The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-21
GEM OF THE ANTILLES.
Porto Rico Exceeds Cubo In AL De-
sirabIe Particulars.

sirabIe Particulars.
Chicago, July 21.-H. S. Garfield, writ
ing for the Times-Herald says:
If Cuba be the Pearl of the Antilles
which is open to doubt, Porto Rico is its
diamond, it's ruby, its Koh-i-noor, the
most precious stone in the carcanet which
Spanish luck and enterprise pIucked from
the misty, mysterious regions Of the west
only in the attribute of size. In fertility
of soil, in salubrity of climate, in strategic
position and in character of its people,
which, after all, is the most serious con-
ditiOn confronting any country which de-
it is far superior. 1t is, indeed, well worth
having, which cannot be said of every
Spain.
Porto Rico lies at the Windward end of
tant from some parts of Cuba, which
shows that it runs long way to the east.
troll of the Caribbean sea trade. 1t is 50
far out into the Atlantic that the estab-
HShment of a cOaling station upon its soil
would be of immense advantage to our
ships in case of further troubles with
European nations. 1t is capable of grow
ing sugar. coffee, fruits and other tropic
staples in the greatest abundance. In pro-
money than any other one of it's colonies.
It's climate is tolerable in summer, de-
Its air lacks the enerYating quality COM
mon to the atmosphere of lands further
west 1t has lain for cons smiling in a
setting of blue and waiting only a touch
Of northern energy to make it the fairest
the United States millions upon millions,
and the blow has almost killed Father
to become that which it should be-that
which it would have been if owned for
world save SPAIN
1t is not filled by malarious swamps like
Cuba. 1T Offers in the language of
Consul Hanna, ever advantage and in
and make their homes there AS a class.
its people are far superior to the Cubans.
1rafa F1rT md
porous S they have had '' tie time. and
have taken the palms, to obtain some edu-
in the minority. Mixed bloods are less
common than in other Spanish-Amer1can
lands. There are many Spaniards, but
their assertion has been that they belong
many of immigrant Englishmen fought
for the American colony in the revolu-
dian island Of which this is true, and fact
speaks loudly not only for the virtues of
acter of the natives, who seem to have alb
sorbed the Spaniards and made good west
ton is the Creole, by which is meant of
course. white persons of French or Span
telligent, honorable and brave. different
from the hungry hOrdes of ''allies" which
hardtack before Santiago, then rolled
corn shuck cigarettes, lay down in the
roads. The women are the handsomest of
all West Indians. and do not break or
other islands, their lasting qualities being
due in part to unmiXed blood, but more
climate. The deadliest foe to physical
strength and beauty in the tropics is in
Porto Ricans, male and female, are nota-
YeIS..y fever. scourge of all the Spanish
MAN, is not endemic to Porto Rico, as it
is in all of the cOastwise cities of Cuba.
DR.. Salicrup, noted physician of New
York, who is a native of the island and
practiced there for many years, once as.
sured me that in a large experience of
the dreaded disease he had never met a
case which, strictly speaking, originated
on the island 1t has had epidemics,
some of them notably fatal, but they We're
started always by outside germs brought
in by infected ships from Cuban and
ports. Bilge water he declares
10 he the most common mode Of convey
ance of the yellow fever bacillus, and the
likelihood of contag1on IS remote when the
ships are pumped thoroughly and their
holds, not their cabins merely, diSlnfected.
DR.. Salicrup, by. the by, was the first
and general dissemination of yellow fever,
though he has never received credit for it.
This fact, which is well within the knowl-
edge of Dr. Sem, is the basis of the OPP
position to the use of any of the Santiago
1t is not that they are tagged by recent
work in the trenches. for they would get
well the lovely island faster than in
Again; to quote Consul Hanna upon the
Porto Rican people: BY far the greater
We're born in Porto Rico. They are the
sons and daughters of Spanish people, or
are more remotely descended from Span
ish ancestry, but they are for Porto Rico
and not for Spain, and they would be as
happy and contented under the stars and
c+riI1Se AZ rDarv a man Of CTopiS[ I10C(J
born in the United States. 1 should like
to see the stars and stripes in Porto Rico,
and when once they are raised there you
will never see them taken dOwn-of that
you may rest assured. Considering the
natural advantages of the island and the
quality of the people, should say that
Porto Rice. would be a state within a very