roads; that the police ill treated the poor strikers; that the police intended to intimidate the pacific action of the strikers, insisting on them to go to work, or, on the contrary, they said the strikers they ahd orders to use their clubs; that on the 4th day of February a great meeting was to be held in Gurabo, a town near Juncos, and to that effect the laborers from Juncos were on their way to former; that the police, using the most libelous words ever heard, tried and consequently ended the laborer's assembly with their clubs, and also firing their revolvers; that many of the assemblers were hurt by the police without justification at all; that the number of victims reached from 15 to 20; that some of the victims went to the hospital to be cured of hurts suffered by clubs of the police; that as soon as the police knew they (the laborers) had gone to the hospital, tried and in effect imprisoned all of them; that they were charged by the police of different crimes before the municipal court for the municipal district of San Lorenzo, P. R., and sentenced by said court; that all of them appealed from the sentence rendered by the municipal court for the municipal district of San Lorenzo, P. R., to the higher court, that is to say, the district court for the district of Humacao, P. R., and the higher court discharged and freed all of them on the ground that they were innocent of the crimes imputed them; in one particular case a laborer named Pablo Rivera Nieves, a sick man, but a striker, was beaten by the police; persons of 50 years of age also were beaten.

As shown by Exhibit F, Eleuterio Mazán was the bearer of the American flag in the assembly above referred, when the police ended same; that a policeman named Julio Soto, knowing it was the national flag, broke it to pieces; that said Mazán called the attention to the police to the fact that they had broken the American flag, and the response was that the police clubbed the poor laborer and afterwards charged him with the commission of a crime; that said charge was dismissed.

As shown by Affidavit No. 860, Exhibit G, authorized before the notary public, Mr. Pedro Santana, jr., Mr. Agustín Cintrón, of Juncos, P. R., deposes and says: That he knows perfectly well that the police force almost in the whole island of Porto Rico and specially during the strike periods are in the habit of living on the sugar factories or centrales, not to restore order in case of need but for causing intimidation to the poor laborers who are working in the centrales, trying to persuade them not to go into strike; and if they do, explaining to them (the laborers) that they are liable to be clubbed.

As shown by Affidavit No. 861, Exhibit H, Mr. Lucas E. Castro, an industrial man of an excellent reputation in the city of Juncos, under oath deposes and says: That he is a resident of the city of Juncos; that he was in Juncos when the strike began; that he followed the course of all affairs in connection with same; that he can say that the conduct of the laborers on strike during last one was an excellent one; that he saw the police ending a pacific assembly of the strikers, using their clubs and revolvers without justification at all; that on one occasion the action of the police was so hostile to the strikers that almost the whole town was compelled to close doors, etc.; that he never saw any striker to attempt against the public power.

Exhibit I, Affidavit No. 862, before the same notary, Mr. Pedro Santana, jr., Mr. Catalino Marrero under oath deposes and says: That he is a resident of the city of Juncos, P. R.; that during the last strike the chief of police of said city, Mr. Vicente Torres Quintero, called him one day and told him to tell some laborers who were working on a plantation called "Amel" that everything was all right as far as they continued working, but otherwise if they were willing to go into the strike they were liable to be clubbed and imprisoned.

Affidavit No. 863, Exhibit J: Mr. Modesto Martínez is a doctor in pharmacy of the city of Juncos; he declared under oath that the conduct of the strikers in February this year was an excellent one; that they simply left their works to beg for better wages and better treatment; that he saw the police on one occasion clubbing the poor laborers that went on strike.

Exhibits K, L, M refer to same thing above mentioned, and affidavits were taken in order to make evidence corroborative.

Exhibits N, O, P, and Q, affidavits from 867 to 870, before the notary Public above referred to, Mr. Pedro Santana, jr., indicate the following: That deponents, Luis Sanchez Ocaña, Juan Román, José María Pereira, Juan Rivera, are all neighbors of the city of Juncos, P. R.; that they are all well acquainted with the last strike of February of this year; that the conduct of the strikers was of a high order; that assemblies of the strikers were ended by the insular police without justification at all; that strikers were clubbed in the streets by

the police; that strikers were intimidated by the insular police and told to go to work in order to prevent being clubbed and imprisoned; that the strikers never attempted against the public authorities and always had faith in their leader's work.

In a general way we can say that the constitutional rights of the strikers were violated by the insular police of the island of Porto Rico, and this permitted to be done under the flag of Stars and Stripes.

A better idea of what really happened during the last strike in Porto Rico can be obtained reading carefully all the affidavits authorized before the notaries public of the island of Porto Rico.

IGLESIAS EXHIBIT NO. 2.

[Telegram.]

CIDRA, February 17, 1915.

SANTIAGO IGLESIAS, San Juan, P. R.: Agricultural workers of cane fields are peacefully on a strike. Chief of police, with two policemen, prevent the laborers to hold peaceful meetings. Laborers are threatened to be clubbed and shot if they hold any meeting. Police frankly to the side of the interests of the corporations. No reasons are taken into consideration by the police, who seek for the chance to provoke a conflict. See governor and send us an urgent resolution.

SANTIAGO IGLESIAS, Editor of Justicia, San Juan. Lawsuit followed against Masan for alleged insult to the American flag has been stayed. Who will be the real offenders?

ELOY FRANQUIZ,
Correspondent.

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL JUNCOS, P. R.,
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR,
March 9, 1915.

Messrs. JOSE M. PEREIRA and ELOY FRANQUIS,

Chairman & Secretary Union Obrera Central. SIR: In answer to your letter dated to-day relative to holding a meeting Wednesday next March 10, I may say you are free to use the Plaza de Pueblo Nuevo.

Respectfully, yours,

JOSE BARRERAS,
Mayor of the Town.

N. B.-This plaza or square is situated on the outskirts of the town, and this communication means that the mayor who signed his name to it refuses the laborers the use of Plaza Central which is in the middle of the town itself. (Remark from the translator.)

GURABO, P. R., February 8, 1915.

Mr. RAMON GONZALES NIEVES,

Mayor of the Town.

DEAR SIR: The undersigned commission, auxiliary committee and true committee of the agriculturists' strike begs to request of you an authorization to

fill out and comply the necessary requisites under the law for the purpose of holding parades and meetings in public both in town and country.

We desire that permit be issued to us in writing and for an unlimited space of time.

Very sincerely, yours,

(Signed by 11 citizens, and for the mayor of the town as an approval.)

SAN JUAN, P. R., February 19, 1915.

GUILLERMO COLON, Gurabo:

Your telegram received and placed in the hands of chief of police.

[Telegram.]

ARTHUR YAGER.

SAN LORENZO, P. R., March 6, 1915.

EDITOR OF JUSTICIA, San Juan: Since the night of the outrages committed by the policemen in our labor meeting, we do not dare to hold any meeting if the honorable municipal judge is not present in it. When he is unable to attend the meeting we do not hold them, until there be not removed from here Chief of Police Juan Alejandron, and Policeman Suner bearing badge number 335, and also Policemen Nemesio Garcia and Pio Concepcion. Request governor to kindly accede to our petition for the good of our families which are most alarmed on account of the attitude of these policemen.

Were we not so peaceful and sincere keepers of law, last night certainly would be a tragic one.

If governor wants to have as an evidence any document signed by a very large number of persons from all social classes, I will be very glad to do so, and more than three hundred families will bless him if acceding to our petition. JOSE G. GARCIA, Correspondent.

H

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS-CACIQUISM OR BOSSISM.

The force of reaction has done nothing but show its aggressiveness during these years past. All the work that could be done to combat the labor organizations of the island has been done, even though for this it has been necessary to occupy certain positions and defend men and Government officials who, unfortunately, are the most harmed by accepting that kind of support or defense. The detrimental achievement of those who stand for reaction and inquisitorial methods, the enemies of the democratic institutions, is not and can not be easily forgotten in the course of a few days.

A newspaper which for nearly half a century has been the genuine representative of inquisition in Porto Rico, the faithful interpreter of tyranny and despotism, the official organ of the odious government of the monarchy in Porto Rico; the periodical, we say again, has become the defender of the island caciques (bosses), because the methods adopted by the administration to rule this country for a few years back has been all the advantage to the tyrants, such as those which the Spanish Government put into practice as well as all the most despicable and hateful means suggested by the reactionary group of the advisory chamber.

The enemy of all the American institutions; the enemy of all that bears the seal of democracy; the enemy of all that represents a principle of liberty; the enemy of the teaching of the English language in the schools of Porto Rico; the enemy of all the American governors ruling this island; the defender of the Spanish monarchy, with all its horrors, is now the best friend of the American Administration in Porto Rico.

And it is not the best friend of the American administration because he has done hating American institutions, rectified his conduct, altered his liberty that is at hand, or because it thinks English language should be taught in the public schools, or because he has become reconciled with the principles of liberty or altered his conduct. No; not a bit of it. He is even now in more perfect accord with the principles of the monarchy and more partial than ever to the absurd methods of reactionarism.

What is going on now in the Government just suits it. The Administration has just met it half way, but he did not go to the trouble of going to it. Enough said. What greater discredit could come upon the Administration of Porto Rico than that of receiving its support by the reactionary elements of this island?

And if not, let us stop to consider what has been and is the attitude of the reactionary press of Porto Rico, which approves of all the brutalities of the public officials and every means of oppression.

When only a few months ago one of the representatives at the House of Delegates of Porto Rico presented a bill granting the Free Federation of the Workingmen of Porto Rico a building site for the purpose of erecting thereon the labor temple, El Boletin Mercantil, which is the paper to which we have been referring all along in this article, published an editorial that wreaked vengeance on the American Federation of Labor, because, in the opinion of El Boletin Mercantil, the said American Federation of Labor is an exotic organization and an enemy of Porto Rico. And let us see what stand this paper, which defends the Administration of Porto Rico, also takes in behalf of the American institutions, whether these be labor organizations or not. The article just referred to was published under the title "The Enemy at Home," and contained such reading matter as this:

"The Free Federation has requested the house of delegates to grant it a building site toward Puerta de Tierra for the purpose of erecting a building thereon, to be known under the pompous name of Temple of Labor; but, in other words, the said building would be nothing but a sort of lodge (or refuge) for the conspirators of the liberty of Porto Rico."

And the said periodical went on, saying in the same article:

"What would this so-called Temple of Labor be but a lamentable branch of the American Federation of Labor, an inimical institution to all local (religionalistas) tendencies, as may be proved from the time it has been carrying on its work among us?"

Another paragraph of the same writer says:

"The tendencies of this exotic organism are sufficiently well known and which aspires only to weaken the spirit of regional defense on the island, that the legislative authority should lend it the powerful arm which they are striving to obtain in proportion as this international labor organization extends throughout Porto Rico; and he who does not care to desert the rank and file of the patriots remains in a weaker condition of self-defense when he has to withstand the all-absorbing politics and her corrupting influence as we have had occasion to see here later.

"The perfidy of the politicians who have found their 'Eldorado' here, figuring in the obscure play at which we have seen them, has found some relief for the most weak resistance of the country introducing and giving vent to the element of discord and also this pro-Americanizing tendency which seeks nothing but an appetite and an absurd satisfaction for a grudge.”

This should suffice to know the manner of thinking of such as take their stand for the administration in Porto Rico when they declare themselves as virulent enemies of all that is American, just for that fact only.

And the men who believe so are the defenders of the actual American administration in Porto Rico, and it is necessary for one to think that the administration has had to become reactionary so as to reach an understanding.

Another paper representing another phase of the capitalistic opinion and which directed its shafts of insult against us and President Gompers, is "La Democracia," the official organ of the Unionist Party. This paper is published and edited by Mr. Luis Muñoz Rivera, Resident Commissioner of Porto Rico at Washington, and who is at the same time its proprietor and editor.

Several articles published in this paper plainly induced the Government to apply persecution and vexatory measures against us. We quote herewith:

"In any well-regulated country the Government is alone responsible for the maintenance of good order and guarantee of the people. We have had disorder going on now one month and the Government has not paid any attention to the situation, which surely casts discredit on the island at a time when the status of Porto Rico is to be defined very soon at Washington.

"It is very significant that every year, whenever Congress makes an attempt at taking action on political reforms of the country, that such disturbances should be found at the federation whose leader is the anarchist, Santiago Iglesias, or Santiago Panting (we leave it to anybody to ascertain his name), who, together with the old man, Gompers, sued not long ago as a dynamiter,

who endeavored to prevent the Porto Rican Government from not falling into the hands of the Porto Ricans."

These paragraphs in themselves published in the periodical of Luis Muñoz Rivera, Resident Commissioner of Porto Rico at Washington, should plainly show the rankling and the hatred which those who live by despotism feel against the institutions of liberty, and hence the hatred they have conceived for Gompers and Iglesias and for those who hope to see this island to form a part of the American people and in all the enjoyment of the rights which the citizens of the United States have.

The plot to destroy us because we stand for the establishment of the American institutions in Porto Rico does not "let up' " for a minute. All the mud slinging that can be done against the American institutions and the American people is heaped up by the partisans of monarchy and by those who were born on the island, those who in spite of this hold high positions in the Government and are constantly betraying the public, which gave them its confidence, if elected, or the American official who got their appointment, if they were so designated.

We propose to go on resolutely with our work until the day when the American Congress recognizes that Porto Rico must be a part of the American people and enjoy all its rights to the liberty, the guarantees, and the citizenship of the American people.

Meanwhile, let the struggle go on and we shall see the result.

IGLESIAS EXHIBIT NO. 3.

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF PONCE, PORTO RICO.

In the name and by the authority of the people of Porto Rico.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, 88.

THE PEOPLE OF PORTO RICO In the district court for the judicial_district of Ponce, P. R., April 26th, 1915.

vs.

SANTIAGO CARRERAS ET AL.)

The district attorney charges Santiago Iglesias, Francisco Paz Granela, Manuel Texidor, Prudencio Rivera Martinez, Santiago Carreras, Maximiliano Combre, and others, for breach of the peace (riot), misdemeanor committed as follows: The above-mentioned Santiago Iglesias and others in Ponce, within said district and about the first day of March, 1915, while a public meeting was held on account of the agricultural strike, and while one of the defendants, Mr. Santiago Iglesias was addressing the crowd in a violent and threatening way to the auditory, exciting to those present to raise against the governor of Porto Rico and all the Porto Rican's authorities, saying that the governor of Porto Rico with his proclamation and in agreement with the insular chief of police had violated the constitution, and that similar facts had determined the United States and French revolutions; that the police beat and ill treated the working classes, because they (the police) had their barracks at the sugar factories, where they were given meals, drinks, women, etc. By that time the district chief of police ordered the speaker to end that attitude, and then and there the defendants above mentioned, in an illegal, malicious, and voluntary way, acting together and without legal authority, causing fear to a great number of persons therein present, they (defendants) used firearms, steel arms, causing in that way a breach of the public peace.

The above criminal charge is signed by the district attorney for the judicial district of Ponce, P. R., and subscribed and sworn by said attorney before the secretary of said district court on the 23d of April of the present year.

AFFIDAVIT OF JUAN CRUZ PIRIS.

The following is an outline of the affidavit taken before the notary public of the city of Ponce, R. I., Mr. Leopoldo Tormes García.

Deponent Mr. JUAN CRUZ PIRIS: The testimony of Mr. Juan Cruz Piris, of the city of Ponce, P. R., to the effect that some time after the riot he was in front