The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-08
WHAT PORTO RICO NEEDS.
REPORT OF W. II. CORHJNE OF TIE
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.


WAsHINGToN June William H. Corwine
~ the Merchants Association OF New York,
who was sent to Porto Rico by that organiza-
ton to mako an investigation OF the general
commercial conditions in that island. was in
Washington to-day and delivered copy Of his
report to President Mckinley Mr. Corwne
also called on the Assistant Secretary Of War;
Secretary Hay and Secretary Gage and had an
informal talk with each Of these officials on
the same subject
In his report Mr.. Corwine says he found
almost at the beginning Of his investigation
that the tariff in operation in Porto Rico was a
very serious bar against any extension OF
American trade on the island. and that so long
as it continued in force It was useless to hope
forany increase in the sale of American manu-
featured products there. The tariff not only
acted us IA hindrance to imports. but II went
deeper than that In that II was rapidly con-
tracing the purchasing power OF the people Of
the island 1t was scarcely necessary to say
that so long as this contraction went on II was
impossible for the people TO buy to the extent
that they ought to be able to buy The island
was purely an agricultural one: everything
which it consumed it had to buy and 1t could
only pay for that which it bought when its
products were marketed.
NO matter in what line pursued my inves-
tigation,' he says, 1.-THE result was the same.
This tariff was being felt disastrously in every
uirec'loh' Every one was complaining ana
oushcss neh III an i'"ce Vi .rauo' WIN 'cafces
ah execution, sa'o '',''t 'f"uo c"nu't'ons were
worse tnah the' hau ever neeh IN their eApe-
Renee testimony OF t"is charac'er came from
bankers. shippers. importers. jobbers. middle
men Of all classes. planters and other men OF
standing. including those who had located
| there from England and this country. many OF
whom had been engaged in the business on
| the island Tor periods extending from Few
months to nearly forty years This testimony
was corroborated Inv the contracted volume Of
the crops.
1.-The chnnre from Spanish to American
rr,e " Mr. Corwino soys has ,not thns far
| ,"le' W. N''"''o sa''' mas nv, mus III,
u nse .omehnr is done very soon np relieve
,ho si,r,,io M, trndo oord itiono ~ ,ho isIon,
will become very cry serious indeed When hem span.
ro,,S annmah cnased 70 tbat
island The transfer OF the island to the
United States has not yet brought to it any
substitute for the markets Tor that portion oil
her products which she lost when she ceased to
be a possession of Spaiu. and the present state
" 81 op'.,., "i ~. VIC
Vi 'no lslanu is woI9o 'nuh ,'e PREVIOUS oio'
Taxing nm the nrincinaI prooncts NJ the is,-
| -, ' 40 ~, 49, VI ,i
and-sugar. coffee and toDacco-Mr. Corwine
| shows how each Of these industries has been
| seriously affected bv cutting off the markets. of
snnin ina low grades now come 70 the Tnitsd
marketed prontably In the United States on
| -. e A.. .,i,r ,I H. v,,...i.L .,o..
account Oh the tarli' ana me op"laish hlarkets
are cut off for the same reason. To enable the
| nlanters IN raise SMEAR of low grnde n change
81 ~ r1',,tantmra ~
| oi 'he INGENIOUS u h'u'"'ac'u'o - heV9Soty'
'y oe IN ' tbc IT Jy ,h S0n%i @
o,,r,'ri,i,a -. ir,,or,,,inn WINS rnr, nxran,
sv6 The Island has prod i on an average
CROP largely i9r tMr reasons given would be
With regard t." tob,aSco Mr. G1rw4s says that
the crop this year wiIlibe nhonttone- third OF the
normal ana '"f nrHH ara o' men usual,
employed IN ,eS t en- are o"f u en-
pnccn rnised ON the sIand except that ~" used
t%T local aI7r cnsmmni6n Was sent in Hulk 80
Hna As the Gmna po tar' was now nraetGa,hy
Sp @in matket, was greatly, c%rtaisd, the
Iihn'"ts ,oun" Ihe'iS'Ncs WIN prac'icaiis no
Poro ii Rica i coffee, Mr. Corwine says is of
Snhnls anq hrnpore markets.
ns o, om . ." p ,e
Ia III Hiai Wns bi ont tro mg1 hasn
ri r ana a12 from CuDa 9r me ; sane NJ reason
o, the c' Normal The shrnEaGe in the e sn Is
Tobacco ana rnltee cr"IA1 nnn tnroW4 large
q rnt "a u ymi ~
iiI,t'' No., L,r.,,,r h, I,.,,',
inns 7ulirtLhg. n2w"NSSr; hns Hen len sT"atIy re-
tieSeu oy ~" az nGt , y, I'LL III G'IhH9
tS ei1 ts I'm en- nn r.| some l''ooo
III ,',, r,uI fr the Icva,orr,an. ~ .bo
lsiah", nackeu ny hin"'ii"', utp ~, anu men III
good sInlIhG, Mn.'n, u ru. ah,o opeta d
MOULD PROVE iapgr I0r laLRe proportdi9ph OF
,hr men nov T S 1H 5 the
pliklh were oI nc @ ~ ,i ,e auS WHICH
snrI tt" !ach ne e tnnni in hnth %iraatIsGn o.
, [,e rncin,i norris o tho a
win uranthrs 10 Itlmcipna pol.S. LOT ,h9 ue.
OF Of b" po i1r e
% 'S n ncre a the nr ~
inH W ~ IKE MsIamd ond NAE il What II ouaSt
o % ' n tha e s seg IN e
MoIu in,,; M t,nm5,ihh To- ,n na VIZ VIZ
r. ns w. o,na s ,nn
hot 4 tar m"S mi canta INTO pnc
Tor me pnLi0se Wt Us ~
poWefS Wnt IL, 1T Tan j'h'o'e'o'e " i"a'Nc' vi"
products Oh tnt lsienu porto pioo a,a .h.,
rrt.d Sta t,auv we're estnbIished ON tho .ome
niteu .tat,s "fIe % h, o .t ne sa,le
nns's as 70 hn tatns
ahu me h IN sse un nteu IN su az
pmd an Would be fven 10 on bu ,
ness Wnlcl Wouiu lhNlle, aHlGllcuh cHpitaI.