Arizona republican., 1898-09-18

capable of holding their own with out siders of any nationality.
 That the trade Of Porto Rico will eventually belong almost entirely to ! US there can be no doubt, but l think that result will come about through a natural development, extending over ! 3. considerable period Of time, rather than through the exploitation of rev schemes. The island is well worth all that we paid for 1t, and it's productive powers should be largely increased un- der the new regime, but that also will take ti7no-years, rather than months General Stone, who led the advance through Utuado, told me that the land was fertile to the very top Of the noun tains, and a- 1 GOO feet CT so above sea level, which is the zone Of the coiee plantations, the climate is excellent while the difference Of temperature aI various elevations permit Of great variety Of productions. Still, l. must be remembered that the natives are neither sayages nor fools, and while they are not getting out Of the ground what they might, to the casual oEsery- CT they appear to be doing very well.
 Although the population Of Porto Rico is about 6o0000 the area e the island is small, and there is not much room for competition. Further than this, the Americans whom ! met tEerc seemed to have overlooked the fact that tke wants of the natives arc not the same as these of an equivalent number C. cur own people. Take the electrical business. for example. 4 town Of 30,00G to 50o00 inhabitants in the United States would show con- siderable demand for electrical appli- arces Of many lIinds-teiephcnes tole- graph, trolley lines, electric light and power plants. etc. n Porto Rico the mass Of the people have little or nc ;se fer such things. A telegram sent today over the government lines may be delivered 'manana' CT next week. and the postal facilities of an aYera ge crossroads village in this country would put 10 shame the average post oi,ice in 9 Porto Rican town. But the natives are accustomed to this way of doing business and will have to be con- siderabiy educated before they demand what we call modern facilities. In the matter of electric light and power there are few towns in the island which would support even a small plant, in nlv opinion.
 The nspOrtat;on facilities of the island continued Colonel Allen, are inadequate, and this field offers per haps the best opportunity for Asneri- can enterprise. The present railroads are merely isolated bits Q: track here and there. parts Of aa cid time scheme to engirGla the island. The lines are ali narrow gauge, but they d0 fair business in spite of their poor eonip- lment, and there is.no apparent reason why the old plan should not be carried out, nor why the motive power should rot be changed to electricity. h any part of the United States similar con- ditions, with the same density Of pop iulation, would long aso have led to the investment cf capital. but, as, 1 have said, the natives. of Pcrto Rico have not the same ccmpiexi.y Of wants as we have. In the way Of ordinary trade ithey are quite competent to nold tAsir owp, but in large schemes the Ameri- cans will'have the advartags, fer tho Porto Eicans know practically nothing of such thilEs.'