, after landing at Arroyo, +had taken Guayama; in the centre, General Wilson had +advanced on the military road, occupied Coamo, and +had made a demonstration before Aibonito, where there +was a large Spanish force; further to the west, General +Henry had marched to within fifteen miles of Arecibo; +in the extreme west, General Schwan had marched along +the coast and taken Mayaguez, the principal port in that +end of the island, after a sharp skirmish with a force +that outnumbered his own. The slight opposition met +by General Brooke at Guayama, General Wilson at +Coamo, and General Schwan near Mayaguez, indicated +that there would be little difficulty in reaching the capital, +and officers and men alike felt that the capture of +San Juan was a matter of but a few days.</p> + +<p>The third landing of American troops in Porto Rico +took place on August 2, at Arroyo, from the St. Louis +and the St. Paul. The army then took the place of the +navy and accepted the surrender of the town. There +was no defense and no Spanish flag was flying. The +surrender of Arroyo was important, as there were a +large number of manufacturing enterprises there.</p> + +<p>The attitude of the civil authorities and the ineffective +character of the defense made by the Spanish +troops, says the San Francisco Argonaut, was illustrated +by the advance made by General Henry's division. +General Roy Stone was sent in advance with a small +body of about one hundred men to reconnoiter the road<a name="Page_94" id="Page_94"></a> +and determine its fitness for military operations. The +character of the expedition may be gathered from the +fact that General Stone and his officers rode in carriages. +Yet town after town surrendered to these outposts until +they were encamped before Arecibo, on the northern +coast of the island. The main body had nothing to do +but follow and furnish flags for the surrendered municipalities.</p> + +<p>One of the most extraordinary things in the whole +campaign was the surrender of the city of Ponce. This +was done in response to a telephone communication from +Ensign Curtin. Not a single shot was fired.</p> + +<p>After the surrender of Ponce it was reported that a +large Spanish force had gathered about ten miles in the +interior. Two companies of soldiers were sent out by +General Ernst to see what this meant. On the outskirts +of the town a party of Spanish soldiers, loaded down +with guns and swords, was met with. As soon as the +Spaniards caught sight of the Americans they ran +toward them crying, "Don't shoot!"</p> + +<p>They declared that they were coming in to surrender. +Although the party was small, they had arms enough to +stock a regiment. They were taken before General Wilson, +gave up their arms and signed a parole.</p> + +<p>There was quite a strong resistance made at Coamo, a +town on the main military road between Juana Diaz and +the Spanish mountain stronghold at Aibonito. General +Wilson effected the capture of this place with the most +consummate skill. His plan was simple enough. It was +nothing more nor less than an ordinary flank movement,<a name="Page_95" id="Page_95"></a> +such as Grant and Sherman used so successfully during +the Civil War.</p> + +<p>General Wilson advanced against the town on the +main road with sufficient infantry, cavalry and artillery +to drive out the Spanish garrison. But when the latter +attempted to retreat they found their way blacked by +the Sixteenth Pennsylvania, under Colonel Hulings, +which General Wilson had sent round to the rear of the +town the night before.</p> + +<p>The attack in front was timed so as to allow this force +to get into position.</p> + +<p>The Battle of Coamo, if indeed, it can be so called, +for it was nothing more than a lively skirmish, has been +thus described:</p> + +<p>"Just as darkness fell, the regiment left the military +road and struck at a right angle for the hills to the +northward. Porto Rican guides led the way over paths +so rough and narrow that the men could move only in +single file. It was toilsome progress. Absolute silence +was enjoined; no smoking was permitted lest the fitful +flash of a match should betray the movement to the +watchful Spaniards on the hills. For hours the men +toiled on. The officers were compelled to walk and lead +their horses. Creeks and rivulets were waded; lofty +hills were climbed or skirted; yawning ravines were +crossed. The men dripped with perspiration, although +the night air was chilly.</p> + +<p>"At dawn both General Wilson and General Ernest +were in the saddle, and long before the shadows lifted +from the valleys the main body of the army was in <a name="Page_96" id="Page_96"></a>motion +to drive the enemy out of the town and into Hulling's +net. Nearer than the village and off to the right +was the blockhouse of Llamo de Coamo. The blockhouse +was the first place attacked. There was a heavy, +jarring rumble over the macadam of the military road. +Anderson's battery came along at a sharp trot. At a +turn in the road where the blockhouse came into view it +halted. Two minutes later the fight opened. For a few +minutes the Spanish returned the fire with Mausers, but +as shell after shell crashed through the blockhouse, they +abandoned it and fell back toward Coamo. Soon flames +leaped upward from the roof, and an hour later the fort +was but a smoldering ruin.</p> + +<p>"Meanwhile the infantry was pressing rapidly forward. +General Wilson was wondering what had become of +Hulings. Not a warlike sound came from the village, a +mile and a half away. Had the garrison escaped? Suddenly +from beyond the town came the rattle of musketry. +Soon the sound swelled into a steady roar, which +the mountains echoed again and again."</p> + +<p>The same writer tells a story in regard to one whom +he terms a real hero of the war, and he calls attention to +the callous manner in which Spanish soldiers were sacrificed +to protect political adventurers at home. To +quote his own words:</p> + +<p>"His name was Don Rafael Martinez. There was no +military justification for attempting to hold Coamo +under the circumstances. Yet Major Martinez stayed. +He was still in the prime of youth and in fine health. +In Spain his family is aristocratic and influential, and<a name="Page_97" id="Page_97"></a> +could have protected him from the consequences of a +quixotic court-martial. Martinez knew that resistance +was utterly hopeless. But Colonel San Martian had +been practically disgraced by Governor-General Macias +for evacuating Ponce, and all commanders of garrisons +in the path of the American army were ordered to fight. +So Major Martinez kissed his young wife and children +good-by one day last week and sent them into San Juan +for safety. His scouts brought word that an American +column of double the garrison's strength was slowly +creeping around to his rear. Then Martinez knew that he +was trapped, and decided to go out and meet the enemy. +He rode in advance of his slender column until he +sighted Hulings's men, who were immediately apprised +of the enemy's presence by a volley. Soon bullets were +flying like hail. Martinez, mounted upon a gray horse, +rode up and down in front of his troops, uttering encouraging +words. The soldier's death which Martinez +sought was not long coming. For a while he reeled in +his saddle, maintaining his seat with evident difficulty. +Then his horse went to his knees, and Martinez slowly +slid from the saddle, a lifeless form. When Major Martinez +was found, five wounds, three of which were mortal, +were discovered. His horse was shot in four places."</p> + +<p>The result of the attack on Coamo was the capture of +about one hundred and eighty men, or most of the garrison +except the cavalry who took to the mountains by +paths better known to them than to the Americans. Of +General Wilson's force, none was killed and only a few +were wounded.<a name="Page_98" id="Page_98"></a></p> + +<p>The whole affair was splendidly managed. As has +been said before, all General Miles's plans could be put +into action, the war was practically ended.</p> + +<p>On the afternoon of August 12, Secretary of State Day +and M. Cambou, the French ambassador, who was representing +Spain, affixed their signatures to duplicate +copies of a protocol establishing a basis upon which the +two countries, acting through their respective commissioners, +could negotiate terms of peace.</p> + +<p>The provisions of the protocol were practically as +follows:</p> + +<p>1. That Spain will relinquish all claim of sovereignty +over and title to Cuba.</p> + +<p>2. That Porto Rico and other Spanish islands in the +West Indies, and an island in the Ladrones, to be selected +by the United States, shall be ceded to the latter.</p> + +<p>3. That the United States will occupy and hold the +city, bay and harbor of Manila, pending the conclusion +of a treaty of peace which shall determine the control, +disposition and government of the Philippines.</p> + +<p>4. That Cuba, Porto Rico and other Spanish islands in +the West Indies shall be immediately evacuated, and that +commissioners, to be appointed within ten days, shall, +within thirty days from the signing of the protocol, +meet at Havana and San Juan respectively, to arrange +and execute the details of the evacuation.</p> + +<p>5. That the United States and Spain will each appoint +not more than five commissioners to negotiate and conclude +a treaty of peace. The commissioners are to meet +at Paris not later than October.<a name="Page_99" id="Page_99"></a></p> + +<p>6. On the signing of the protocol, hostilities will be +suspended and notice to that effect will be given as soon +as possible by each Government to the commanders of +its military and naval forces.</p> + +<p>The President at once signed the following proclamation, +declaring an armistice:</p> + +<p>"By the President of the United States of America:</p> + +<p class="head">"A PROCLAMATION.</p> + +<p>"Whereas, By a protocol concluded and signed +August 12, 1898, by William R. Day, Secretary of State +of the United States, and his Excellency Jules Cambon, +Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the +republic of France at Washington, respectively representing +for this purpose the Government of the United +States and the Government of Spain, the United States +and Spain have formally agreed upon the terms on +which negotiations for the establishment of peace between +the two countries shall be undertaken; and,</p> + +<p>"Whereas, It is in said protocol agreed that upon its +conclusion and signature hostilities between the two +countries shall be suspended, and that notice to that +effect shall be given as soon as possible by each government +to the commanders of its military and naval forces;</p> + +<p>"Now, therefore, I, William McKinley, President of +the United States, do, in accordance with the stipulations +of the protocol, declare and proclaim on the part of +the United States a suspension of hostilities, and do +hereby command that orders be immediately Driven +through the proper channels to the commanders of the +<a name="Page_100" id="Page_100"></a>military and naval forces of the United States to abstain +from all acts inconsistent with this proclamation.</p> + +<p>"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand +and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.</p> + +<p>"Done at the city of Washington, this 12th day of +August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred +and ninety-eight, and of the independence of the +United States the one hundred and twenty-third.</p> + +<p class="r">"William McKinley.</p> + +<p class="top5">"By the President. William R. Day, Secretary of State."</p> + +<p>It may be interesting to pause here for a moment and +note what the London press had to say as to this suspension +of hostilities. It will be observed that the comments +were extraordinarily favorable to the United +States.</p> + +<p>The Standard, commenting on the signing of the +protocol by the representatives of Spain and the United +States, said: "Thus ends one of the most swiftly decisive +wars in history. Spanish rule disappears from the +West. The conquerors have problems of great difficulty +before them. Doubtless they will face them with patriotic +resolution."</p> + +<p>The Daily News said: "August 12, 1898, will be a +memorable day in the history of the world. It is the +day which witnessed the death of one famous empire +and the birth of another, destined perhaps to more enduring +fame. It must be admitted that the results +achieved are a substantial record for four mouths of +war."<a name="Page_101" id="Page_101"></a></p> + +<p>The Morning Post said that the protocol leaves open +the two questions regarding which future difficulties +that may not concern the United States and Spain alone +are likely to arise. It advises Spain, assuming that the +United States only holds Manila, to sell the Philippines.</p> + +<p>The Daily Telegraph was impressed by the indifference +of the bulk of the Spanish nation to the sentiment +of national pride, which seems to be extinct. For this +reason national life, in the true sense of the word, must +sooner or later cease to exist.</p> + +<p>The paper discussed the decadence of Spain in connection +with the contention that France and Italy have +become stationary, and predicts the ultimate disappearance +of the Latin race as a factor in the human drama.</p> + +<p>The Chronicle said that the American people will +never regret the sacrifices they have made to remove the +Spanish colonies from the map.</p> + +<p>It added that many more difficulties and sacrifices +await them, but the result will be the growth of freedom +and the extension of human happiness and prosperity.</p> + +<p>The Times said it hoped it was not a violation of +neutrality to express the satisfaction felt by a great majority +of Englishmen at the success of the United States. +It added:</p> + +<p>"Historians will wrangle for a long time respecting +the propriety of the methods by which the war was +brought about, but once begun it was eminently desirable +for the interests of the world, and even, perhaps, +ultimately to the interests of Spain herself, that it +should result in the success of the Americans.<a name="Page_102" id="Page_102"></a></p> + +<p>"The factor in the situation which is of the greatest +immediate importance to ourselves is the fate of the +Philippines."</p> + +<p>The Times thought it very remarkable that the New +York newspapers discovered on the same day that the +United States were bound to put themselves in the best +possible position for defending the common interests of +themselves and Great Britain in China. It concluded:</p> + +<p>"Providence in the nick of time has given them the +Philippines."</p> + +<p>The armistice proclamation was followed at once by +orders from the War Department to the several commanding +generals in the field directing that all military +operations be suspended.</p> + +<p>This was the text of the message to General Miles:</p> + +<p class="top5 r">"Adjutant-General's Office,<br /> +Washington, Aug. 12, 1898.</p> + +<p>"Major-General Miles, Ponce, Porto Rico:</p> + +<p>"The President directs that all military operations +against the enemy be suspended. Peace negotiations are +nearing completion, a protocol having just been signed +by representatives of the two countries. You will inform +the commander of the Spanish forces in Porto Rico +of these instructions. Further orders will follow. +Acknowledge receipt.</p> + +<p>"By order Secretary of War.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 27%;">"H. C. Corbin, Adjutant-General."</span></p> + +<p class="top5">These orders, coming as they did, undoubtedly prevented +the sacrifice of many valuable lives before San<a name="Page_103" id="Page_103"></a> +Juan. But they were anything but popular among the +American troops, for they reached the various divisions +just as each was about to strike a decisive blow.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards, however, it is said, received the news +with loud manifestations of delight.</p> + +<p>In General Brook's division, a battery had just been +advanced to position and the order to fire was about to +be given, when a courier, his steed panting and covered +with foam, dashed upon the field and informed the general +that an armistice had been concluded.</p> + +<p>General Brooke's sole reply was:</p> + +<p>"Lieutenant, you arrived five minutes too soon. You +should have been more considerate of your horse."</p> + +<p>While our army did not have a chance to show all +that it was capable of accomplishing, it was proven conclusively +that the Yankees are good and brave fighters.</p> + +<p>The sight of an army springing up out of nothing, +the spectacle of the monumental work of military +organization being pushed on to success in spite of mistakes, +arrested the attention of all European nations.</p> + +<p>One thing is certain—a noble victory has been nobly +won; and won, happily at a cost, which, deplorable +though it actually was, was relatively small, as must be +acknowledged by every student of the warfare of the +past.<a name="Page_104" id="Page_104"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h3> + +<p class="head">HOW THE PORTO RICANS RECEIVED US.</p> + + +<p>Whatever may have been the attitude and feelings of +the Spanish officials and Spanish troops, there can be no +doubt that the Porto Ricans themselves welcomed most +enthusiastically the advent of the Americans and the +dawn of a new era. The joy manifested at the sight of +invaders in a conquered country was most extraordinary, +and we can affirm with truth that it has no parallel +in history.</p> + +<p>It was most fortunate that little or no fighting took +place, as thus many valuable lives were saved. There +was no question whatever as to the result.</p> + +<p>The number and location of the Spanish troops on the +island just before the armistice was declared were as +follows:</p> + +<p>Aibonito, 1,800 men, and two 4-inch field cannon; +Cavey, 700 men; Caguas, 600; Rio Piedras, 180; +Carolite, 320; Arecibo, 320, and two 4-inch field cannon; +Aguadilla, 320; Crab Island, 100; Bayamon, 395; +San Juan, 1,706, making a total of 5,441, to which may +be added approximately 500 of the Guardia Civil, doing +duty in their own villages all over the island, and 200 +of the Orden Publico, doing similar police duty in San +Juan. Many members of the Guardia Civil in or near +the territory held by the American troops joined the +Americans.<a name="Page_105" id="Page_105"></a></p> + +<p>It cannot be told with any certainty how much resistance +the Spaniards would have offered had hostilities +continued, but most of the fighting would have undoubtedly +taken place within sight of San Juan. The +Spaniards themselves believed this, as the preparations +they made sufficiently indicated.</p> + +<p>The native people generally were thoroughly delighted +with the news that the island was likely to be +ceded to the United States. Wherever the American flag +went up, it was cheered with a vigor that probably was +never given to the Spanish flag during all the centuries +it has been in evidence.</p> + +<p>Everywhere, the people rushed forward to welcome +the invaders, and showered them with hospitable attentions. +Pretty women dressed themselves in their richest +garments and smiled their sweetest smiles to charm the +conquerors.</p> + +<p>Food, cigars and wines were pressed upon the soldiers; +the civil authorities issued florid proclamations over the +glad event of becoming "Americanos," and the whole +country blossomed with Star-Spangled banners. The +only reason why even more of them were not displayed +was because more of them could not be obtained.</p> + +<p>It was one of the most unlooked-for and surprising +things of this most surprising war, as a writer in the +National Tribune of Washington observes.</p> + +<p>The same writer goes on to say that really there is +good reason for all this.</p> + +<p>"The substantial people of Puerto Rico know that it +is immensely to their interest to cut loose from Spain,<a name="Page_106" id="Page_106"></a> +and be grafted on to the United States. The greater +part of their trade is with this country, and Spain has +been bleeding them for the privilege of carrying it on. +Now they can send their coffee, sugar, tobacco, tropical +fruits, etc., directly to this market, get American prices +for them, and buy American goods in return at regular +American prices.</p> + +<p>"They ought to be mighty glad to get into this country, +but, being Spaniards, we hardly expected them to +have so much sense."</p> + +<p>Guanica was the first town taken by our soldiers.</p> + +<p>The enthusiasm was unbounded, and numbers of +the citizens called to pay their respects to the leading +officers.</p> + +<p>At Guanica the following proclamation was issued to +the people of the island under the signature of General +Miles:</p> + +<p class="guanica">"Guanica, Porto Rico, July 27, 1898.<br /> +"To the Inhabitants of Porto Rico:</p> + +<p>"In the prosecution of the war against the Kingdom +of Spain by the people of the United States, in the cause +of liberty, justice and humanity, its military forces have +come to occupy the islands of Porto Rico. They come +bearing the banners of freedom, inspired by noble purposes, +to seek the enemies of our government and of +yours, and to destroy or capture all in armed resistance.</p> + +<p>"They bring you the fostering arms of a free people, +whose greatest power is justice and humanity to all living +within their fold. Hence they release you from +<a name="Page_107" id="Page_107"></a>your former political relations, and it is hoped this will +be followed by the cheerful acceptance of the government +of the United States.</p> + +<p>"The chief object of the American military forces +will be to overthrow the armed authority of Spain and +give the people of your beautiful island the largest +measure of liberty consistent with this military occupation.</p> + +<p>"They have not come to make war on the people of +the country, who for centuries have been oppressed; but, +on the contrary, they bring protection, not only to yourselves, +but to your property, promote your prosperity +and bestow the immunities and blessings of our enlightenment +and liberal institutions and government. It is +not their purpose to interfere with the existing laws +and customs, which are wholesome and beneficial to +the people, so long as they conform to the rules of the +military administration, order and justice. This is not +a war of devastation and dissolution, but one to give all +within the control of the military and naval forces the +advantages and blessings of enlightened civilization."</p> + +<p>The mayor of Guanica also issued a proclamation, +which was thus worded:</p> + +<p>"Citizens: God, who rules the destinies of nations, +has decreed that the Eagle of the North, coming from +the waters of a land where liberty first sprang forth to +life, should extend to us his protecting wings. Under +his plumage, sweetly reposing, the Pearl of the Antilles, +called Porto Rico, will remain from July 25.</p> + +<p>"The starry banner has floated gayly in the valleys of +<a name="Page_108" id="Page_108"></a>Guanica, the most beautiful port of this downtrodden +land. This city was selected by General Miles as the +place in which to officially plant his flag in the name of +his government, the United States of America. It is the +ensign of grandeur and the guarantee of order, morality +and justice. Let us join together to strengthen, to support +and to further a great work. Let us clasp to our +bosoms the great treasure which is generously offered to +us while saluting with all our hearts the name of the +great Washington.</p> + +<p class="guanica">"Augustin Barrenecha, Alcalde.<br /> +"Guanica, Porto Rico, U. S. A., July 26, 1898."</p> + +<p class="top5">Yauco was the next to surrender.</p> + +<p>When the troops took possession of the town the +mayor promptly issued this proclamation:</p> + +<p class="top5 nind">"Citizens:</p> + +<p>"To-day the citizens of Porto Rico assist in one of +her most beautiful festivals. The sun of America shines +upon our mountains and valleys this day of July, 1898. +It is a day of glorious remembrance for each son of this +beloved isle, because for the first time there waves over +it the flag of the Stars, planted in the name of the Government +of the United States of America by the major-general +of the American Army, General Miles.</p> + +<p>"Porto Ricans, we are by the miraculous intervention +of the God of the just given back to the bosom of our +mother America, in whose waters Nature placed us as +people of America. To her we are given back in the +name of her government by General Miles, and we must +<a name="Page_109" id="Page_109"></a>send her our most expressive salutation of generous +affection through our conduct toward the valiant troops +represented by distinguished officers and commanded by +the illustrious General Miles.</p> + +<p>"Citizens: Long live the Government of the United +States of America! Hail to their valiant troops! Hail +Porto Rico, always American!</p> + +<p>"Yauco, Porto Rico, United States of America.<br /> +<span style="margin-left: 33%;">"El Alcalde, Francisco Megia."</span></p> + +<p class="top5">The alcalde is the judge who administers justice, and +he also presides as mayor over the City Council.</p> + +<p>The citizens of the town hugged the Americans, and +some fell upon their knees and embraced the legs of the +soldiers. It was a most remarkable spectacle.</p> + +<p>On July 29, Ponce was formally given over to the +Americans, without the firing of a single shot. The +populace received the troops and saluted the flag with +enthusiasm. When General Miles entered the city he +was welcomed by the mayor, cheered to the echo by the +citizens and serenaded by a band of music.</p> + +<p>The mayor of Ponce issued a proclamation of the same +tenor as that of the mayor of Yauco, although not quite +so enthusiastic.</p> + +<p>General Wilson was made military governor of Ponce.</p> + +<p>A day or two after the taking of Ponce several local +judges were sworn into office. This was the first time in +the history of the United States that the judges of a +foreign, hostile but conquered country, swore to support +the Constitution of the United States.<a name="Page_110" id="Page_110"></a></p> + +<p>The following was the form sworn to by the various +officials:</p> + +<p>"I declare under oath that, during the occupation of +the island of Porto Rico by the United States, I will renounce +and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every +foreign prince, potentate, state or sovereignty, particularly +the Queen Regent and the King of Spain, and will +support the constitution of the United States against all +enemies, foreign or domestic, and will bear true faith +and allegiance to the same.</p> + +<p>"Further, I will faithfully support the Government of +the United States, established by the military authorities +in the island of Porto Rico, will yield obedience to the +same and take the obligation freely, without mental +reservation or with the purpose of evasion, so help me +God."</p> + +<p>On July 31, the commanding general sent a message +to the War Department, the first official one received +from Ponce. It read as follows:</p> + +<p class="top5">"Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.:</p> + +<p>"Your telegrams 27th received and answered by letter. +Volunteers are surrendering themselves with arms +and ammunition; four-fifths of the people are overjoyed +at the arrival of the army. Two thousand from one place +have volunteered to serve with it. They are bringing in +transportation, beef, cattle and other needed supplies.</p> + +<p>"The Custom House has already yielded $14,000.</p> + +<p>"As soon as all the troops are disembarked they will +be in readiness to move.<a name="Page_111" id="Page_111"></a></p> + +<p>"Please send any national colors that can be spared, +to be given to the different municipalities.</p> + +<p>"I request that the question of the tariff rates to be +charged in the parts of Porto Rico occupied by our +forces be submitted to the President for his action, the +previously existing tariff remaining meanwhile in force. +As to the government under military occupation, I have +already given instructions based upon the instructions +issued by the President in the case of the Philippine +Islands, and similar to those issued at Santiago de Cuba.</p> + +<p class="r">"Miles."</p> + +<p class="top5">When the soldiers entered Ponce the people sang the +"Star-Spangled Banner" in a mixture of Spanish and +English, and every time this tune was heard the police +forced everybody to remove his hat!</p> + +<p>"The natives are, upon the whole, exceedingly +friendly," says a correspondent of the New York Sun, +"and almost all of them welcome the American army. +The flag is voluntarily displayed from many of the +principal stores. If there are any Spanish flags in the +city they are kept carefully concealed. In the stores +American goods are sometimes to be found, particularly +in hardware stores. All fabrics, foods, and luxuries, +however, have been imported from Europe, mostly from +Spain. The Spanish Government forces its colonies to +import from home by levying a heavy discriminating +duty upon all goods not Spanish. Prices are very high, +notwithstanding which fact business is brisk.</p> + +<p>"The soldiers are good customers and buy all sorts of<a name="Page_112" id="Page_112"></a> +curios as souvenirs for friends at home. The officers, +too, buy considerable quantities of light underclothing. +It is safe to say that there has never before been as +much money in circulation here. All the merchants +favor annexation."</p> + +<p>In an article in the National Magazine the following +is said:</p> + +<p>"The Porto Ricans have taken very quickly and kindly +to American occupation. Some have been so quick in +changing that their conversion may be doubted. For +instance, the editor of La Nueva Era, a daily which in +two scraggy leaves purports to be a 'journal of news, +travel, science, literature and freedom,' was only a few +weeks ago raving at the 'American Pigs'; while now +he luxuriates under the eagle's ægis and writes eulogies +upon Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and William +McKinley. Nor is he alone in his devotion to the +American idea. The small boy curses his neighbor by +calling him 'un Espanol,' and treats you with disdain if +you suggest that he is simply a poor Porto Rican. 'No, +no,' he says, pointing at himself. 'No, Espanol, Porto-Rican +Americano.' His motives are not, however, always +of the sincerest, for the boys have learned a trick of saying +to the passing Yankee; 'Viva America,' and then +putting up the forefinger with this half-asked question, +'one cent?'"</p> + +<p>A brilliant writer in one of the magazines says that in +speaking with a leading merchant of Ponce, he asked +him if the people were really so delighted with the new +regime.<a name="Page_113" id="Page_113"></a></p> + +<p>"'Well, frankly, no,' he replied, 'the mass will welcome +any change, but it is quite a question whether we +shall gain by annexation to the United States. I +have lived in America. Now the Spaniards taxed us +heavily, but when they got their money they went off +and let us alone. The custom-house officers stole nearly +everything from the government. But then we have yet +to see how the American custom-house officers will act. +Spain knew us and we knew Spain; there were few +complaints. The church tax was not heavy, and I never +went to service. We do not want the negroes enfranchised +till they are better educated. Then the money +question is going to be bad for many of us here. We +shall suffer dreadfully if the American government +makes our dollar worth only fifty cents.'</p> + +<p>"The man who uttered these words is a highly +respected citizen, speaks English well, and understands +America as well as Spain.</p> + +<p>"While we were looking over the town we came upon +the jail where there are about one hundred and sixty +Spanish prisoners," the same writer goes on to say. +"Many of these men were selling their chevrons and +buttons and other marks of rank with an alacrity worthy +of a better cause. One of our party, however, experienced +a chill when upon asking one of the prisoners +how much he would sell his chevrons for he got this +reply, 'No, por el dinero en globo.' 'Not for all the +money on earth."</p> + +<p>"There spoke the true spirit of Spain. The Spain +which sent armies to Jerusalem, patronized Columbus,<a name="Page_114" id="Page_114"></a> +conquered the half of America with a handful of men—that +Spain, with all her black tragedies, never sold her +chevrons. Let us be merciful to a fallen foe; at least, let +us be truthful. Thank God Spain's power in this hemisphere +is crushed. Yet there was chivalry in the old +regime. We can afford to be magnanimous now; he who +bends above the fallen forever stands erect."</p> + +<p>On August 4, when rumors of Spain's submission +reached Porto Rico, the editor of La Nueva Era wound +up his leading editorial with these words:</p> + +<p>"Hurra por la anexion a los Estados Unidos!"</p> + +<p>He also gave this excellent sanitary advice to the invading +army:</p> + +<p class="head">"TO THE BOYS!</p> + +<p>"Keep away from fruit of every description and Rum, +if you wish to keep your health in this climate."</p> + +<p>Moreover, he published this:</p> + +<p>"It is an undeniable fact that wherever the American +forces have landed they have been welcomed by the people +as liberators amid the greatest enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"A new era has dawned for this country and is the +advent of happier times.</p> + +<p>"The spectre of suspicion with which we were menaced +has disappeared forever. We are now sure that the +air we breathe is ours and we can breathe it to our fill.</p> + +<p>"The labor accomplished by the people of the United +States in taking this island, and we say accomplished, +as nothing can oppose their arms, is truly a labor of +humanity and redemption, and will be one of the greatest +glories of the great republic.<a name="Page_115" id="Page_115"></a></p> + +<p>"Let us render thanks to the Almighty for the blessing, +and let us be well assured that Porto Rico has before +it a future of unlimited progress and well-being."</p> + +<p>The most rabid Spanish publication of all, La Democracia, +issued an address to the public announcing the +demise of the paper under its former name, and giving +notice that it would reappear under the name of the +Courier with a portion printed in English.</p> + +<p>In making this announcement the editor promised in +the new edition:</p> + +<p>"To explain our ideas of brothership and harmony, +answering to the ideas proclaimed to the press by our +new military authority, such as that the American army +has not come as our enemies, but with the purpose of +harmonizing with the citizens of Porto Rico. We are +pleased to make known that these ideas have been respected, +and that all the acts of the forces occupying +our city have been characterized by the most exquisite +correctness, and that the American troops fraternize with +our people."</p> + +<p>At all events, these extracts serve to show the trend +of public opinion.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Morrisey in speaking of the Ponce of to-day says +that 'the city is in a horrible sanitary condition, and +I wondered how the United States troops stood it. I +learned there had been an improvement since the soldiers' +arrival, but there is room for considerable more, I +think. I went to the Hotel Ingleterra, which is considered +the best one in Ponce, and engaged a room. My +first meal there was breakfast, which was served at 11<a name="Page_116" id="Page_116"></a> +o'clock. My meal consisted of rice, black beans and +coffee, all of which was fair. At dinner, which is always +served at 6 o'clock, I had the same fare. I tried to get +eggs after the first day, but was successful on only two +occasions, and then had to pay 7 cents each for them. I +learned that the soldiers had made a corner in eggs and +had bought nearly all of them, which, of course, made +them scarce at the hotels and eating places. All the +water used in the hotel is filtered through a huge block +of brownstone and even then it is pretty poor.'</p> + +<p>"Mr. Morrisey visited the place known as the market +in the heart of the city of Ponce, and saw some very +interesting scenes. A few of the better class of the +natives visited the market several times during the day +and made their purchases. There are no butchers in the +city, and it is a queer sight, Mr. Morrisey said, to see +the way the merchants deliver meat to the purchasers. +This article is bought by the penny and a piece about +as long as one's finger is sold for 2 cents. The meat is +not cut into steaks but in huge lumps. Another thing +in reference to the meat is that it is all killed the day +before used, which, of course, makes it very tough. The +beer on the island is kept in a warm place without any +ice and is served in that state. Most of the beer is imported +from Germany, and it is only recently that +American beer has found its way in the country. This +is kept in bottles and when it is served to a customer a +small piece of ice is dropped into it. The beer drinker +may imagine the rest. The natives do not use much of +the beer, but are satisfied with the black coffee and wine.<a name="Page_117" id="Page_117"></a></p> + +<p>"The money question has not assumed any large proportions +in Porto Rico. Very little money is in circulation +on the island. The better class of the natives who +are supposed to have some money, spend most of their +time and money in Spain, and the stores and merchants, +as a result, do not get much of their money. These +stores are plentifully supplied with goods, but there is +no one to buy them. As soon as the United States soldiers +arrived on the island the shopkeepers saw visions +of money rolling into their pockets. The price on every +article in the stores was increased, and what a native +would buy for ten cents the American would be compelled +to pay one dollar for the same article. The fare +on the railroad running from Ponce to Playo, a distance +of about three miles, is one dollar for an excursion trip. +The natives make the same trip for twelve cents. Every +scheme that can be thought of is practiced by the natives +in order to get money from the Americans. In the street +and at the entrances to the hotels numerous beggars can +be found, all asking for money. Nearly all the inhabitants +seemed to be engaged in this sort of work, and the +sight of them lounging around, even inside the hotels, +is disgusting, says Mr. Morrisey. It is a hard matter to +get them to work, and their appearance in scarcely any +clothes on the streets is a sight.</p> + +<p>"The women go about the roads and plantations smoking +large cigars, and are not affected in any manner by +the weed. Children of both sexes up to the age of twelve +years are permitted to roam about the streets naked, +while their parents are not much better off. Nothing<a name="Page_118" id="Page_118"></a> +but a skirt is worn by the women and the men wear +ragged shirts and trousers. Shoes are rarely seen in +Porto Rico and a native who is lucky enough to have +them is the cynosure of all eyes. The women do not +know what silks and satins are, and, it seems, are not +desirous of knowing. When night comes the men prepare +themselves for bed. This is not hard work, and +takes very little time. They tie their heads up in large +towels to protect them from the sting of the mosquito, +and then lie down in the streets or roads and sleep. +These people live mainly on the milk from the cocoanut. +Bread is a stranger to them, and very little food is consumed +by them, except the wild fruits and vegetables +which abound in the outskirts of the cities.</p> + +<p>"Mr. Morrisey said the soldiers at Ponce were in a +fairly good condition, but it is his opinion that it is no +fit place for them under the present condition of the +country. He said when the soldier is taken down with +typhoid malaria or dysentery he loses flesh rapidly, and +he can never regain it as long as he stays in that +climate."</p> + +<p>All this, although it is in some respects different from +some of the opinions we have quoted, is very interesting +as it is from a recent eye witness, and shows how Porto +Rico of the present impressed a very intelligent man.</p> + +<p>The fourth town to surrender, previous to the news of +the armistice and therefore the general capitulation of +the island, was Juan Diaz. There was a report that +there were some Spanish soldiers there, and four companies +of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania were sent to find<a name="Page_119" id="Page_119"></a> +them. Couriers announced the coming of the Americans +to the people of the town, and a brass band came out to +meet them. The vast majority of the citizens assembled +on the outskirts of the town and as the American volunteers +appeared the band played "Yankee Doodle" and +other patriotic American airs, while the people cried: +"Vivan los Americanos."</p> + +<p>A large number had presents of cigars, cigarettes, tobacco +and various fruits which they loaded upon the soldiers, +and many insisted upon taking the visitors to +their homes. Everywhere, the American flag was waving. +In the public square the mayor made a speech, in +which he said that all the people of Juan Diaz were +Americans now, and the crowd shouted:</p> + +<p>"Death to the Spaniards!"</p> + +<p>While speaking of Juan Diaz, perhaps it will prove of +interest to insert the opinion of a correspondent of one +of the New York papers as to the women of that town +and of Porto Rico in general. He says:</p> + +<p>"No one ever walks in Porto Rico. The mule's the +thing here. The women ride a great deal. The better +class use the English side saddle, although a few prefer +the more picturesque and safer, but less graceful, Spanish +saddle. In the country districts the pillion is occasionally +employed, while among the lower classes many +women ride astride without exciting comment. When +the natives are both pretty and good riders they display +considerable coquetry in the saddle.</p> + +<p>"I noticed one rider near Juan Diaz who took my mind +back to the old days of chivalry. She was a lovely girl<a name="Page_120" id="Page_120"></a> +of about fifteen or sixteen, with a face like a Madonna +and a figure like an artist's model. One little foot crept +out beneath her silk riding skirt, and to my surprise it +was devoid of hosiery. The skin was like polished velvet, +and was of a pinkish gold of an exquisite tint. It +was shod with a slipper of satin or silk, embroidered in +color and had an arched instep which made the foot all +the more charming by its setting.</p> + +<p>"The time to see the women at their best is on Sunday +morning, when they ride from their homes to mass in +the nearest church or cathedral. On one Sunday morning, +while riding leisurely into a small village on my +way to this town, I met a crowd of worshippers on their +way to mass. Nearly all the women were on mule back, +and sat or lolled as if they were in an easy chair in their +own homes. A few, probably wealthier than the others, +or else delicate in health, were accompanied by little +darky boys, who held over them a parasol or an umbrella.</p> + +<p>"On Sunday each woman wears a huge rosary, sometimes +so large as to be uncomfortable. I saw several that +were so unwieldy that they went over the shoulders and +formed a huge line, larger indeed than a string of sleigh +bells. These are ornamental rosaries and are not used +for prayer. The praying rosary is as small and dainty as +those used by fashionable women in our own Roman +Catholic churches. Besides the fan and the rosary every +woman was provided with a neat and often handsomely-bound +prayer book and a huge lighted cigar or +cigarette.<a name="Page_121" id="Page_121"></a></p> + +<p>"This is indeed the land for women who love the weed. +A few smoke cigarettes and pipes, but the majority like +partajas, perfectos, Napoleons and other rolls of the +weed larger than those usually seen in our own land. +They smoke them at home and in the streets, at the +table or on the balcony, lying in hammocks, or lolling +on their steeds, and only desist when within the sacred +walls of the church. The moment mass is over and they +emerge into the sunlight the first thing the women do is +to light a fresh cigar and then climb into the saddle.</p> + +<p>"They make a beautiful picture upon the roads. Imagine +an intensely blue sky above, with below rich green +vegetables and startling dashes of scarlet, crimson, vermillion, +orange and white from the flowers which seem +to bloom the year through, setting off the bright hues +of the costumes. It combines the picturesque side of +New Orleans life, of Florida scenery, of the Maine lake +country, and of the New Hampshire hills."</p> + +<p>At Guayama there was even a greater reception than +at Juan Diaz. In fact, everywhere, as soon as the people +heard of the landing of our soldiers, the American flag +was hoisted and kept hoisted, while the Spaniards were +driven from the towns where soldiers were stationed.</p> + +<p>A large number of Porto-Rican refugees now began to +return to the island. These were men who had been engaged +in revolution, and had been deported by the Spanish +Government. Their progress to their homes was a +continual ovation.</p> + +<p>The returned refugees had a conference with the leading +citizens and there was no doubt in any one's mind<a name="Page_122" id="Page_122"></a> +but that ninety per cent. of the people was in favor of +annexation. They felt that the United States was their +deliverer, and they would rather join the American Republic +than have self-government.</p> + +<p>There was also a conference between the most prominent +citizens of Ponce, and Mr. Hanna, the American +consul at San Juan.</p> + +<p>The Porto Ricans had views which they wished to +have presented to the United States, and were anxious +to play some part in the new order of things and to hold +some of the offices themselves. They were particularly +desirous to know about the American school system and +as to the possibility of introducing it into the island. +They wished that their children should learn to speak +English. Mr. Hanna explained the public school system +of the United States, and the Porto Ricans were greatly +pleased at what they heard. Then they again brought +up the question of how they could participate in the reorganization +of the island.</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen," said Mr. Hanna, "the best thing you +can do is to get together and find out just what you +want. You have, of course, very good ideas as to what +the American system of government is. You no doubt +by this time know whether you desire to be attached to +the United States as a territory, with a representative +in our Congress. You may differ on the point of having +Americans for your own officials here during the time +that the government that is to prevail here is being put +into shape. But you can safely leave your wishes in the +hands of President McKinley."<a name="Page_123" id="Page_123"></a></p> + +<p>A New York Herald correspondent has some interesting +things to say as to the new Ponce, a town which is +representative of the entire island:</p> + +<p>"Ponce, only yesterday the base for our military invasion, +is to-day the American capital in the West +Indies. Ponce is deep in the second stage of political +evolution.</p> + +<p>"Ponce is learning the English language. Ponce is +mastering the mysteries of American money. Ponce is +inquiring into the methods of American politics. Ponce +is preparing to abandon the church schools and adopt +our system of education. Papeti, the chambermaid in +the Hotel Francais, has already been taught to say, +"Vive l'Americano!" Papeti's brother was shot by the +Spanish a few years ago.</p> + +<p>"El Capitan," the head waiter at the Hotel Inglaterra, +has already mastered one hundred words of English, +and his fortune is made. Passing down the street +just now I heard a Porto Rican mother crooning her +naked babe to sleep to the tune of 'Marching Through +Georgia.' The Porto Ricans think that 'Marching +Through Georgia' is a national anthem.</p> + +<p>"As I write the advance guard of the American prospector +to this tropical Klondike of ours are pouring up +the broad highway from the playa to the town. They +came on the Sylvia, the first merchant ship to reach +Ponce from the United States since the town surrendered. +They seem to have come literally by hundreds.</p> + +<p>"I saw many familiar faces among the newcomers.</p> + +<p>"Nearly all these men have come here on commercial<a name="Page_124" id="Page_124"></a> +enterprises. Porto Rico is a fruitful field. Her agricultural +resources, taking the American standard, are as +little developed as those of Ohio seventy-five years ago. +I imagine the coffee production of the island will be +doubled in two years.</p> + +<p>"Much American capital will be put into sugar, +tobacco and fruits. Many of these men are inquiring +about estates in the interior that can be purchased or +leased, and about facilities for transportation to the sea-board. +This means the building of railroads. Banks are +also to be opened in Ponce under our national banking +law, and I fancy there will be the liveliest sort of race +between rival capitalists as to who shall get the electric +railway franchise for the city of Ponce.</p> + +<p>"The leading citizens of the island are as wideawake +to American enterprise as are these eager gentlemen of +the pocketbook who came on the Sylvia."</p> + +<p>Colonel Hill of General Wilson's staff was appointed +Collector of the Port of Ponce, and he went very carefully +into the subject of the probable resources of the +island and what the new tariff should be.</p> + +<p>In an interview with the Herald, he said:</p> + +<p>"Most of my statistics are still incomplete, but I can +give you a few facts, which will unquestionably be of +great interest to the business men of the States. In +Porto Rico everything is taxed, and most articles are +taxed in several different ways. There is an impost duty +on flour of $4 a barrel. I think that will be knocked off +at once. As you know, this island paid no direct money +to the former government of Spain. Everything in the<a name="Page_125" id="Page_125"></a> +way of salaries, pensions, etc., is paid directly out of +the Custom House. The commander of the military +forces on the island is a lieutenant-general, sent here +from Spain. He gets an enormous salary. Many Spanish +pensioners of prominence and rank have been sent to +the island, and these pensions are paid by the island. +Dignitaries of the church and priests are sent here in +large numbers. They are paid out of the Custom House.</p> + +<p>"Only yesterday I had an application from the widow +of a Spanish general, who is pensioned, for the payment +of her usual stipend. I had to take that matter under +advisement. The priests here in Ponce applied for their +usual salary for July. This, under the Spanish law, is a +fixed charge. The matter came before me in my capacity +of judge-advocate on General Wilson's staff. I had to +report that inasmuch as we were operating under the +Spanish civil law, which made the salaries of the padres +a proper payment from the customs funds, the money +was due and should be paid or else the Spanish civil +law in that respect should be annulled or suspended.</p> + +<p>"General Wilson refused to authorize the payment of +the priests' salaries, and the matter went to General +Miles, who sustained General Wilson. Now here is a +very interesting and unprecedented question. As a matter +of policy it might be well to pay these salaries for +the present. The padres, of course, the next time they +address the congregation will say: 'Here is this new +American Government which you welcomed with such +pleasure refusing to pay your priests. You thought you +were going to be relieved of taxation. We must ask you<a name="Page_126" id="Page_126"></a> +to go into your pockets and pay us yourselves. Thus +you have an additional tax placed upon you.'"</p> + +<p>But still the clergy, as a rule, were in favor of the +United States.</p> + +<p>Father Janices, a well-known and most intelligent +priest, had this to say in regard to the attitude of the +Catholic Church in Porto Rico toward the United +States:</p> + +<p class="top5">"We are neither cowards nor liars. We do not deny +that we have always been loyal Spanish subjects, but it +is the duty of the Church to save souls and not to mingle +in international quarrels.</p> + +<p>"With all our hearts we welcome the Americans. +Your constitution protects all religions. We ask only +for the protection of our Church. The Archbishop of +Porto Rico is now in Spain, and the Vicar General of +San Juan is acting head of the Church in the island. +But we no longer look to him as our ecclesiastical head; +but as soon as possible we shall communicate with Cardinal +Gibbons and we await his wishes.</p> + +<p>"Should any American soldier desire the administrations +of a priest, they always shall be at his service. We +have determined to become loyal Americans."</p> + +<p>Moreover, on September 23, Captain Gardner, in +company of General Wilson, called upon the President +and made a report in which he elaborated upon the relation +of the Church to the government. He stated that +while a large majority of the Porto Ricans were Catholics, +by profession, they were not offensively zealous. +He placed the number of priests at 240, and the annual<a name="Page_127" id="Page_127"></a> +cost to the public treasury of their support at about +$120,000 in American money.</p> + +<p>Colonel Gardner, in addition to his report, also presented +to President McKinley, an address signed by +many of the leading Porto Ricans. The signers expressed +their pleasure at the prospect of becoming citizens +of the United States, and announced their hope +that the Porto Rican people might some day become +worthy to organize a State of the Union.</p> + +<p>In this hope we are sure all Americans will most +heartily join.<a name="Page_128" id="Page_128"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h3> + +<p class="head">OUR CLAIM TO PORTO RICO.</p> + + +<p>One great question raised by the recent war was that +of territorial expansion, and this question called forth +many expressions of opinion both for and against.</p> + +<p>There is no doubt, however, but that Porto Rico is +ours by the right of conquest, and that it would be a +crime from every point of view for us not to retain it.</p> + +<p>That we shall retain it, too, now seems certain.</p> + +<p>Let us now, in the first place, look back and see what +two of our most prominent statesmen have said in the +past. They may be looked upon almost as prophets.</p> + +<p>The idea of territorial expansion is not a new one. In +fact, it dates back half a century, and the thought of +this expansion has been silently hatched ever since.</p> + +<p>In 1846, William H. Seward, afterward Secretary of +State under the administration of Abraham Lincoln, +published an open letter under the title, "We Should +Carry Out Our Destiny."</p> + +<p>To carry out that destiny, said Mr. Seward in this +letter, the United States should prepare themselves for +their mission by getting rid of the Old World which +still continued with ideas of another age upon portions +of the American soil.</p> + +<p>In the same letter Mr. Seward also said that the monarchies +of Europe could have neither peace nor truce as<a name="Page_129" id="Page_129"></a> +long as there remained to them one colony upon this +continent.</p> + +<p>This Mr. Seward called buying out the foreigners. In +1846 he counted the ruler of Cuba and Porto Rico among +the foreigners which should sell out their possessions to +the United States.</p> + +<p>It was he who during his term of office purchased +Alaska from the Czar of Russia for the sum of $7,200,000. +He also negotiated for the acquisition of the Danish +Antilles, but this project fell through, chiefly for the +reason that at that time the President was opposed to it.</p> + +<p>In politics Mr. Seward favored a system which he +compared to the ripe pear that detaches itself and falls +into your hand.</p> + +<p>One thing seemed to him certain, and that was that +the United States could not help annexing by force the +people who would be too slow to come to them of their +own free will.</p> + +<p>"I abhor war," he wrote. "I would not give one +single human life for any portion of the continent which +remains to be annexed; but I cannot get rid of the conviction +that popular passion for territorial aggrandizement +is irresistible. Prudence, justice and even timidity +may restrain it for a time, but its force will be augmented +by compression."</p> + +<p>It was a half century before the explosion occurred, +but when it came its echoes resounded all over the world, +carrying joy to some and fear to others, fear of this +young giant of the New World.</p> + +<p>Again in 1852, in a speech made before the Senate<a name="Page_130" id="Page_130"></a> +upon the question of American commerce in the Pacific, +Mr. Seward thus addressed his colleagues:</p> + +<p>"The discovery of this continent and of those islands +and the organization upon their soil of societies and +governments have been great and important events. +After all, they are merely preliminaries, a preparation +by secondary incidents, in comparison with the sublime +result which is about to be consummated—the junction +of the two civilizations upon the coast and in the +islands of the Pacific. There certainly never happened +upon this earth any purely human event which is comparable +to that in grandeur and in importance. It will +be followed by the levelling of social conditions and by +the re-establishment of the unity of the human family. +We now see clearly why it did not come about sooner +and why it is coming now."</p> + +<p>At a reception given to his honor in Paris, just after +the close of the Franco-Prussian war, Mr. Seward found +himself the centre of a group, mostly composed of young +Americans.</p> + +<p>He had just almost completed a tour around the +world, and in answer to a question as to what had impressed +him most during his travels, he answered practically +as follows:</p> + +<p>"Boys, the fact is the Americans are the only nation +that has and understands liberty. With us a man is a +man, absolutely free and politically equal with all, with +special privileges for none. Every one has a chance, +whereas, wherever I have been I was impressed with +the subjugation and oppression of the people. I had all<a name="Page_131" id="Page_131"></a> +my life talked in public and private of the greatness of +our mission of civilization and progress, of the ideas we +represented, and the lessons we were teaching the world, +but I never realized how true it was that we were of all +others the representatives of human progress. Now I +know it. I am sure now, from what I have myself seen, +that nothing I have ever said or others have said, as to +the destiny of our country was exaggerated. I am an +old man now and may not see it, but some of you boys +may live to see American ideas and principles and civilization +spread around the world, and lift up and regenerate +mankind."</p> + +<p>The opinion of another old-time statesman, given +some quarter of a century ago, is of vivid interest to-day.</p> + +<p>In 1872, when the Geneva Convention was holding its +deliberations, Mr. William M. Evarts spoke words of +wisdom to a company of distinguished guests at a +luncheon given by him at the house in which he was +then living.</p> + +<p>Among others present were Charles Francis Adams, +Caleb Cushing, Morrison R. Waite, afterward Chief +Justice; J. Bancroft Davis, Charles C. Beaman, and +others of the American Commission.</p> + +<p>What Mr. Evarts said was in substance as follows:</p> + +<p>"Gentlemen, God has America in his direct keeping, +and lets it work out its destinies in accordance with +His own wishes and for His own purpose. When the +time came and Europe needed an outlet for its surplus +energy, God let down the bars and America was discovered. +<a name="Page_132" id="Page_132"></a>Then little colonies of enterprising and progressive +men, seeking freedom from troubles and oppressions of +their native land, founded homes along the Atlantic coast. +He had let down the bars again for his own purposes. +These men struggled and fought and progressed in +civilization and liberty until the time came when +again the bars were let down and we had the Revolution, +and the colonies became a nation. Again the bars +went down, and then came the Mexican war, giving the +nation the room necessary for its expansion, the space +necessary for the homes of the millions from the Old +World who sought the freedom of the New. From +Atlantic to Pacific that little fringe of people of the +colonial times had evolved until they were a great +nation. We needed the precious metals, and gold and +silver were found sufficient for our purposes. God had +let down the bars. But one thing remained, one canker +and sore, one great evil which threatened and worried +and troubled, but God in His own good time again let +down the bars and it was forever swept away, for He +allowed the rebellion. He gave humanity and justice +and right the victory. He restored the Union, He will +heal the sores, He will lead the people to its final destiny +as the advance guard of civilization, progress and +the upbuilding and elevation of mankind, and in good +time the bars will be again let down for the benefit of +humanity—when or why we know not, but He knows."</p> + +<p>In the light of recent events, the utterances of these +two great men are certainly deserving of the utmost consideration. +Both of them really seem to be seers, who,<a name="Page_133" id="Page_133"></a> +from their observations of the past, saw visions of the +future for the native land they loved so well.</p> + +<p>The Paris Figaro, in a remarkable article, says that, +willingly or forcibly, America must belong to the Americans. +The New World must gird up its loins and be +ready to fulfill its mission. And this must be done by +force when persuasion is not sufficient. And when the +Americans shall have rejoined Europe in some portion +of Asia, concludes the Figaro, and closed the ring of +white civilization around the globe, will they stop or +can they stop? That is the secret of the future. Its solution +will depend upon what they will find before them—a +Europe torn and divided, or, as it has been said, the +United States of Europe. At all events, they will have +the right to be proud, because they will have carried out +their destiny.</p> + +<p>Now to turn to an opinion by an Englishman, and be +it remembered that England stood by us in a remarkable +way from the very beginning of the Spanish-American +war and undoubtedly prevented the other European +nations from interfering.</p> + +<p>The opinion we are about to give is from the pen of +Mr. Henry Norman, the special commissioner of the +London Chronicle.</p> + +<p>Among other things, Mr. Norman says in an article +entitled "A War-Made New America":</p> + +<p>"The vision of a new Heaven and a new earth is still +unfulfilled, but there is a new America. The second +American Revolution has occurred, and its consequences +may be as great as those of the first. The American<a name="Page_134" id="Page_134"></a> +people are as sensitive to emotional or intellectual stimulus +as a photographic film is to light, but they are also +to a remarkable degree, a people of second thoughts. +Their nerves are quick, but their convictions are slow. +The apparent change was so great and so unexpected +that at first I could not bring myself to believe in its +reality or its endurance. Unless all signs fail, however, +or I fail to interpret them, the old America, the America +obedient to the traditions of the founders of the republic, +is passing away, and a new America, an America standing +armed, alert and exigent in the arena of the world-struggle, +is taking its place.</p> + +<p>"The change is three-fold:</p> + +<p>"I. The United States is about to take its place +among the great armed powers of the world.</p> + +<p>"II. By the seizure and retention of territory not only +not contiguous to the borders of the republic, but remote +from them, the United States becomes a colonizing +nation, and enters the field of international rivalries.</p> + +<p>"III. The growth of good will and mutual understanding +between Great Britain and the United States +and the settlement of all pending disputes between +Canada and America, now virtually assured, constitute +a working union of the English-speaking people against +the rest of the world for common ends, whether any +formal agreement is reached or not."</p> + +<p>Mr. Norman goes on to say, after speaking of the +possible American army and navy of the present and the +future:</p> + +<p>"And look at the display of American patriotism.<a name="Page_135" id="Page_135"></a> +When the volunteers were summoned by the President +they walked on the scene as if they had been waiting in +the wings. They were subjected to a physical examination +as searching as that of a life insurance company. A +man was rejected for two or three filled teeth. They +came from all ranks of life. Young lawyers, doctors, +bankers, well-paid clerks are marching by thousands in +the ranks. The first surgeon to be killed at Guantanamo +left a New York practice of $10,000 a year to volunteer. +As I was standing on the steps of the Arlington Hotel +one evening a tall, thin man, carrying a large suitcase, +walked out and got on the street car for the railway +station on his way to Tampa. It was John Jacob Astor, +the possessor of a hundred millions of dollars. Theodore +Roosevelt's rough riders contain a number of the smartest +young men in New York society. A Harvard class-mate +of mine, a rising young lawyer, is working like a +laborer at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, not knowing when +he may be ordered to Cuba or Manila. He is a naval +reserve man and sent in his application for any post +'from the stoke hole upward.' The same is true of women. +When I called to say good-by to Mrs. John Addison +Porter, the wife of the Secretary to the President, +whose charming hospitality I had enjoyed, she had gone +to Tampa to ship as a nurse on the Red Cross steamer +for the coast of Cuba. And all this, be it remembered, +is for a war in which the country is not in the remotest +danger, and when the ultimate summons of patriotism +is unspoken. Finally, consider the reference to the war +loan. A New York syndicate offered to take half of it at<a name="Page_136" id="Page_136"></a> +a premium which would have given the Government a +clear profit of $1,000,000. But the loan was wisely offered +to the people and the small investor gets all he can buy +before the capitalist is even permitted to invest. And +from Canada to the Gulf, from Long Island to Seattle, +the money of the people is pouring in."</p> + +<p>Mr. Norman concludes his article with these pregnant +words, words which will force every man of any brains +whatever to pause and think:</p> + +<p>"Here, then, is the new America in one aspect—armed +for a wider influence and a harder fight than any +she has envisaged before. And what a fight she will +make! Dewey, with his dash upon Manila; Hobson and +his companions, going quietly to apparently certain +death, and ships offering the whole muster roll as volunteers +to accompany him; Rowan, with his life in his +hand at every minute of his journey to Gomez and back, +worse than death awaiting him if caught; Blue, making +his 70-mile reconnoissance about Santiago; Whitney, +with compass and notebook in pocket, dishwashing his +perilous way round to Porto Rico—this is the old daring +of our common race. If the old lion and the young +lion should ever go hunting side by side——!"</p> + +<p>Mr. Norman wisely leaves his last sentence unfinished. +For no man can predict what the result would be. +Would it be the subjugation of the entire world to the +Anglo-Saxon race?</p> + +<p>After considering what the French and the English +have to say, now let us turn to the utterances of the +Hon. Andrew H. Green, who spoke purely in the interests +<a name="Page_137" id="Page_137"></a>of a private citizen, one who desired the retention +of the territory acquired by the American Government +solely because he wished that the people of the United +States should not underestimate the value of their grand +opportunities for national enrichment.</p> + +<p>"War with Spain," said Mr. Green, in the beginning of +his interview in the Sun, "was declared by the authorized +authorities, whether wisely or otherwise, it is not +now of much profit to discuss. It has been prosecuted +with vigor and brought to a successful issue with a dispatch +unprecedented in conflicts of equal magnitude. +What shall be done with its results? What, in this age +of enlightenment and progress, shall we do with the territories +and with their peoples and property that the +fate of war has placed under our control and guardianship?"</p> + +<p>Mr. Green concludes his interview as follows:</p> + +<p>"As occasion offered heretofore the American people +have insisted upon acquiring and holding territory when +the interests of the country required it. Looking at all +the precedents, at the present situation, at the signs +and needs of the times, there is but little room to doubt +that the permanent retention of all territory acquired +from Spain will, in the interest of humanity and duty, +be demanded with equal firmness. We shall go on in the +same course of expansion which we have pursued from +our earliest history as an independent nation. We have +'hoisted the mainsail' of the ship of state and started +her about the world. While heeding Washington's +warnings and the popular interpretation of the Monroe<a name="Page_138" id="Page_138"></a> +doctrine to keep the people of other nations from getting +a foothold on this continent, we shall not pervert +their spirit by stubbornly refusing to improve an opportunity +to extend and increase our power and our commerce. +Every extension of our territory hitherto made +has been resisted by a spirit the same in essence as that +which now timidly opposes our improving the wonderful +opportunities put in our hands by the happy fortune +of war; but such opposition has failed of its purpose invariably +hitherto, and it will fail now with the American +people. The sacrifices of the war will not have been +in vain and the victories won by the valor of our navy +and army will not fail of their legitimate and well-earned +points."</p> + +<p>We are a practical people. There can be no doubt +about that, but still we are occasionally moved by sentiment, +as when we undertook to free Cuba from oppression, +but at the bottom of every national action there is +a sound practical idea.</p> + +<p>It was a pure and unselfish sentiment, however, that +impelled us to prevent the extermination of the people +of Cuba, a country so near to our own doors, and to demand +for them by force of arms, the freedom and independence +which was and is most unquestionably their +right.</p> + +<p>With Cuba freed, the rule of Spaniards in Porto Rico +would be both absurd and dangerous. It would be a +menace to the perpetual peace between Spain and the +United States, which the latter are determined on for +the future.<a name="Page_139" id="Page_139"></a></p> + +<p>Moreover, as we have seen, Porto Rico wishes most +strongly to become an integral portion of the Union, and +we desire to receive her as such.</p> + +<p>The rule of common sense should be applied, and both +sentiment and practicality are united in calling for the +conditions which the American Government has demanded +as to the former Spanish possessions in the +Western Hemisphere.</p> + +<p>The war against Spain was inevitable, was just and +necessary for the sake of humanity and the progress of +the world. Both our army and navy have shown glorious +bravery and heroism, and their marvelous achievements +must not be allowed to bring forth no results.</p> + +<p>By the fortunes of war a great responsibility has +been placed in the hands of the United States, and it +would be criminal to shirk in any respect this responsibility. +We must not give back to Spain any portion of +the earth in which to continue her abominable misrule. +Let the United States move forward to its manifest +destiny.</p> + +<p>In a powerful editorial the New York Sun declares +that our success will make for the world's peace. We +alone were the nation to free Cuba and the other Spanish +colonies. No one of the European powers could have +come forward to the rescue of the colonies without provoking +the enmity and jealousy of the other powers. If +we had neglected to discharge our duty, then that duty +would probably have fallen to a commission of the +European nations. The consequence would have been +that Spain would have been superseded in the Spanish<a name="Page_140" id="Page_140"></a> +Antilles by a strong European power, which would have +led sooner or later to a partition of Spanish America. +The United States alone could upset Spanish colonial +rule without exciting an uncontrollable outburst of envy +and greed in Europe, and occasion a general scramble +for the spoils of the New World.</p> + +<p>Neither Cuba nor Porto Rico could have been kept by +Spain with any assurance of the general safety of +nations. So long as the so-called mother country exercised +any power there, both the islands would have been +firebrands, which, if not aflame, would surely have been +smouldering.</p> + +<p>The Sun concludes its editorial with these words:</p> + +<p>"It is, in a word, for the interest of the whole civilized +world that all of Spain's colonies, with the possible +exception of the Canaries, should be turned over to us. +It is for the world's interests because, in her hands, +they always have been, and always would be, a menace +to the general peace. If this be true, and that it is cannot +be gainsaid, the sooner the transfer is made the better. +The fire, which now is localized, should be put out +quickly, lest it spread. A thousand accidents, contingencies, +inadvertencies, may lead to the very complications +which all of the European powers, except Spain, +are anxious to avoid. We except Spain because, in putting +off the evil day and in postponing submission to +the terms which our duty to mankind compels us to impose, +she can have no other hope, no other purpose, +than to bring about such international entanglements as +may cause a general war. Spain alone has anything to<a name="Page_141" id="Page_141"></a> +gain from such a contest; in it she would at least have +allies, and would expect to see her thirst for revenge +upon us gratified. The great powers of Europe, however, +do not mean to risk an œcumenical convulsion for the +sake of a decadent monarchy, which, considered as the +trustee of colonies, has been tried in the balance and +found wanting. They recognize that, in seeking to +evade the sentence of rigorous isolation which the conscience +of mankind has passed upon her, she is jeopardizing +the peace of the world. For that reason they are +exerting and will continue to exert all the means of moral +pressure at their command to induce the Spaniards to +accept promptly such terms as our Government may +offer."</p> + +<p>The people of the United States, after the armistice +was declared, were united in one thing, and that was, +that apart from the question of indemnity, the one condition +of peace, final and unvariable, would in the nature +of the case be this:</p> + +<p>The surrender and cession to the United States, now +and forever, of all Spain's possessions in the western +waters of both Atlantic and Pacific.</p> + +<p>The fortune of a war begun for the liberation of one +people has put it into the power of the United States to +liberate several peoples. All this territory, which +is ours by right, must henceforth be consecrated to +freedom.</p> + +<p>Colonel Alexander McClure, in an address at the laying +of the cornerstone of the new State Capitol of Pennsylvania, +expressed most eloquently the true American<a name="Page_142" id="Page_142"></a> +feeling in regard to the possessions which our naval and +military prowess won from Spain:</p> + +<p>"The same supreme power that demanded this war +will demand the complete fulfillment of its purpose. It +will demand, in tones which none can misunderstand +and which no power or party can be strong enough to +disregard, that the United States' flag shall never be +furled in any Spanish province where it has been +planted by the heroism of our army and navy.</p> + +<p>"Call it imperialism if you will; but it is not the imperialism +that is inspired by the lust of conquest. +It is the higher and nobler imperialism that voices +the sovereign power of this nation and demands +the extension of our flag and authority over the +provinces of Spain, solely that 'government of the people +by the people, and for the people shall not perish +from the earth.'</p> + +<p>"Such is the imperialism that has become interwoven +with the destiny of our great free Government, and it +will be welcomed by our people regardless of party lines, +and will command the commendation of the enlightened +powers of the Old World, as it rears, for the guidance +of all, the grandest monuments of freedom as the proclaimed +policy and purpose of the noblest Government +ever reared by a man or blessed by Heaven."<a name="Page_143" id="Page_143"></a></p> + + + +<h3><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h3> + +<p class="head">WHAT THE POSSESSION OF PORTO RICO WILL MEAN.</p> + + +<p>The heading of this chapter presents a most difficult +problem at this time. It would require an inspired +prophet to answer the question, and all that we can do +is to look at it as dispassionately as possible, and to +show the opinions of those who are more or less informed +upon the subject. From these opinions the +reader must of necessity draw his own conjectures.</p> + +<p>Of course, from the very nature of conditions the land +is at the present time of writing in a most unsettled +state, from a political, commercial and social point of +view.</p> + +<p>A new element has entered into the lives of the Porto +Ricans, and this new element naturally brings with it +an unknown future.</p> + +<p>The Spaniards and Porto Ricans have but little idea +of political tolerance. They are enemies, now, and both +seem to think that the opposite party is to be abused, +persecuted and even tortured.</p> + +<p>Many of the Porto Ricans, on the word of a competent +authority, believe that violence to the persons or +property of the Spaniards will be acceptable to the +Americans. The Spaniards, sharing this belief, live in a +constant state of terror, fearing for their possessions +and even for their lives.<a name="Page_144" id="Page_144"></a></p> + +<p>The withdrawal to an extent of the Spanish troops +gave the guerillas full license, and they burned a number +of plantations before our forces were put in charge.</p> + +<p>Both natives and Spanish, it might be said, were busy +in cutting each other's throats. The people became more +or less terrorized, and begged for American protection.</p> + +<p>About the first of September, Major-General Wilson +met at dinner a large number of prominent islanders, +and in response to a toast, he made a rather long speech. +As this speech was and is of great interest, we make no +apology for reproducing almost in full here.</p> + +<p>General Wilson said:</p> + +<p>"The great Republic, unlike the governments of +Europe, has no subjects. It extends its rights and +privileges freely and equally to all men, regardless of +race or color or previous condition, who reside within +its far-reaching dominions. It makes citizens of all who +forswear their allegiance to foreign Powers, princes and +potentates, and promise henceforth to bear true faith +and allegiance to the United States.</p> + +<p>"The expulsion of the Spanish power from your beautiful +and long-suffering island and the hoisting of the +American flag will be followed shortly, let us hope, by +the establishment of a stable civil administration, based +on the American principle of local self-government.</p> + +<p>"The government now exercising supreme authority +in the island, you will understand, is a government of +conquest, in which the will of the military commander +is substituted for that of the Spanish king and Cortes. +It does not pretend to interfere with the local laws, <a name="Page_145" id="Page_145"></a>except +in so far as may be necessary to protect the army +of the United States and maintain peace and good order +among the people of the island. It looks to the local +courts to do justice as between man and man, and to the +moderation and good sense of the people themselves for +the maintenance of public tranquility, and for the cultivation +of that perfect respect for the rights of persons +and property which constitutes the foundation of the +American system of government.</p> + +<p>"It has been wisely said by one of the fathers of the +republic that 'That government is best which governs +least,' and this is the principle which Porto Rico should +keep constantly in view. Government interference is +necessary only when the people, instead of confining +themselves exclusively to their own particular affairs, +presume to interfere with the affairs of their neighbors.</p> + +<p>"If every one, high and low, rich and poor, Porto Rican +and Spaniard, devotes himself strictly and exclusively +to his own private or official business, eschewing politics +and public affairs, for the next year, everybody will +find at the end of that time that the island has been well +governed and prosperous, and your American fellow +citizens will proclaim you worthy of the good fortune +which has united your destinies to those of the great +Republic.</p> + +<p>"Permit me to add that as soon as the Spaniards have +evacuated the island, and the sovereignty of the United +States is fully established, a military governor will be +appointed by the President, and he will govern in the +main in accordance with the principles I have indicated.<a name="Page_146" id="Page_146"></a> +How long this military government will last must depend +largely upon the people of Porto Rico themselves.</p> + +<p>"In the natural and regular course of events the military +government should be followed by a territorial government +established by act of Congress, and this in time +should be followed in a few years by a government +which shall make Porto Rico a sovereign State of the +great Republic, and give it all the rights guaranteed by +the constitution of the United States.</p> + +<p>"Permit me to add, before concluding, that you are +likely to meet with delay in the realization of your +hopes from two principal causes.</p> + +<p>"It is well known in the United States that Porto +Rico is a Roman Catholic country, and there is grave +objection on the part of many good people against the +admission of a purely Roman Catholic State into the +Union. This is based not so much on opposition to +that particular religion as on the feeling that the +domination of any sect would be prejudicial to our principles +of government. We have, perhaps, ten millions +of Roman Catholics in the United States, but they are +scattered throughout the various States, and intermingled +everywhere with the Protestant sects, so that +no one has a majority. We have no established Church, +and under our policy Congress can pass no act concerning +religion or limiting the right of any citizen to worship +God as he pleases.</p> + +<p>"The result is that all the churches are absolutely +free, and none concerns itself with politics. Each<a name="Page_147" id="Page_147"></a> +watches to see that the other does not get control of the +State.</p> + +<p>"Now that the Spanish government has been expelled, +it can no longer support the Church in this +island, hence the Church will necessarily have a hard +struggle till it can establish itself on the basis of voluntary +parochial support. Meanwhile the Protestant denominations +in the United States will have the right to +send their missionaries into this inviting field, where +they will doubtless receive a hearty welcome, but still +the advantage will remain with the Roman Catholic +Church, in which the people have been born, married +and buried for the last four hundred years.</p> + +<p>"Besides, it must not be forgotten that the Church, +like every other institution of the island, will surely +realize its full share of the benefits arising from the +union of the island with the great Republic. It will, +therefore, become more liberal and independent, as well +as more powerful than it has ever been.</p> + +<p>"Fortunately for you, however, every other Christian +denomination will from this time forth be free to make +converts, establish churches, open schools and circulate +religious books and newspapers, and generally to show +that it is a worthy teacher and guide to a higher and +better civilization than ever prevails where one Church +holds undisputed sway.</p> + +<p>"The second great menace to the future of the Porto +Rican people is the danger of an outbreak of violence +and intolerance on the part of one section of your people +against another; the danger of insular turning against<a name="Page_148" id="Page_148"></a> +peninsular; of Porto Rican turning against Spaniard, +with the torch and dagger, to avenge himself for the +wrongs and oppressions, real or imaginary, which have +so long characterized the Spanish domination in this +beautiful island.</p> + +<p>"It needs no argument to show that such an outbreak +if it becomes general, cannot fail to bring discredit on +your countrymen as a turbulent and law-breaking people +who cannot be intrusted with the precious privilege of +self-government, and must therefore be ruled by a military +commander.</p> + +<p>"I firmly believe that the Porto Ricans are a docile, +orderly and kindly people, well prepared for a better +government than they have ever enjoyed, but you must +lose no opportunity to impress upon the United States +that you are tolerant and magnanimous as well.</p> + +<p>"Your wrongs, whatever they were, have been +avenged by the expulsion of the Spanish flag and the +Spanish dominion, without exertion or cost on your +part, and the least you can do in return is to repress the +spirit of revenge and resolve to live in peace and +quietude with your Spanish neighbors, respecting their +rights of persons and property, as you desire to have +your own respected.</p> + +<p>"In this way, and in this way only, can you show +yourselves to be worthy of the great destiny which has +overtaken you, and which, let us hope, is to speedily +clothe your island with sovereignty as a member of the +great continental Republic.</p> + +<p>"Thus, and thus only, can we become fellow citizens<a name="Page_149" id="Page_149"></a> +indeed in perpetual enjoyment of our common and inestimable +heritage as citizens of the freest, richest and most +powerful nation in the world." The Hon. A. H. Green +speaks as follows of the present condition of Porto Rico:</p> + +<p>"The problems that force themselves upon the attention +at the outset are those of government and of finance. +The first question that naturally arises is, what shall be +done with these possessions? How shall they, with +their unassimilated populations, be cared for? The presence +of a military force will doubtless be an immediate +necessity. It should be administered in the mildest +form, unless riot and disorder otherwise require, and be +controlled by officers humane and intelligent, inclined +to encourage at the earliest practical time the inauguration +of a civil rule which shall gradually and as rapidly +as may be found wise invite an official participation of +representatives of the indigenous populations. Can this +be done? Let the doubting and the timid recall what +has been done, and is now doing toward improving the +conditions of the peoples of the East and ask themselves +whether America is not likely to be equally successful +in caring for those whose destinies she has assumed to +direct; whether it is not her duty to enforce order and +to keep the peace among peoples who by her acts have +been left disorganized and defenseless, a prey to the internecine +strifes of barbarous chiefs and to the intrigues +of roaming banditti? And have not experiences in assimilating +Spanish territories hitherto successfully annexed +or conquered proved abundantly our ability to +do all this?<a name="Page_150" id="Page_150"></a></p> + +<p>"It is natural enough that conservative minds should +adhere to the traditions of the past, but times are +changed, and the wisest of our forefathers were not able +to foresee what the workings of centuries might effect. +The atrocities to which the inhabitants of Cuba have +been subjected in the past two or more years aroused +the indignation of the civilized world.</p> + +<p class="poem">"'Their moans, the vales redoubled to the hills,<br /> +<span style="margin-left: .5em;">And they to Heav'n.'</span></p> + +<p>"The financial problem, which is already commanding +the serious attention of the Government, is next in +order. How are the great expenditures of the war to be +recouped? Shall we, in addition to territory acquired, +demand cash indemnity? If the care of these acquisitions +is to be as costly as some suppose, it would not be +an unreasonable requirement. While we shall lose the +revenues derived from imposts upon importations into +the United States from these possessions, which were +not large, this will be more than compensated by the +duties which we can impose upon importations from +other nations into them. In making up the estimates of +the whole financial situation it will be safe to assume +that at first our Government outlays will exceed income; +our people, however, will have the profit of furnishing +products of the United States to an added population +of 10,000,000 to 12,000,000, freed from the duty +that we can impose upon the imports of other nations. +Of the $10,000,000 in value of imports into the Philippines +from all countries, we supplied less than $200,000, +while we took from them nearly $5,000,000.<a name="Page_151" id="Page_151"></a></p> + +<p>"The interests of the people who gain their living +and manual labor are among the first to be considered +and jealously guarded. Fortunately the far greater part +of these in America are engaged in employments which +will be benefited by annexation. A fresh and unrestrained +market is to be opened for our products, and the +indigenous products of these regions are to be brought +here free of duty to give added employment to our factories. +No competitions of labor are to arise."</p> + +<p>As to our new acquisition of new colonies by the +United States, Theodore S. Wolsey, Professor of International +Law at Yale University, has this to say, and +every word he utters is pregnant with meaning, for no +one could be a more capable judge:</p> + +<p>"It has already been said that England learned the +lesson of the American Revolution, while Spain has +never heeded it nor the loss of her own colonies. Yet +it really was not until fifty years ago that their methods +sharply diverged. As early as 1778 Spain had begun to +open her dependencies to Foreign trade, and early in +this century they were allowed to trade with one +another. So, likewise, although great changes had been +earlier made in the English colonies, the spirit of +monopoly and of a restrictive policy was in force until +about 1815. So far as relates to the evils of the colonial +system, then, the two were not very unlike. But into +the field of administrative reform and the grant of +autonomous powers to her colonies, Spain never has entered. +The abuses of the early part of the century characterize +also its later years. Discrimination against the<a name="Page_152" id="Page_152"></a> +native-born, even of the purest Spanish stock; officials +who regard the colony as a mine to be worked, not a +trust to be administered; forced dependence upon the +mother country for manufactures, even for produce, so +far as duties can effect it; self-government stifled; representation +in the Cortes denied or a nullity; a civil service +unprogressive, ignorant, sometimes corrupt—compare +these handicaps with the growth, the prosperity, +the independence, above all, the decent and orderly administration, +of the colonies of England. One of the +wonderful things in this half century is that army of +British youth, with but little special training or genius, +or even, perhaps, conscious sympathy for the work, +learning to administer the great and growing Indian +and colonial empire honestly and wisely and well, with +courage and judgment equal to emergencies, animated +by an every-day working sense of duty and honor, but +not very often making any fuss or phrases about it. It +is not that Spanish colonial government is worse than +formerly, which is costing it now so dear, but that it is +no better, while the world's standard has advanced and +condemns it. Never yet has Spain looked at her colonies +with their own welfare uppermost in her mind. She +has never outgrown the old mistaken theories. Her +fault is medievalism, alias ignorance.</p> + +<p>"It is not a cause for wonder, therefore, quite apart +from special sources of discontent, that Cuba, which, by +position is thrown into contact with progressive peoples, +should chafe at her leading strings. Without reference +to the corruption and cruelty, arrogance, injustice<a name="Page_153" id="Page_153"></a> +and repression which are alleged against the mother +country, without rhetoric and without animosity, we +may fairly say that Spain is losing Cuba, perhaps all +her colonies, simply because she has not conformed to +the standard of the time in the matter of colonial government. +If England had not altered her own methods, +her colonies would long since have abandoned her as +opportunity offered. The wonder really is that Spain +has held hers so long; for Cuba, at least, owing to its +exceptional fertility and position, has relatively outstripped +its declining mother.</p> + +<p>"There remains the moral of the story.</p> + +<p>"If we are not mistaken as to the fundamental causes +of Spain's colonial weakness, other colonial powers +must take warning also, and the United States in particular, +if it yields to the temptations, or, as many say, +assumes the divinely-ordered responsibilities, of the +situation. For its protective system is a derivative of +the mercantile system, as the colonial system was. If it +becomes a colonial power, but attempts by heavy duties +to limit the foreign trade of its colonies, if it administers +those colonies through officials of the spoils type, if it +fails to enlarge the local liberties and privileges of its +dependencies up to the limit of their receptive powers—if, +in short, it holds colonies for its own aggrandizement, +instead of their well-being—it will be but repeating +the blunders of Spain, and the end will be disaster."</p> + +<p>Colonel Hill has declared that the heavy burdens +under which the business world of Porto Rico has been +staggering in the past have been almost inconceivable.<a name="Page_154" id="Page_154"></a> +Something of this has already been said, but it may be +well to give Colonel Hill's views, as he is certainly a +most competent judge. The colonel says that in the first +place there has been a tax on every ship that comes in +and goes out. There has been a heavy tax on all articles +of impost and a special tax on all articles not enumerated +in the tariff. In addition to that, an additional tax +of ten per cent. on the bill was added. Each hackman +who plied between the port and the town of Ponce had +to pay a tax of eight dollars a month. No person could +write a letter to an official without first going to the +collector and purchasing a certain kind of official paper, +for which he must pay fifty cents to one dollar a sheet. +The price was regulated by the rank of the official who +had to be written to.</p> + +<p>The effect of all this was rather to increase the number +of complaints from citizens than to increase the +revenues of the island.</p> + +<p>To General Ernst, who was the officer in command of +the territory of Coamo, a large number of protests were +made. In especial, a delegation of twelve to fifteen citizens +called upon the general to request the removal of +the alcalde, on the ground that he had been an officer in +the Spanish volunteer army, and was unsatisfactory +because of his former connections. The gentleman, +however, had gracefully accepted the new condition +of affairs and was performing the duties of his office +earnestly and faithfully. These facts General Ernst +was in possession of and he was forced in consequence +to deny the request of the delegation.<a name="Page_155" id="Page_155"></a></p> + +<p>For his own protection and to remove any false impression +there might be in the public mind, General +Ernst issued the following proclamation, which was +printed in both English and Spanish:</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 18%;">"Headquarters 1st Brigade, 1st Div.,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 22%;">1st Army Corps, Camp Near Coamo,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 30%;">Porto Rico, September 3, 1898.</span><br /> +</p> + +<p>To the People of Coamo and Neighboring Districts:</p> + +<p>"To prevent misunderstanding as to the rights and +duties of the various members of this community, you +are respectfully informed:</p> + +<p>"1. That no change has been made in the civil laws +of Porto Rico, and that none can be made except by the +Congress of the United States. The present civil authorities +are to be obeyed and respected.</p> + +<p>"2. That no prejudice rests against any citizen, +whether in office or not, for having served as a volunteer, +if he now frankly accepts the authority of the +United States.</p> + +<p>"3. That the persecution of persons simply because +they are Spaniards, or Spanish sympathizers, will not be +tolerated. They, as well as the Porto Ricans, are all expected +to become good American citizens, and, in any +event, they are entitled to the protection of the law until +they violate it.</p> + +<p class="r">O. H. Ernst,<br /> +"Brigadier-General Commanding."</p> + +<p class="top5">About this time President McKinley promulgated +through the War Department the revised customs tariff<a name="Page_156" id="Page_156"></a> +and regulations to be enforced by the military authorities +in the ports of Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>In general, the regulations for Porto Rico were practically +the same as those promulgated for Cuba and the +Philippines. The one important difference was that +trade between ports in the United States and ports and +places in the possession of the United States in Porto +Rico be restricted to registered vessels of the United +States and prohibited to all others. It was provided that +any merchandise transported in violation of this regulation +should be subject to forfeiture, and that for every +passenger transported and landed in violation of this +regulation the transporting vessel should be subject to a +penalty of $200.</p> + +<p>This regulation should not be construed to forbid the +sailing of other than registered vessels of the United +States with cargo and passengers between the United +States and Porto Rico, provided that they were not +landed, but were destined for some foreign port or place.</p> + +<p>It was further provided that this regulation should +not be construed to authorize lower tonnage taxes or +other navigation charges on American vessels entering +the ports of Porto Rico from the United States than were +paid by foreign vessels from foreign countries, nor to +authorize any lower customs charges or tariff charges +on the cargoes of American vessels entering from the +United States than were paid on the cargoes of foreign +vessels entering from foreign ports.</p> + +<p>The regulations as to entering and clearing vessels +and the penalties for the violation were the same as<a name="Page_157" id="Page_157"></a> +those fixed for Cuban ports in the possession of the +United States. The tonnage dues were reduced, as in +Cuba, to twenty cents per ton on vessels entering from +ports other than Porto Rican ports in the possession of +the United States, and two cents a ton on vessels from +other ports in Porto Rico. The landing charge of $1 per +ton was abolished, and the special tax of fifty cents on +each ton of merchandise landed at San Juan and Mayaguez +for harbor improvement was continued.</p> + +<p>As in Cuba, the Spanish minimum tariff was to be +collected. On most articles, however, this was much +higher than the minimum tariff which was imposed by +Spain in Cuba. The differential in Porto Rico imposed +on goods imported from countries other than Spain was +much smaller than in Cuba, so that under Spanish rule +there was not a wide difference between duties on goods +from countries other than Spain imported into the two +islands. Under the operation of the President's orders +imposing the minimum tariffs in both islands the effect +would be to tax most articles much higher in Porto Rico +than in Cuba. As in Cuba, a tariff was imposed on tobacco, +manufactured tobacco, cigars and cigarettes +equivalent to the internal revenue taxes imposed in the +United States.</p> + +<p>Richard Harding Davis says that there will be no +such complications in Porto Rico as those which exist +in Cuba for the United States troops there were not +allies. They were men who came, were seen and conquered. +The revolutionary leaders had no share or +credit in their triumphal progress.<a name="Page_158" id="Page_158"></a></p> + +<p>Now to examine into what Porto Rico offers for +American enterprise and capital.</p> + +<p>In the first place, United States Consul Hanna has +been flooded with letters from fortune hunters. He +strongly advised all of them to remain at home until the +Americans were in complete control. Now, let us examine +what one or two competent authorities have to +say of Porto Rico, so far as American enterprise is concerned.</p> + +<p>Here is the opinion of a man who has lived in Porto +Rico for several years and who knows of what he is +speaking:</p> + +<p>"We take Porto Rico, too, at a time when everything +favors increased prosperity. It has not been ravaged +and wrecked, like Cuba, by war. Its foreign trade in +1896, amounting to $36,624,120, was the largest in its +history, the value of the exports then, for the first time +in over ten years, exceeding that of the imports. Of +course the main trade has always been with Spain, but +the trade with us stands next, and during the year in +question was over two-thirds of that with Spain. Of late, +it is true, our trade with Porto Rico has been relatively +declining, being far less than it was a quarter of a century +ago. During the reciprocity period of a few years +since it increased somewhat, but after that it fell off +again. It is important to note, however, that our exports +to Porto Rico have kept well up of late years, the +falling off in total trade being due to the decline of our +imports, so that now the exports are not far from equal +to the imports, instead of being much inferior as formerly. +<a name="Page_159" id="Page_159"></a>It is a noteworthy fact that the exchange from both +countries is mostly of products of the soil. That is the +case with ninety-nine hundredths of Porto Rico's exports +to us, sugar and molasses comprising 85 per cent., +with coffee coming next, and it is also true of over +three-fifths of our exports to Porto Rico, among which +breadstuffs and meat foods are prominent.</p> + +<p>"But with Porto Rico fully ours, and the discriminations +enforced by past laws in favor of Spanish trade +wiped out, there must be a change in the currents of +her commerce. We shall expect to furnish the chief +markets for her products, and on the other hand to send +to the island more food products than ever, more machinery, +textile fabrics, iron and steel. Her capabilities +will be developed, perhaps notably in coffee cultivation. +Her peaceful and industrious people will welcome +American enterprise and capital, American progressive +methods, and free institutions. Indeed one of the most +striking events of this year was the extraordinary enthusiasm +with which American troops were greeted all +along the southern shores of the island. It was as if the +people could already forecast the great future in store +for them, under American laws and the American flag."</p> + +<p>A correspondent of the New York Evening Post, who +signs himself by the initials A. G. R., speaks with +authority as follows:</p> + +<p>"The prominence given to the island by the events of +recent months has led many of our people to think it of +vastly greater importance, commercially, than it really +is. Consul Hanna, who is back in his old quarters in<a name="Page_160" id="Page_160"></a> +San Juan, has a small wheelbarrow load of letters from +all parts of the United States, asking detailed information +upon all conceivable lines of trade, manufacture +and profession. To answer them according to the terms +of their requests would be the work of a short lifetime. +But they indicate the widespread interest of American +business men in Porto Rican mercantile affairs. Every +steamer arriving here brings its group of American passengers. +Some are visitors who make the trip only +through curiosity. The majority come with an idea of +some form of business, either in the shape of a speculative +flyer, permanent investment, or a commercial or +industrial establishment.</p> + +<p>"A large percentage of those who come are young +men, who have just about enough money to get them +here, to keep them here for a week or two, and then get +them home again. These come in the hope of finding +immediate employment, of catching on to something +which will maintain them. They invariably go home +again. The island is no place for such. None but the +capitalist, the investor, or the business man with money +for his business, should come to Porto Rico with anything +more in view than an outing or a vacation. As +things are at present, there is little enough to interest +the capitalist or the investor. The man who is looking +for a job should look for it at home; his chances are infinitely +better than they are here. There is absolutely +nothing for the position hunter, for the clerk, or for the +workman. In time there may be something, but it will +be, at the least, many months before such opportunities<a name="Page_161" id="Page_161"></a> +are open, and even then they will be few. Until then +the case is hopeless, and those who come will but do as +their predecessors have done—go home again, poorer +and wiser men. If a young man can afford to spend a +couple of hundred dollars in the purchase of that particular +form of wisdom, the opportunity is open to him +here on this island. If he cannot afford it, he will do +better not to risk it.</p> + +<p>"Merchants will find nothing to do here, except to +glean a certain amount of information of rather doubtful +accuracy, until the question of tariff rates shall have +been definitely settled. There is now nothing on which +to base any plans or calculations for business operations. +The native merchants are complaining seriously. They +are waiting to place orders for hundreds of thousands of +dollars' worth of goods to replenish stocks which have +been depleted through many mouths of uncertain trade +conditions, and are losing business which they have +been led to expect would be open to them almost immediately +after the American occupation of the different +cities in which they are located. Nor is it at all easy for +an American to obtain any definite information or accurate +details regarding any particular line of business +and its possibilities. Local commercial methods are not +reduced to the system which prevails among American +business men. The Porto Rican merchant buys and sells, +but I fail to find evidence of that close study of business +and business methods by which the American merchant +increases his trade and his profits.</p> + +<p>"The entire trade of the island is of no very great<a name="Page_162" id="Page_162"></a> +magnitude. The local trade in local products is chiefly +confined to the morning market for table supplies, +which is held in all the cities and larger towns. The +total imports and exports hardly reach a gross amount +of thirty millions of dollars a year, and the imports exceed +the exports by a couple of millions. I have been +unable to find any statistics which I was willing to +accept as wholly reliable. So far as I can learn, no complete +report has been submitted by the United States +Consul, and there are discrepancies which I cannot +reconcile in the published reports of the English Consul +and those of the Dutch Consul. I can, therefore, only +give figures which are approximate, though they are +sufficiently close for general purposes.</p> + +<p>"Cotton goods appear to be the largest item among the +imports, and they represent a trade of two or three millions +of dollars, varying from year to year, according to +the prices and the success or failure of the crop products +of the island. Rice is imported to the value of one +and a half to two millions of dollars. Flour, chiefly from +the United States, approximates three-quarters of a million +dollars. Dried, salt and pickled fish, of which +Canada seems to obtain the lion's share of the trade, +represents a million to a million and a quarter. The +United States has the major portion of a trade in pork +and pork products which about equals the fish business.</p> + +<p>"Woollen goods are, naturally, of but limited consumption +in so warm a climate, and the trade is probably less +than $150,000 in amount. Agricultural implements represent +a business of three to four hundred thousand dollars. +<a name="Page_163" id="Page_163"></a>Boots and shoes, almost exclusively from Spain, +represent some five or six hundred thousand. Chinaware, +glassware, lumber, coal, soap, furniture and other articles +of general use and consumption represent amounts +varying from one to three or four hundred thousand +dollars.</p> + +<p>"The most astonishing thing in the whole list of importations +is the item of vegetable and garden products. +These are imported into this country, which is in itself +but a natural garden in which can and should be raised +every form of vegetable necessary or desirable for consumption, +and the annual value of the imports approximates +$400,000 and the weight 7,000 tons. The island +uses $150,000 worth of imported candles and $50,000 +worth of imported butter yearly. It uses two to three +hundred thousand dollars' worth of cheese, of which the +Netherlands have, for the last few years, furnished +much the greater part. Uruguay and the Argentine supply +it with one to three thousand tons of jerked beef +annually. Wines, beers, and liquors take something +more than a half a million a year out of the country.</p> + +<p>"Among Porto Rican exports coffee is the heaviest +item. This reaches an average valuation of some $10,000,000 +a year. Sugar ranks next, and approximates +three to four million dollars. Tobacco goes to the extent +of some half a million, and molasses touches about the +same figure. Hides, cattle, timber and fruit are represented +in the list, but their value is comparatively inconsiderable. +Guano to the extent of half a million a +year appears in the reports for some years, but I am <a name="Page_164" id="Page_164"></a>unable +to account for either the article or the amount. +Some corn has been sent to Cuba, some native rum to +Spain, and some bay rum to France and to the United +States.</p> + +<p>"It will thus be seen that, as yet, the island offers +but a comparatively limited amount of business, either +in buying or selling. Under wise laws, and a just and +equitable system of taxation, with a suitable railway +system and improved highways, and with the ports of +the United States and of the islands open to the exchange +of commodities, free of duty, a very material increase +of the business of the island will inevitably follow. +It is quite possible to double the trade within the +next ten or fifteen years. There will be some wildcat +speculation, some unwise investment and some loss to +investors. The schemer and the promoter will find victims +who will put their money into companies whose +future is wholly hopeless. But along with that there +may reasonably be expected a steady growth and improvement. +But it will come by gradual increase and development, +and not by a sudden bound."</p> + +<p>According to Mr. William J. Morrisey, a prominent +real estate dealer of Brooklyn, who spent some time in +Porto Rico, the island is no place for an American to +invest any money at present. He says that the place can +be made to pay, provided the United States Government +clears the entire island of Spaniards and fills the towns +and cities with the American people.</p> + +<p>Mr. Morrisey also states that the natives of the cities +are desirous of becoming American citizens, but that<a name="Page_165" id="Page_165"></a> +out in the country, it is far different. These people are +constantly in fear of the Americans, and their sole desire +is to dispose of their property as soon as possible and +return to Spain. The more enlightened of them are of +the opinion that the United States Government will +banish all the Spaniards from the island and thereby +make it more agreeable for the residents.</p> + +<p>A dispatch of the Evening Post says that in view of +representations made to the War Department that the +municipal councils in Porto Rico were making hay while +the sun shines, and granting business franchises right +and left under the Spanish law empowering them to do +so, orders were recently issued to General Brooke to put +a stop to the practice forthwith, and the announcement +was given out that on the evacuation by the Spaniards, +and our assumption of military authority in the island, +no more of these loose grants would be made. Meanwhile +American shippers were in a state of mind over a +lack of ships with which to conduct the normal commerce +of this country with Porto Rico. The change of +status for the island, from being a foreign possession to +a port of the United States coast, had made the rigid +regulations of our coasting trade applicable to it, and +the purchase of so many of our coasting vessels by the +government for use as transports, coalers, and the like, +had embarrassed the progress of coast commerce not a +little. The regulations had to be suspended on two or +three occasions to let in ships which seemed absolutely +necessary, and now the question came up whether it +would be best to suspend the regulations altogether or<a name="Page_166" id="Page_166"></a> +to have each separate vessel which needed American +papers apply to Congress for special legislation.</p> + +<p>There was another question, and a very important +one, which came up, and that was how far Louisiana +and other sugar-producing States would be affected by +the annexation of Porto Rico.</p> + +<p>In no State in the Union does a single interest play +so important and so peculiar a part as the sugar industry +in Louisiana. Fully two-fifths of the inhabitants of the +State are more or less interested in sugar, and any great +disaster to the crop would injure ninety per cent. of the +population in southern Louisiana.</p> + +<p>So far as Porto Rico goes, it is very doubtful if it will +injure Louisiana in any way. As has been said before, +the island is densely populated, small in area, and with +little additional land available for sugar. It is by no +means probable that it will increase materially in its +sugar production. American laws will militate against +the importation of contract labor, and will therefore +prevent any undue competition. As the New York Sun +very justly observes, the bugbear of the Louisiana sugar +planter is not territorial expansion, but the war taxes +and the possibility of their permanent adoption, bringing +with it the reopening of the old tariff agitation, +which they supposed was permanently closed.</p> + +<p>Taking it all in all, territorial expansion has certainly +no terrors for the Louisiana planters.</p> + +<p>With the evidence we have given, it is easy to see +what Porto Rico has to offer, or not to offer, to Americans.<a name="Page_167" id="Page_167"></a></p> + +<p>With their usual manana, the Spaniards have been +slow to evacuate the island, but a decisive stand has +been taken by the President.</p> + +<p>The chief intent of the administration is to clear the +island of Spaniards, put at work American methods in +sanitary, civic and economic administration, and, for +the purpose of doing this without annoyance, to have +forces enough for police duty.</p> + +<p>The day fixed for the hoisting of the American flag +over San Juan and the complete and permanent occupation +of Porto Rico by the military forces of the United +States was October 18.</p> + +<p>It was possible for the Administration of the United +States to take this step by virtue of war powers and of +the establishment of the fact that Porto Rico is to be +wholly and permanently American.</p> + +<p>At the present time of writing Porto Rico is still a +foreign country, so far as the laws of the United States +are concerned, and until changed by Congress, customs +duties will be collected on imports from the island. So, +too, with the navigation laws, and American ship-owners +are warned to secure registers for foreign commerce +before entering the Porto Rico trade, as vessels +with only coasting enrollments and licenses will +be subject to penalty on their return to the United +States.</p> + +<p>On the 18th of October, promptly at noon, the flag +was raised over San Juan.</p> + +<p>An excellent description of the proceedings has been +given in the Boston Herald, and reads as follows:<a name="Page_168" id="Page_168"></a></p> + +<p>"The ceremony was quiet and dignified, unmarred by +disorder of any kind.</p> + +<p>"The 11th regular infantry, with two batteries of the +5th artillery, landed. The latter proceeded to the fort, +while the infantry lined up on the docks. It was a holiday +for San Juan, and there were many people in the +streets.</p> + +<p>"Rear Admiral Schley and General Gordon, accompanied +by their staffs, proceeded to the palace in carriages. +The 11th infantry regiment and band, with troop +H of the 6th U. S. cavalry, then marched through the +streets, and formed in the square opposite the palace. +At 11.40 A. M. General Brooke, Admiral Schley and +General Gordon, the United States evacuation commissioners, +came out of the palace with many naval officers, +and formed on the right side of the square. The street +behind the soldiers was thronged with townspeople, +who stood waiting in dead silence.</p> + +<p>"At last the city clock struck the hour of 12, and the +crowds, almost breathless, and with eyes fixed upon the +flag pole, watched for developments. At the sound of +the first gun from Fort Morro, Major Dean and Lieutenant +Castle of General Brooke's staff hoisted the stars +and stripes, while the band played the 'Star Spangled +Banner.'</p> + +<p>"All heads were bared, and the crowds cheered. Fort +Morro, Fort San Cristobal and the United States revenue +cutter Manning, lying in the harbor, fired 21 guns +each.</p> + +<p>"Senor Munoz Rivera, who was president of the<a name="Page_169" id="Page_169"></a> +recent autonomist council of secretaries, and other officials +of the late insular government were present at the +proceedings.</p> + +<p>"Congratulations and handshaking among the American +officers followed. Ensign King hoisted the stars and +stripes on the Intendencia, but all other flags on the +various public buildings were hoisted by military officers. +Simultaneously with the raising of the flag over the captain-general's +palace many others were hoisted in different +parts of the city.</p> + +<p>"The work of the United States' evacuation commission +was now over. The labors of both parties terminated +with honor for all concerned."</p> + +<p>After the parade the bands and various trade organizations +went to General Henry's headquarters. General +Henry in a speech said:</p> + +<p>"Alcalde and Citizens: To-day the flag of the United +States floats as an emblem of undisputed authority over +the island of Porto Rico, giving promise of protection +to life, of liberty, prosperity and the right to worship +God in accordance with the dictates of conscience. The +forty five States represented by the stars emblazoned +on the blue field of that flag unite in vouchsafing to you +prosperity and protection as citizens of the American +Union.</p> + +<p>"Your future destiny rests largely with yourselves. +Respect the rights of each other. Do not abuse the government +which accords opportunities to the individual +for advancement. Political animosities must be forgotten +in unity and in the recognition of common interests.<a name="Page_170" id="Page_170"></a> +I congratulate you all on beginning your public life +under new auspices, free from governmental oppression, +and with liberty to advance your own country's interests +by your united efforts."</p> + +<p>General Henry then introduced Colonel John B. +Castleman, who spoke with great effect as an old Confederate.</p> + +<p>The alcalde replied in part:</p> + +<p>"We hope soon to see another star symbolic of our +prosperity and of our membership in the great republic +of States. Porto Rico has not accepted American domination +on account of force. She suffered for many years +the evils of error, neglect and persecution, but she had +men who studied the question of government, and who +saw in America her redemption and a guarantee of life, +liberty and justice.</p> + +<p>"Then we came willingly and freely, hoping, hand +in hand with the greatest of all republics, to advance +in civilization and progress, and to become part of the +republic to which we pledge our faith forever."</p> + +<p>When the Spanish flag was hauled down all over the +island and the Stars and Stripes raised in its place, +General Brooke became the chief executive of Porto +Rico. Actually, but not in name, he was the military +governor of the island. The plan of a military governor +for Porto Rico, to hold until the Washington authorities +deem it wise to substitute a purely civil administration, +has not been fully arranged. From October 18 +until the plan of the Government has been put into +effect, General Brooke, or the military officer who will<a name="Page_171" id="Page_171"></a> +succeed him if he asks for detachment, will be in +supreme control of civil and military affairs. It is the +intention, however, of the Government here to have as +little of the military element as possible in the administration +of affairs, and so to all intents and purposes a +civil administration will be in operation from the time +the Spaniards surrendered authority.</p> + +<p>Still, when all has been said, it is perfectly sure that +in the end Porto Rico will become one of the most important +of our possessions. Superstition and tyranny +will be driven from this most fertile island, and hope +and peace, under the Stars and Stripes, will be brought +to the thousands so long under foot.</p> + +<p>Hail, therefore to Porto Rico! And some day may it +become a bright star in the flag that brings protection +and freedom to all!</p> + + +<p class="c sml">(THE END.)</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Porto Rico, by Arthur D. 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