Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-08-12
Why We Need the Pretty Island.

It appears certain that at the close
Of the war the island Of Porto Rico
will become part Of the territory OF
the United States, whatever may be the
disposition made of Cuba and the Phil
ippines. Its acquisition will be a de-
cided gain, industrially, to this coun-
try, in two respects: 1t will place us
much nearer great South American
markets. where we have never yet
been able to win the consideration to
which we are entitled, and 1t Will also
give to American enterprise great
home field to develop. Porto Rico, like
| every other Spanish possession, has
never been developed, industrially, as
Americans understand that term. I'm
like most Spanish possessions, it has
not been ruined, nor have its inhabl-
tants been so grievously harassed as
elsewhere. 1t is a fertile land, with
salubrious climate, has excellent high
ways, broad and deep rivers, and a
magnificent harbor. Even the easy
going methods there in vogue have
made it a more productive colony Tor
Spain than Cuba. Fruits, coffee, SUI
gar. tobacco, and live stock are the
chief staples. These are exchanged for
manufactured articles or money from
abroad, for manufacturing, as here IN
derstood. is unknown there. Accord
ing to latest statistics, American trade
with Porto Rico has been gaining at
the rate of $4,000, 900 each year. The
colony's annual exports to Spain have
amounted to something like 100000
Of late, while those to America amount
ed to $4,000 900. Simply with the re-
moyal of the burdensome and unjust
taxes which Spain imposes upon in
dustry and trade, the productivity of
Porto Rico must greatly increase.
When to that is added the impetus
which American methods, push and
money will impart, 1t can be readily
seen that Porto Rico's products must
RAPIDLY and enormously increase. And
almost all of this wealth will most
naturally be exchanged for things made
in the States-the thousand and one
necessaries and luxuries that people
buy when they have money. 1t is fur
Their to be noted that the acquisition
of this island carries with 1t no indus
trial disadvantages to temporarily d.
minish the advantages. Its inhabit-
ants are not in competition with us,
and are not likely to be to any ma
terial extent for years-certainly not
until they have become 80 thoroughly
impregnated with distinctively Amer
lean ideas that they will be as fully
Of our kind as are our own people. And
when that state exists, their competi-
tion will not be of the kind to be dread
ed. but simply the kind to which ev-
ery one is accustomed. Valuable as
Porto Rico is Of itself, the effect which
our possession of 1t will have upon our
South American trade must be an even
greater factor of industrial advantage.
Nothing will separate the great repub-
lie of North America from the repub-
lies. great and minor, Of South Amer
lea. but comparatively narrow strip
of ocean, convenient water highway,
rather than a barrier. And this means
much. II this country can but once
gain its rightful place in South Amer
lean markets the demand for the prod
net of mills and factories will increase
to such degree that tens OF thousands
of workers in many occupations would
Immediately perceive the difference,
and welcome it with Joy. The South
American republics number their cit
liens by the millions. We already buy
a great portion Of what they produce
fruits coffee, tobacco, hides etc., for
the sufficient reason that we cannot
supply our demand at home. In return
we sell them little. English and Ger
man cotton mills clothe their people,
while our mills in New England are
shut down for want Of orders. We are
so little known that much Of what we
do sell them has to be shipped via
Liverpool, and provided with an Eng
lish tag. before 1t finds a market. The
great, decisive industrial advantage
that will accrue from the possession of
Porto Rico lies in this, that it will
make a barrier that now separates us
from South America and diverts the
current of its trade to Europe. a band
binding the two continents, and at
tracing trade that will set In motion