The Anaconda standard., 1899-01-07
VALUE OF THE ISLAND
CONTINUED from Page Two.)

| tive labor will probably encounter di1il-
culties in this direction. The average
| Porto Rican laborer does not know
| much, but he has one firm belief, ano
that is that the American with money is
his fair prey. There will surely be en-
counters between employer and employe
| before this impression is removed.
Porto Rican tobacco is said by many
| to be Of excellent quality. 1t seems
| to be badly harvested and cured, how
ever, and if improvements were made
| in this direction it's value would be in
| creased. Much has of late years been
| sent to Cuba, where it has fetched good
| prices The best tobacco lands here re-
quire certain formation, location and
mixture of soil. They require expert
| examination to determine their value
and it is very easy for an amateur to
err in their selection. Tobacco has been
in some cases very profitable. A farm
of 100 cuerdas produced in one year
$4,000 in gold and cost the owner but
$4,000 for cultivation and general ex-
penses Good tobacco lands are conse-
quently held at high prices; $3.50 per
cuerda is asked and lands suitable for
the production of the best tobacco are
scarce. The market for Porto Rican to-
bacco is one capable of development
and the popularity and demand for the
article will be increased by the perfec-
ton resulting from better methods of
handling and curing.
Before Porto Rico can enter upon that
steady march of development, educa-
ton and improvement which constitute
her future prosperity several conditions
which at this hour hang heavily over
the island will have to be removed
Porto Rico's status will have to be de-
termined; she must be legally admit
ed as territory or a colony of the
United States and she will have to en-
JOY free trade with our country. The
question of her present deprecated cur
rency will have to be Strengthened out
and the business uncertainty and con-
fusion resulting from whatever meas
ures are taken to this end must have
subsided. The islanders themselves
must bury past political dscords and
enter upon new era of good fellow
ship and unity of purpose. The ex-
ceedingly high state of taxation on
property in force to-day must be cut
down to reasonable assessment. The
American military authorities are now
collecting the taxes assessed by spain
during the first months of this year.
which taxes are intended to provide for
all insular expenses including the MAIN
tenance of the Spanish army of occu-
patton, the Spanish navy and the
Church of Rome, three features of in
sular politics that are non-existant
since Oct. IS last. This taxation on
farming lands in the majority of cases,
amounts to thirty per cent. of the lands
net earnings per year.
The United States received from
Spain the title to various government
lands in Porto Rico. Where these
lands were available for farming pur-
poses they have been to a great extent
already taken up, and while many of
them may not now be under cultivation
their titles are apt to have been COM
promised under Spain and they are to-
day subject to various claims resulting
from the corrupt system of Spanish
land registration.
lOnly when these existing conditions
are righted will Porto Rico be ready
and able to take upon herself the labors
which should lead her to that degree of
prosperity. peace and pleasure which
rightly is her due and which her past
political relations have thus far pre-
vented her from enjoying.