Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-06-09

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ITS HIS
TORY AND INTERNAL RESOURCES.

ternal Observation-Disclosures Are Good.
The threat of the seizure of Puerto
Rico by the United States is not the
first fright which Spain has had in re-
cent years as to the possible loss of the
island. Nearly quarter Of a century
ago, about the time of the retirement Of
Admiral Polo, the father of the late
Spanish minister, from the Spanish le-
CATION i'll Washington, report obtain
ed circulation in diplomatic circles that
Germany was about to seize Puerto Ri
co under the guise Of purchase, but
actually in the rather domineering fash
ion i'll which she has been accustomed
to treat with lesser powers since the
war of 1870. 1t was then assumed that
Germany's desire for the island was in
pursuance of her scheme for naval ex-
pansion, as with larger navy she
would be practically obliged to have q
foothold somewhere on this hemisphere
if only for coaling and supply station.
Spain indicated then that she had no
desire to give up Puerto Rico even for
a good purchase price, but her pride
had been considerably piqued by the re-
suit of the Virginius affair, and her
desire to make the United States gov
eminent smart promised to overcome
some of her scruples against parting
with her territory for she trusted to
our assertion of the Monroe doctrine as
soon as Germany should attempt to take
possession of Puerto Rico and our en-
broilment with great European mill
tary power in consequence.
The matter blew over at the time, as
many believed as the result of an init
nation conveyed informally by our gov
eminent to that of Germany that We
should regard the proposed purchase as
an unfriendly intrusion. At any rate
Secretary Fish was able to give the
many stories in circulation their quie-
tus in due season, and the Spanish gov
eminent did the same thing on its own
side of the water and concentrated it's
attention once more upon the suppress
sion of the Carlist revolt
Although only about one-twelfth the
size of Cuba, Puerto Rico has, compare
lively speaking, always been more pros
porous than her sister colony. Her sta
pie commercial products are the same,
though Puerto Rico adds fine quality
of coffee to her other output. The COM
MERGE OF Puerto Rico has always borne
proportion to the total commerce Of
the Antilles quite out Of relation to her
size Her remarkable prosperity has
been due not only to her excellent eli
mate and soil, but to great extent also
to her indisposition to political upheav-
al. The revolutionists in Cuba have
vainly struggled to raise similar party
of some strength in Puerto Rico. The
reason for their Indifferent success il
partly historical, as may be seen by ;
glance backward.
Puerto Rico began to develop her nat
ural resources only about IS years ago
At that time Spain was paying but lit
tie attention to her West Indian colo
, MES, except as watering stations
fresh water being then. in the days o
sailing ships, much the same desider
alum which coal is now. The Spanish
, government was occupied chiefly witt
, the rich mines of Mexico and Peru, ant
Puerto Rico served for long tim
merely as a place Of Punishment TO
convicts. 1t is thus only since the grea
f. connection of 1920 that the Antilles be
gan to rise in Importance. Being les
0 outwardly valuable, and hence less mis-
l ruled because attracting less attention
. they all remained loyal to the mothe
8 country up to that time in spite Of al
j tempts to induce them to follow the CO.
9 onies on the mainland into rebellion
q By her geographical position Puert
!, Rico is peculiarly adapted to becon
. the center of flourishing commerce
t She lies close to Cuba, Haiti and j
3 maica, as well as to the gulf Of Mexie
t and the bay of Honduras. She is col
.iguous to the possessions of France an
Denmark, and in the right hands mlgl
easily undersell these nations in the
;, own colonies.
. Apart from the natural wealth of h,
soil Puerto Rico has the advantage
:" being well supplied with wood and w
:. ter, which are generally scarce i'll Il
- islands of the same archipelago Maj
OF GneSe, OeluS UesIltUte VI spiiuSo, u
Il pend almost altogether on the wat
10 collected after the periodical rain
10 while for wood they have to resort
distant colonies. Among the agenci
which have contributed much to II
d growth in wealth are her abundant ri
o. ers. Seventeen streams, taking the
a. rise in the mountains, cross the vale
l. of the north coast and empty into t.
~ sea. Some Of these are navigable
i. smaller merchant vessels for distan
If of two or three leagues, but have tro
!. blesome bars across their mouths. The
~ are also few lakes, and altogether L
If less than As water courses worthy
re- charting. The facilities for inter-
navigation, for driving machinery
water and steam power and for lrrl&
ton are uncommon for an island OF l
re size and situation. Moreover. there
N almost total absence of stagnant W
IS ter, such as does so much to viii;
nd the climate of tropical and semitropi'
he countries generally.
ID The harbors of Puerto Rico are abb
dant and good, except for part of
vaar Tn those on the north coast w