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CHAPTER II.

PORTO RICO.

The Porto Rican Commissioner-Passing Sail Rock-Theories of Sunken Lands-Larrinaga's Appeal for Citizenship—Are the Natives Ready?—A Glorious Approach-San Juan's History and Vicissitudes-The American Invasion-A Spoiled War Picture— Sacrifice of American Youth-"Swirl of the Shades" on the Plaza-Old Friends Come Forward-Speaker Saluted from the Morro-Progress Behind the Fortifications-Small Shops and Their Customers-The Famous Military Road-A Populous Thoroughfare-The Tale of the Twigs-American Capital Doing Things-Towns Where the President Spoke-Porto Rico a White Man's Country-Public Schools vs. Peon Stations-The Speaker on Citizenship-Birds, Snakes and the MongooseSession of the Legislature-A Fiery Welcome in Spanish-The Speaker's Reply-Olcott and the "High Life"-The Governor's Gorgeous Palace-Exchanged for "Home, Sweet Home"— Increase of Exports-Secretary Taft on Altruism-The Cake and the Penny, Too.

That Tulio Larrinaga, Resident Commissioner of Porto Rico, had no vote in the Congress of the United States, grated a little on his native pride, but did not prevent his being a very companionable neighbor. My seat in the House was next his, so that our conversation often drifted to the affairs of the island. He had been educated as a civil engineer at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, and was rather proud of it, so that I listened with a degree of patience to his friendly admonition that Porto Ricans freed from Spanish domination were now "subjects" of the United States. Moreover, he had been the friend in Porto Rico, under the McKinley administration, of our scholarly Penn

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sylvanian, Martin G. Brumbaugh, the first Commissioner of Public Instruction on the American plan in Porto Rico.

As we cut through the deep water that separated islands and rocks on the 72 mile course from St. Thomas to San Juan, commenting on the lack of verdure and absence of habitation, I began to think up Porto Rico and wonder what we would find on our arrival there. A short distance outside of St. Thomas we had noticed what seemed to be the huge white sails of a full-rigged ship. Then again it resembled an armored cruiser, painted white. As we drew near we observed thousands of seagulls flying about it like so many buzzards above some great carcass of the sea. Was it a mighty berg cut loose from its Arctic moorings and gone adrift in these tropical waters? We examined the chart and found the huge cliff now towering above us designated "Sail Rock." The resemblance justified the title. What freak of nature reared this silent monument of stone out of the waters? Was it the topmost peak of a barren mountain range long ago submerged? Or was it of volcanic origin, as many of the bare cliffs and rocks on the way from St. Thomas had undoubtedly been?

"Oh," said the wise passenger, "that's easy. The whole Caribbean sea is merely the overflow of the Atlantic over the lowlands that once connected the North and South American continents. All the rocks and islands of the West Indies are the tops of the mountains. We are sailing over the valleys."

"And Porto Rico, too?" I ventured to inquire.

"Yes, and Cuba and the Bahamas and the whole business. They are naturally a part of the United States and ought to be under our control."

We were now in water deep enough physically-and politically-for me to withdraw, and I did. "Sail Rock" had dis

appeared and the wise passenger had moved along the deck. My thoughts returned to Larrinaga. I recalled the night 1 had induced him to visit Philadelphia to attend a festive reunion of the Five O'clock Club. He entered heartily into the spirit of the dinner, but when the time for speaking came his love of Porto Rico got the best of his discretion. For twenty minutes he begged the members for citizenship. Dr. Brumbaugh sat near him and watched the effect, with evident concern.

"Politically we are but vassals," exclaimed the Commissioner, "will you give us citizenship?"

"Not to-night, Señor," came the unexpected reply. "Don't settle it to-night."

In a moment my friend remembered he was speaking to good fellows and became less serious. He branched off to the history of Porto Rico-what it was; what it hoped to be; when Columbus landed there in 1493 the Indians played a game of ball. The ancient natives were also ball-players; in this they resembled their brethren of the United States. Their modern game is something of a cross between cricket and baseball.

"Do they ever try high balls?" broke in the irrepressible Five O'clocker, James Pollock.

"Yes," said Larrinaga, pleased at the interruption, "we do more than that," and he spoke of the sunny side of the Porto Rican character.

Larrinaga's appeal for citizenship, however, set me thinking. President Roosevelt had recently visited Porto Rico and had marveled at the progress made by Porto Ricans under American supervision. I had listened to the reading of his message to Congress recommending full and complete citizenship for the people of the island. Were they prepared for it? The whole population of the island is only

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