Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1899-05-13
OUR NEW ISLAND POSSESSION.
Opportunities aud Inducements Uf.
fered to American Brain,
Drawn ans CnDItal.

Washington, May Sowing to tn
large number of inquiries that hav,
been received by the members of tn,
( msGlar commission since their reccn.
return from Porto Rico. Gen. Robert
Z. Kennedy, has prepared a statement
as to the resources and conditions in
Porto Rico. which he thinks will cover
the points upon which the greatest
interest has been manifested.
Concerning the people themselves,
ten. Kennedy says:
HOspitabIe and armbe.rteJ
There can scarcely be found upon
TIE globe Il more hospitable aud
"armheartcd people than those of Por-
t" Rico. They are in full sympathy
with American Institutions. There
is & great deal of poverty in the island
as il is understood in the United
Stptes. That is, the people live in
t'imsily constructed huts. have few
comforts and less of ready money; but
owing TO the bounty of nature around
them they can live with little work
an" few worldly goods and still not
suffer from either cold or hunger. The
stories of starvation on the island are
LaselesS fabricationS
How the Rich Classes Live.
While the richer classes live well in
beautlfully'appointed homes and have
been for the most part educated abroad
that they speak English, the percent.
age OF illiteraey among poorer classes !
IS very high, reaching 90 per cent. '
this is largely due to the fact that ,
there are no schools worth the name (,
" tside of the largest towns. :
Agricultural Opportunities. y
AS TO agricultural opportunities. ]
hould say that not one-fourth of the +
lnds in the islands are under cultiva :
and thousands of acres vet re.
lain TO he given over to %husbandrv.
andS are held at good prices owing to
nc promise of aninfuN of people from
United States. Still there is op. j
ortunity for many thousands of PEG.
Ie who really wish to engage in agri. .
on the islands. That there are :
oppuntities in Porto Rico is I'm ;.
fashionable. To young men desiring i
seek permanent homes and who
ave a good stock of energy and en-.
Porto Rico offers great in e.
dement's. W
Sugar and Concc Culture. II
Sugar and coffee both require a m
&c outlay in lands, material and i'm. VI
otementS. The promise of both of
tSe, however. is uncqualled any. of
else in the world. An old coffee al
anter from JaVa,who has just bought or
plantation, assured me that the fiji
mate and conditions we're as favor. wi
lie as he had ever seen. Tropical
lits of all sorts grow readily. and orr
OF a fine quality. know of no he
zee which Offers greater induce. in,
than does Porto Rico to Florida III
'nge growers who are seeking a 10. m,
ION outside the frost belt. tr,
toch Raising. lof
The opportunities for stock rails
1t appears to me, are superior to
'St IN almost any part of the United
ties.
Sainbrious Climate. "'
The climate of the island. in my ex.
hence and from what AN gather
m records official and otherwise. is ,
that could be desired. II is warm Won
and cool in winter. and in
II the denscly populated city of San ma iI
n is a remarkably healthy place. in
K forward to the time. not far dis 81
I, when Porto Rico will not only ne hit!
tropical garden spot of the United III
'eS' but II of the most popular I
ter resorts" his