ome 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 electio