Porto Rico or Puerto Rico

These defensive works made the city of San Juan well nigh impregnable to attack from the sea. Sir Francis Drake attempted its capture in 1595, but the defence was so effective that the attack failed and his fleet retired. Later Lord George Cumberland entered the city by a land attack, but did not capture the fortifications and soon retired. In 1625, the Dutch also attacked and took the city, but did not capture Morro, and after partially burning the city they too retired. For many years, during which the European nations were striving for supremacy, the islands of the Caribbean region became the prizes for which the maritime powers contested; but Porto Rico was never subjugated and remained a Spanish possession until 1898.

End of Spanish Rule.

The Spanish-American War began on April 21 and closed on Aug. 13, 1898. In May of that year Admiral Sampson, in search of Admiral Cervera's fleet, bombarded Morro for a short time without serious results and then retired. Gen. Nelson A. Miles, commander-in-chief of the U.S. forces, landed his troops on the southern coast of Porto Rico on July 25. A short campaign followed, but the defensive Spanish forces were weak and retired before the advancing Americans. The people of Porto Rico refused to join with the Spanish forces in defence of the island, and welcomed rather than resisted the coming of the Americans. When the news of the surrender was received, hos tilities ceased and the American occupancy began.

American Administration.

On Oct. 18, 1898, the island was turned over to the American forces and Gen. John R. Brooke be came military governor. In the work of policing the country, in the accompanying tasks of sanitation, construction of highways and other public works, accounting for the expenditure of public funds, and in establishing a system of public education, the mili tary control which lasted until May 1, 1900, proved most ef fective in bridging over the period of transfer from the repres sive control of Spain to the semi-paternal system under the American civil Government. But it was hardly adapted to teach a people utterly without political experience the essential ele ments of self-government. To meet this problem the U.S. Con gress passed the "Foraker Act," under which civil Government was instituted in May 1900. Under this act the American element exercised the controlling power, this, however, having proved dis tasteful to many Porto Ricans, the Organic law was subsequently amended to give a wider native participation in the Government. The Olmsted Act, approved by Congress on July 15, 1909, placed the supervision of Porto Rican affairs in the jurisdiction of an executive department to be designated by the President.

He subsequently selected the War Department. The people, how ever, demanded a larger measure of local control. The majority also asked for American citizenship and many other changes. As a result, Congress passed a new Organic Act (the Jones Act), which came into effect on March 2, 1917. Under its terms Porto Rico became a Territory of the United States "organized but unincorporated," and citizenship of the United States was con ferred collectively on Porto Ricans, allowing tit right to retain the old status if preferred. Only 288 persons so- declared.

Means of transport, educational facilities and labour conditions have greatly improved since the American occupancy. Nearly all the beneficent legislation which has reflected the changing attitude of the people toward the labourer and social betterment has been extended to Porto Rico, which is now one of the most advanced of the States or Territories which have adopted such laws. Chief among the laws bettering conditions of labour are the following: A law regulating working hours in public works; providing for the sale of public lands to labourers ; determining the procedure of claims for wages ; fixing the duties of employers in case of strikes; establishing workmen's settlements in the prin cipal cities; providing a free dispensary with minor surgeons in shops and factories; regulating the weights to be carried by labourers ; providing for the settlement of strikes and lock-outs; establishing a minimum wage for women and for labourers on public works; regulating the work of women and children and protecting them from dangerous occupations; creating a home stead commission; regulating the employment of minors and pro viding for the compulsory attendance of children in schools ; regu lating contracts for wages ; providing workmen'c, accident, sick ness and death compensation ; creating a general employment agency. But these welfare measures failed to solve the problems of the increasingly overpopulated island with its agrarian econ omy. Recurring hurricanes, as in 1928 and 1932, joined with declining exports to aggravate the economic distress of the depres sion. Politically the island withdrew its favor from the Liberals headed by Senator A. R. Barcelo, advocate of independence, and gave power in 1932 to a combined Socialist and Union Repub lican bloc. Little has been achieved in line with their economic programme, although several comprehensive plans have been formulated; but the Legislature in 1934 did petition Congress for statehood, the second major desire of the coalition.