diff options
Diffstat (limited to '30987.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 30987.txt | 5035 |
1 files changed, 5035 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/30987.txt b/30987.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d04c4ab --- /dev/null +++ b/30987.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5035 @@ +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: ASCII + +*** 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.) + + + + + + +[Illustration: book's cover] + +[Illustration: Map of Porto Rico] + + + + +PORTO RICO. + +Its History, Products +And Possibilities. + +BY +A. D. HALL, + +Author of "Cuba" and "The Philippines." + +NEW YORK + +STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS + +81 FULTON STREET + + + + +Copyrighted 1898 + +BY + +STREET & SMITH. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + +CHAPTER PAGE + +I--The Aborigines of Porto Rico 7 + +II--Struggles of the Past 18 + +III--Topography and Climate 27 + +IV--Population and Towns 36 + +V--Resources 42 + +VI--Manners and Customs 53 + +VII--The Dawn of Freedom 69 + +VIII--Naval Lessons Taught by the War 77 + +IX--What Our Army Achieved 88 + +X--How the Porto Ricans Received Us 104 + +XI--Our Claim to Porto Rico 128 + +XII--What the Possession of Porto Rico Will Mean 143 + + + + +PORTO RICO. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE ABORIGINES OF PORTO RICO. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 permanently over it, and there is an influx of American +enterprise and wealth, there will be a marvelous increase in values of +all kinds. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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. + +Their forms were light and free, and there were no cripples among them. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +Their huts were similar in structure and in character to those of the +North American Indians. + +The hammock was the chief article of furniture of the aborigines, and +the calabash shell their only cooking utensil. + +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. + +When the Indians saw that the sick were near to death they suffocated +them. Even the chiefs did not escape. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +The Spaniards have ever been treacherous, selfish and a nation of +money-grubbers. + +Now followed an instance which is only one of many to prove the truth of +this statement. + +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. + +But they speedily recognized their mistake and discovered the abominable +character of the invaders. + +De Leon killed off all the natives that he could and made the rest +slaves to work in the gold mines of Hayti. + +When any one resisted he was killed, and if he attempted to escape he +was hunted down by bloodhounds. + +It is related that Ponce de Leon had a dog which became noted as a slave +catcher. So valuable was he in this respect that his name was actually +carried on the army payroll for the benefit of his master. + +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. + +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. + +The action is thus related in the words of a competent authority: + +"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 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." + +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. + +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. + +In this city Ponce de Leon built the governor's palace called Casa +Blanca, a structure which is still in use. + +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. + +The inscription upon his monument reads as follows: + +_Mole sub hac fortis requiescunt ossa Leonis Qui vicit factis nomina +magna suis._ + +These words may be translated into English as follows: + +"This narrow grave contains the remains of a man who was a Lion by name, +and much more so by his deeds." + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +STRUGGLES OF THE PAST. + + +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. + +None of these attacks seriously affected Spanish authority on the +island. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +They sunk a ship in the neck of San Juan harbor, thereby preventing +Drake's fleet from obtaining an entrance. + +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. + +Dr. Griffin discovered the following in an old English chronicle: + +"Confession of John Austin, mariner of London, of the late company of +Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Hawkins. + +"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 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." + +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: + +"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. + +"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 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." + +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. + +"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. + +"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 stood for the eastern end of Porto +Rico, where Sir John Hawkins breathed his last. + +"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.' + +"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. + +"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 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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The English tried to take it in 1615, and again in 1678. + +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. + +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. + +For nearly three hundred years the island was neglected. During all that +time it was used chiefly as 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. + +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. + +Nevertheless there has been a large number of revolutions against the +home government. + +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. + +In 1868, the year of the great uprising in Cuba, the most formidable +outbreak occurred in Porto Rico. + +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. + +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. + +But they were afterward banished, and in their exile they have ever +since been active in devising measures for the freedom of the island. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The coasts are generally regular, but there are a large number of bays +and inlets, and the north coast is full of navigable lagoons. + +The principal capes are San Juan, Mala Pascua, Rojo and Bruquen. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +Taking it as a whole, the island is approximately roof-shaped, so that +the rainfall is rapidly drained off. + +In the interior are extensive plains and there are level tracts from +five to ten miles wide on the coast. + +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. + +The pasture lands in the northern and eastern parts of the island are +superior to any others in the West Indies. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +The eastern coast is fairly indented and washed by a sea which is +usually smooth. + +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. + +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. + +There are seven or eight other ports of minor importance. + +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 north through Guaynola and Rio +Piedras to San Juan. The entire length of this highway is about +eighty-five miles. + +The distance from Ponce to San Juan, as the bird flies, is only +forty-five miles. + +And now to take up a most important point--the climate. Of this much can +be said in favor. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +In this regard, the manager of a prominent life insurance company has +spoken as follows: + +"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. + +"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. + +"It has many attractions of its own that are lacking in the other West +Indies. + +"Close on the heels of the army will march some enterprising American +hotel man, and then look out for results." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +POPULATION AND TOWNS. + + +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 +_peninsulares_, 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. + +It is valuable to note the large proportion of whites, which is very +unusual for a tropical country. + +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. + +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. + +This will give some idea of the density of the population of Porto Rico. + +Thirty per cent. of the whites and seventy-five per cent. of the negroes +were classed in the census of 1887 as laborers. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The population, by the way, has been steadily increasing since the +beginning of the present century. + +Ponce, named after Ponce de Leon, is the largest city 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. + +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. + +Near Ponce are hot springs which are quite famous and held in high +estimation by invalids. + +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. + +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. + +The town is about half a mile wide, inclosed by high walls of masonry, +which are very picturesque, and with their portcullis gates and +battlements recall vividly to one's mind the description of mediaeval +times. + +The bluff is crowned by Morro Castle, rendered familiar to Americans in +the recent war. + +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. + +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. + +The city is lighted by gas, which is controlled by an English company, +and it also has an electric plant under local management. + +There is a local telephone company. + +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. + +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 which is known as manana, the reservoir has never been completed. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 coast, which shall make the entire circuit of the island. From +these there will be short branches to all the seaports and inland +markets. + +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. + +The telegraph system is also in a very incomplete state and is poorly +managed. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +RESOURCES. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Porto Rico, in proportion to its size, is immensely wealthy. It is very +doubtful if the Philippines can equal it in richness, square foot for +square foot. + +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. + +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. + +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! + +The soil of Porto Rico is of remarkable fertility. Its dominant +industries may be said to be agriculture and lumbering. + +In the elevated regions, most of the vegetable productions of the +temperate zone can be grown. + +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 _Talauma_, with immense white +odorous flowers and silvery leaves. This tree is exceedingly ornamental. +It is used for lumber and called Sabiuo. A _Kirtella_ with crimson +flowers is 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 vitae, cedar +and logwood. Plants valuable in the arts and pharmacy abound. Tropical +fruits grow everywhere to perfection. + +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. + +Sugarcane is cultivated on the fertile plains, yielding three hogsheads +on an average per acre without any manure. + +An excellent grade of coffee is produced, and it does not appear that as +yet any blight has perceptibly affected the shrubs. + +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. + +Rice and plaintain are in fact the staple food of the natives. + +Cotton and maize are also raised to a certain extent. + +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. + +There are a long number of fruits on the island, such as cherries, guava +plums, juicy mangoes and bell apples. + +Edwin Emerson, Jr., a war correspondent, speaks of some of the fruits as +follows: + +"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." + +The poverty of the fauna and flora is remarkable, there being scarcely +any wild animals, birds or flowers. + +There is a great deficiency of what may be called _native_ animals of +any sort. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Poultry is most abundant, and the seas and rivers are full of the finest +fish. + +Agriculture has hitherto been almost exclusively in the hands of the +natives, but most of the business and commerce have been controlled by +foreigners and Spaniards from the Peninsula. + +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. + +There is no question but that the island, richly endowed as it is by +Nature, has been miserably governed. + +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. + +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. + +Hot springs and mineral waters are found at Juan Diaz, San Sebastian, +San Lorenzo and Ponce, but the most famous are at Coamo, near the town +of Santa Isabella. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Porto Rico has paid into the Spanish treasury about 4,000,000 pesos +annually, which is equivalent to about $800,000. + +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. + +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. + +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: + +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 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. + +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: + + +PROCLAMATION: + +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. + +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. + +Therefore, I command all the courts, justices, chiefs, governors and +other authorities, civil, military and ecclesiastical, of all classes +and dignities, to observe and cause to be observed, obeyed and executed +this present law in all its parts. Given in the palace, February 4, +1895. + +I, the Queen Regent. + +Alejandro Groizard, Secretary of State. + +The above is translated from the Gaceta de Madrid of February 6, 1895. + +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. + +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. + +This was as follows: + + Wheat flour, rice flour, buckwheat flour, cornmeal, + oatmeal, barleymeal, ryemeal, per 100 + kilograms, gross, $4 00 + Pork, per 100 kilograms, net 9 90 + Beef and all other meats, per 100 kilograms, net 6 50 + Sausage, per 100 kilograms, gross 20 + Hay, per 100 kilograms, gross 80 + Pig iron, per 100 kilograms, net 50 + Bar iron, per 100 kilograms, net 2 15 + Barb wire (for fencing), per 100 kilograms, net 40 + Coal, per 100 kilograms, net 60 + Patent medicines, including weight of container + and wrapper 35 + +One hundred kilograms amounts to something over two hundred pounds. + +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. + +The principal exports from the United States have been flour, pork, +lard, lumber and shooks. + +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. + +During the five years from 1893 to 1897, the trade of Porto Rico with +the United States has been as follows: + + Imports + Exports to from + United United + States: States: + + 1893 $4,008,623 $2,510,007 + 1894 3,135,634 2,720,508 + 1895 1,506,512 1,833,544 + 1896 2,296,653 2,102,094 + 1897 2,181,024 1,988,888 + +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. + +A writer in Ainslee's Magazine concludes his very clever article as +follows, and undoubtedly every word he says is true: + +"Unfortunately for the development of Spanish countries 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." + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _audience_. 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. + +Ecclesiastical affairs were presided over by a bishop chosen by the +crown and approved by the pope. + +For administrative purposes the island and its dependencies were +divided into nine districts: Porto Rico, Bayamon, Arecibo, Aquadilla, +Mayaguez, Ponce, Humacoa, Guayama and Vieques. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 _Revista Puertorriquena_ +and was intended "to carry the highest expression of our intellectual +culture to all the people of Europe and America where the magnificent +Castilian language is spoken." + +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." + +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." + +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." + +Licenses were required for everything, even for an ordinary dancing +party. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The inhabitants have but few wants which are not satisfied by Nature +without any effort on their part. They lead a _dolce far niente_ +existence, swinging to and fro in their hammocks all day long, smoking +cigarettes and strumming guitars. + +Life at San Juan and the other principal towns is more or less +monotonous, amusements being few. There is a _retreta_ 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +A curious feature of the streets is the milk delivery, which is not +unlike that prevailing in Cuba. + +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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Mr. Morrisey said that it is not a question of one place being cleaner +than the other, but one place not being as filthy as another. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +It is really possible to live on very little money there, and lives are +prolonged to an incredible period. Fugitives therefore find it a haven +in which to turn over a new leaf and begin a better life. + +The Porto Ricans are naturally Roman Catholics and are very devout. + +The manner of keeping Sunday would be apt to shock our New Englanders of +Puritan descent. + +A correspondent of the New York Sun, who was with the army in Porto Rico +speaks of this as follows: + +"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. + +"'To-morrow,' said a native last Saturday, 'to-morrow I shall go to the +theatre.' + +"'It's Sunday,' said his American soldier companion. 'You should be +going to church.' + +"An elevation of the shoulders. + +"'The same thing,' said the native. + +"The show at the theatre that day, by the way, was given by an American +troupe that has been touring the Indies. + +"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 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. + +"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 the principal +public square, on one end of which the cathedral stands. + +"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." + +The same correspondent has also this to say about the shops, which is +interesting: + +"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 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." + +For nearly three centuries slavery existed in Porto Rico, but it was +finally abolished by the Spanish Cortes in March 1873. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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, obtain. Yankee machinery, +coupled with Yankee push, will cause a wonderful difference in the cost +of the finished product. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +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 +American yokes and an effort is to be made to compel their use instead +of the timber of torture which now obtains. + +An author of the last century has this to say about the Porto Ricans: + +"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." + +Referring to the mixture of races, the same author continues: + +"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." + +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 _doncellas_ of Cadiz, +who are world-renowned for their grace and loveliness." + +"The truth is that they all have the Spanish _cortesia_," says Frederick +A. Ober, in the Century Magazine, 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 _rubrica_, 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!' + +"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." + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +THE DAWN OF FREEDOM. + + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The demand for the freeing of Cuba, the possession of Porto Rico, as +well as a protectorate over the Philippines, was just, and the nation +demanded it. + +The Boston Herald aptly remarked: + +"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." + +The invasion of Porto Rico was not commenced until after the result of +the war had been definitely decided. + +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. + +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." + +It is related that one day in the Cortes, a deputy criticized the +idleness and indolence of Senor Sagasta, and the latter replied: + +"_A nadie le ha sucedido nado por no hacer nada._" + +A free translation of this is: "Nothing happens to him who does +nothing." + +Both Sagasta and the Spaniards have doubtless found 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: + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +Eduardo Baselge and Danian Castillo, both prominent Porto Ricans, were +active leaders in the incipient insurrection. + +The Spanish postal authorities discovered the 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. + +The headquarters of the conspirators were located and a quantity of +dynamite, arms and provisions was found. + +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. + +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. + +Within twenty-four hours after the arrest the two leaders, Baselga and +Castillo, were shot. + +The residents became very much excited over the affair, and feeling +against the Spanish officials ran high. + +From the very beginning the real Porto Ricans, as we 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. + +The Porto Rican proclamation ran as follows: + +"To the people of Guayama. Hurra for Spain! + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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. + +"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 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 _jibaros_, 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. + +"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 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. + +"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." + +In the light of ulterior and posterior events, this document is really +as comical as anything in opera-bouffe. + +"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 +_jibaros_ 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." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +NAVAL LESSONS TAUGHT BY THE WAR. + + +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. + +What followed bears strong testimony to the remarkable gunnery of our +"jackies." + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +Foreign nations know now what the United States really is. + +"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 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." + +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. + +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. + +The conclusions reached by the board were as follows: + +The use of wood in the construction and equipment of war ships should be +reduced to the utmost minimum possible. + +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. + +The value of rapid-fire batteries cannot be too highly estimated. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +With talks with experts the following was developed as to what the war +showed: + +First--That the gun is still the dominating factor in war. + +Second--That rapid-fire guns are especially valuable, but that it is +advisable to retain guns of large calibres. + +Third--That smokeless powder is absolutely essential for modern warfare. + +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. + +Fifth--That armor should be distributed over the entire ship rather than +be limited to the section where its vitals are located. + +Sixth--That monitors are useless for cruising purposes or for fighting +in rough waters. + +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. + +Captain Charles O'Neil, chief of the bureau of ordnance, gave his +opinion as follows: + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +The New York Herald speaks as follows of our naval victories: + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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." + +"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." + +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 +effectiveness between the guns of large and small calibre, but continued +to lay stress on the admirable speed of the Oregon. + +"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." + +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: + +"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. + +"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." + +Admiral Sir Henry Nicholson, who was captain of the Temeraire at the +bombardment of Alexandria, and has since been commander in chief at the +Cape of Good Hope and at the Nore, has spoken thus: + +"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." + +As regards ships versus forts, he said: + +"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." + +Captain Montagu Burrow, who is professor of modern history at the +University of Oxford, had this opinion to offer: + +"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 +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." + +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. + +There were misgivings all over Europe, especially in Germany and France, +old and bitter foes though they are. + +A prominent Parisian thus summed up these misgivings: + +"The young American giant," he said, "is only trying his strength on +Spain, but what if he should use it against us?" + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +WHAT OUR ARMY ACHIEVED. + + +Now to turn from the navy to the army, and see what the latter achieved +in Porto Rico. + +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. + +The entire army of invasion numbered about eleven thousand men. + +The hardships on the transports were very great. + +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: + +"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. + +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 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! + +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. + +"Three-quarters of an hour, and no sound from the engine-room, except +the steady throb of the propeller. + +"'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 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.' + +"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. + +"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." + +Of course the objective point of the whole campaign 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. + +The Spaniards abandoned precipitately the whole southern coast line, and +this seemed to promise an easy march for the Americans across Porto +Rico. + +But this was not exactly the case, as we shall proceed to demonstrate. + +There were several causes why the Spaniards fled before the invading +Americans. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +In the beginning the plan of campaign included an advance along three +lines. + +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. + +Before any of these movements could be completed, however, came the +armistice and the consequent cessation of hostilities. + +Much, though, had been accomplished before this, enough to show what +American arms were capable of. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +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!" + +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. + +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, such as Grant and Sherman +used so successfully during the Civil War. + +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. + +The attack in front was timed so as to allow this force to get into +position. + +The Battle of Coamo, if indeed, it can be so called, for it was nothing +more than a lively skirmish, has been thus described: + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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." + +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: + +"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 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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The provisions of the protocol were practically as follows: + +1. That Spain will relinquish all claim of sovereignty over and title to +Cuba. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The President at once signed the following proclamation, declaring an +armistice: + +"By the President of the United States of America: + +"A PROCLAMATION. + +"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, + +"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; + +"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 military and naval forces of +the United States to abstain from all acts inconsistent with this +proclamation. + +"In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of +the United States to be affixed. + +"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. + + "William McKinley. + +"By the President. William R. Day, Secretary of State." + +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. + +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." + +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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The Chronicle said that the American people will never regret the +sacrifices they have made to remove the Spanish colonies from the map. + +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. + +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: + +"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. + +"The factor in the situation which is of the greatest immediate +importance to ourselves is the fate of the Philippines." + +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: + +"Providence in the nick of time has given them the Philippines." + +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. + +This was the text of the message to General Miles: + + "Adjutant-General's Office, + Washington, Aug. 12, 1898. + +"Major-General Miles, Ponce, Porto Rico: + +"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. + + "By order Secretary of War. + "H. C. Corbin, Adjutant-General." + +These orders, coming as they did, undoubtedly prevented the sacrifice of +many valuable lives before San 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. + +The Spaniards, however, it is said, received the news with loud +manifestations of delight. + +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. + +General Brooke's sole reply was: + +"Lieutenant, you arrived five minutes too soon. You should have been +more considerate of your horse." + +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. + +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. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +HOW THE PORTO RICANS RECEIVED US. + + +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. + +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. + +The number and location of the Spanish troops on the island just before +the armistice was declared were as follows: + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The same writer goes on to say that really there is good reason for all +this. + +"The substantial people of Puerto Rico know that it is immensely to +their interest to cut loose from Spain, 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. + +"They ought to be mighty glad to get into this country, but, being +Spaniards, we hardly expected them to have so much sense." + +Guanica was the first town taken by our soldiers. + +The enthusiasm was unbounded, and numbers of the citizens called to pay +their respects to the leading officers. + +At Guanica the following proclamation was issued to the people of the +island under the signature of General Miles: + + "Guanica, Porto Rico, July 27, 1898. + "To the Inhabitants of Porto Rico: + +"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. + +"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 your former political relations, and it is hoped +this will be followed by the cheerful acceptance of the government of +the United States. + +"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. + +"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." + +The mayor of Guanica also issued a proclamation, which was thus worded: + +"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. + +"The starry banner has floated gayly in the valleys of 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. + + "Augustin Barrenecha, Alcalde. + "Guanica, Porto Rico, U. S. A., July 26, 1898." + +Yauco was the next to surrender. + +When the troops took possession of the town the mayor promptly issued +this proclamation: + +"Citizens: + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"Citizens: Long live the Government of the United States of America! +Hail to their valiant troops! Hail Porto Rico, always American! + + "Yauco, Porto Rico, United States of America. + "El Alcalde, Francisco Megia." + +The alcalde is the judge who administers justice, and he also presides +as mayor over the City Council. + +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. + +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. + +The mayor of Ponce issued a proclamation of the same tenor as that of +the mayor of Yauco, although not quite so enthusiastic. + +General Wilson was made military governor of Ponce. + +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. + +The following was the form sworn to by the various officials: + +"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. + +"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." + +On July 31, the commanding general sent a message to the War Department, +the first official one received from Ponce. It read as follows: + +"Secretary of War, Washington, D. C.: + +"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. + +"The Custom House has already yielded $14,000. + +"As soon as all the troops are disembarked they will be in readiness to +move. + +"Please send any national colors that can be spared, to be given to the +different municipalities. + +"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. + + "Miles." + +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! + +"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. + +"The soldiers are good customers and buy all sorts of 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." + +In an article in the National Magazine the following is said: + +"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 aegis 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?'" + +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. + +"'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.' + +"The man who uttered these words is a highly respected citizen, speaks +English well, and understands America as well as Spain. + +"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." + +"There spoke the true spirit of Spain. The Spain which sent armies to +Jerusalem, patronized Columbus, 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." + +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: + +"Hurra por la anexion a los Estados Unidos!" + +He also gave this excellent sanitary advice to the invading army: + + "TO THE BOYS! + +"Keep away from fruit of every description and Rum, if you wish to keep +your health in this climate." + +Moreover, he published this: + +"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. + +"A new era has dawned for this country and is the advent of happier +times. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +In making this announcement the editor promised in the new edition: + +"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." + +At all events, these extracts serve to show the trend of public opinion. + +"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 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.' + +"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. + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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." + +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. + +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 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." + +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: + +"Death to the Spaniards!" + +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: + +"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. + +"I noticed one rider near Juan Diaz who took my mind back to the old +days of chivalry. She was a lovely girl 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +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. + +The returned refugees had a conference with the leading citizens and +there was no doubt in any one's mind 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. + +There was also a conference between the most prominent citizens of +Ponce, and Mr. Hanna, the American consul at San Juan. + +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. + +"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 New York Herald correspondent has some interesting things to say as to +the new Ponce, a town which is representative of the entire island: + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"I saw many familiar faces among the newcomers. + +"Nearly all these men have come here on commercial 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. + +"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. + +"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." + +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. + +In an interview with the Herald, he said: + +"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 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. + +"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. + +"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 to go into your pockets and pay +us yourselves. Thus you have an additional tax placed upon you.'" + +But still the clergy, as a rule, were in favor of the United States. + +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: + +"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. + +"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. + +"Should any American soldier desire the administrations of a priest, +they always shall be at his service. We have determined to become loyal +Americans." + +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 cost to the public treasury of their +support at about $120,000 in American money. + +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. + +In this hope we are sure all Americans will most heartily join. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +OUR CLAIM TO PORTO RICO. + + +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. + +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. + +That we shall retain it, too, now seems certain. + +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. + +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. + +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." + +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. + +In the same letter Mr. Seward also said that the monarchies of Europe +could have neither peace nor truce as long as there remained to them +one colony upon this continent. + +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. + +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. + +In politics Mr. Seward favored a system which he compared to the ripe +pear that detaches itself and falls into your hand. + +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. + +"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." + +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. + +Again in 1852, in a speech made before the Senate upon the question of +American commerce in the Pacific, Mr. Seward thus addressed his +colleagues: + +"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." + +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. + +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: + +"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 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." + +The opinion of another old-time statesman, given some quarter of a +century ago, is of vivid interest to-day. + +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. + +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. + +What Mr. Evarts said was in substance as follows: + +"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. 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." + +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, from their observations of the past, saw visions +of the future for the native land they loved so well. + +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. + +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. + +The opinion we are about to give is from the pen of Mr. Henry Norman, +the special commissioner of the London Chronicle. + +Among other things, Mr. Norman says in an article entitled "A War-Made +New America": + +"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 +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. + +"The change is three-fold: + +"I. The United States is about to take its place among the great armed +powers of the world. + +"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. + +"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." + +Mr. Norman goes on to say, after speaking of the possible American army +and navy of the present and the future: + +"And look at the display of American patriotism. 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 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." + +Mr. Norman concludes his article with these pregnant words, words which +will force every man of any brains whatever to pause and think: + +"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----!" + +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? + +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 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. + +"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?" + +Mr. Green concludes his interview as follows: + +"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 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." + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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 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. + +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. + +The Sun concludes its editorial with these words: + +"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 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 oecumenical 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." + +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: + +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. + +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. + +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 feeling in regard to the possessions which +our naval and military prowess won from Spain: + +"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. + +"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.' + +"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." + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +WHAT THE POSSESSION OF PORTO RICO WILL MEAN. + + +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. + +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. + +A new element has entered into the lives of the Porto Ricans, and this +new element naturally brings with it an unknown future. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +General Wilson said: + +"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. + +"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. + +"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, 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. How +long this military government will last must depend largely upon the +people of Porto Rico themselves. + +"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. + +"Permit me to add, before concluding, that you are likely to meet with +delay in the realization of your hopes from two principal causes. + +"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. + +"The result is that all the churches are absolutely free, and none +concerns itself with politics. Each watches to see that the other does +not get control of the State. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + +"Thus, and thus only, can we become fellow citizens 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: + +"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? + +"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. + + "'Their moans, the vales redoubled to the hills, + And they to Heav'n.' + +"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. + +"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." + +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: + +"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 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. + +"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 +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. + +"There remains the moral of the story. + +"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." + +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. 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. + +The effect of all this was rather to increase the number of complaints +from citizens than to increase the revenues of the island. + +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. + +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: + + "Headquarters 1st Brigade, 1st Div., + 1st Army Corps, Camp Near Coamo, + Porto Rico, September 3, 1898. + +To the People of Coamo and Neighboring Districts: + +"To prevent misunderstanding as to the rights and duties of the various +members of this community, you are respectfully informed: + +"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. + +"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. + +"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. + + O. H. Ernst, + "Brigadier-General Commanding." + +About this time President McKinley promulgated through the War +Department the revised customs tariff and regulations to be enforced by +the military authorities in the ports of Porto Rico. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +The regulations as to entering and clearing vessels and the penalties +for the violation were the same as 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. + +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. + +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. + +Now to examine into what Porto Rico offers for American enterprise and +capital. + +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. + +Here is the opinion of a man who has lived in Porto Rico for several +years and who knows of what he is speaking: + +"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. 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. + +"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." + +A correspondent of the New York Evening Post, who signs himself by the +initials A. G. R., speaks with authority as follows: + +"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 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. + +"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 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. + +"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. + +"The entire trade of the island is of no very great 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. + +"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. + +"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. 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. + +"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. + +"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 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. + +"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." + +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. + +Mr. Morrisey also states that the natives of the cities are desirous of +becoming American citizens, but that 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. + +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 to have each +separate vessel which needed American papers apply to Congress for +special legislation. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +Taking it all in all, territorial expansion has certainly no terrors for +the Louisiana planters. + +With the evidence we have given, it is easy to see what Porto Rico has +to offer, or not to offer, to Americans. + +With their usual manana, the Spaniards have been slow to evacuate the +island, but a decisive stand has been taken by the President. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +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. + +On the 18th of October, promptly at noon, the flag was raised over San +Juan. + +An excellent description of the proceedings has been given in the Boston +Herald, and reads as follows: + +"The ceremony was quiet and dignified, unmarred by disorder of any kind. + +"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. + +"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. + +"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.' + +"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. + +"Senor Munoz Rivera, who was president of the recent autonomist council +of secretaries, and other officials of the late insular government were +present at the proceedings. + +"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. + +"The work of the United States' evacuation commission was now over. The +labors of both parties terminated with honor for all concerned." + +After the parade the bands and various trade organizations went to +General Henry's headquarters. General Henry in a speech said: + +"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. + +"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. 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." + +General Henry then introduced Colonel John B. Castleman, who spoke with +great effect as an old Confederate. + +The alcalde replied in part: + +"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. + +"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." + +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 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. + +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. + +Hail, therefore to Porto Rico! And some day may it become a bright star +in the flag that brings protection and freedom to all! + + +(THE END.) + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Porto Rico, by Arthur D. Hall + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PORTO RICO *** + +***** This file should be named 30987.txt or 30987.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/0/9/8/30987/ + +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.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |