The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-23
PORTO RIC0'S PROSPECTS.
oBsER "a zIoNs OF Az AGENT OF THE
AGRICULiURIL DEPARTMENT.

hV hAA NA'y No SuIIIs
vnted-The Observation-Disclosures for In.
vsstments, Large and Smaii-waRrs.
DEs MONIES. Ia. April 21.-Charles F. Savior.
agent Of the Department OF Agriculture. has
Just returned from a three months tour through
the islands OF Cuba and Porto Rico. He went
primarily to investigate the possibilities OF tina
sugar industry In Porto Rico and Cuba bnt
he saw many other things in his travels which
are OF interest. He relates an amusing incident
that occurred In San Juan. Walking in tho
street with a native. he heard some children
humming the tune "Therell Be n Hot Time in
the Old Town Tonight" Wondering how
they learned it, he asked the children wha,
they were singing. They replied:
1T is the national hymn Of the Americans
It is what the soldiers sing"
Speaking OF his work and the business which
took him to the West Indies. MI. Savior
said that II was a part Of the Investigation
which Secretary Wilson has set on foo, 10
learn the probable effect OF the industries Of
our new possessions.
IT you will look the field over. taking Cuhn
Porto Rico and tho Philippines" he said. you
will find that we have acquired a large portion
Of the cane sugar producing territory Of the
earth. and 1t becomes desirable to know what
the status OF the sugar industry is In this now
territory. Porto Rico is a beautiful island. "A
Is very fertile and resourceful. but, OF course.
1t Is limited from the fact that it Is simply a
small Island. 1t Is about ninety miles long and
forty miles wide in round numbers. and is
simply a chain OF mountains pushed up out Of
the ocean by volcanic action and OF coral for.
nation. The soil Is "a sort OF silt formation
made up of the disintogration OF this coral and
volcanic rock. and the ability Of the soil 4,
produce is something wonderful. saw
fields that had been raising cane for a hundred
years. possibly longer. and we're still producing
rs high as forty or fifty tons to the acre, and
yet this cane had been grown as a single crop
year by year during all this time. Porto Rico
has only three exports. the leading one being
sugar. the next being coffee and the next to.
baeco. el y Il able at the present time to export
States. and probably Porto Rico has resources
articles mentioned. new methods Of agriculture.
ma snMe,ns ana ID, IN mplement she ., could double
baceo. so that it can easily be SCI a so far
as Porto Rico is concerned. that the ability Of
This island to affect our Industries is verv
OF thts island for growing fruits and vegetables
seen solne very fine specimens Of oranges and
the finest pineapples and cocoanuts l ever saw.
trees Hes s arew in nt tbs sf %coSnta aSS0lW%'Ssii iEe i 6rsn as S %nk
ture in this country is something that requires
Rico e orange nss' trees gt sst grow a1u on a'ttssa e %ast IN , p05to
side hills. in hedges. without any attento on.
and 90 not recall, while on the island. seeing
a regularly cared for orange grove.
.At the present time the industries Of Porto
Hico are langnishing. She had a market in
that market is lost 10 them. and 1t Is said that
the only chance she has for a sale for her prod
81 ~ per hundred weight tariff on her sugar"
.,.H hat are the social conditions and how do
Porto Rico might be divided into. as far as
frst Would be- the Spanish aHII' drawn i1Vr ci inte sitiz ane
ship IN Porto Rico by business interests. and
80 forth. And Of course these people were the
fict. and are not in very good accord with the
rest q the people there now. These people
there. but at the present time the tendency is.
ifthey can dispose of their business Interests
spainn ne. TIE he'r ns% %9" eIas 81" wo %, t. be ss t fS s Sask fe
P P9rtG RiGnns; Descendants of Spanish settlers,
With the s"' Port" k aea s as ssniest are SPAIN m!
The next class would be the light colorei
mnlattoes. the more Intelligent mixed bloods.
reputation. Then we have he lover % order tes
which is male up Of the darker and original
three divisions that l have described as Porto
Klcans are a great deal closer than they would
Porto Ricans probably hold themselves abovs
s!ing !s ali along f%a the Hhse line so ,s hgi'f Th sn m 1nts5@ si5.
t 1a ese fPs e5 yEsm is one Of the ohlectionable fea;
IS isi not r rS1sksdf th sn,Sus 10 any nSi reR ah s1 eenon u y
the Church as it was in Utah. but there does not
seem to be any social objection. and so It exists
classes. simply as a matter Of course. It is COM
mon for q man 70 have two Or three families.
pie affair. More than half the people. on tbs
island live on less than Ave cents a day. and
these lcople,, who are largely the working
class get 10 their daily food ~ratlops., They are
People without color. showing a lack Of blood
III their veins, and physically waak
Rico p So 10 10 s per cent sn q TIE he children Of Porto
poor poor AFFAIRS n rs S' There a may f be os sc ooon,t ARE nity VERY Try
the United States to make citizens out OF such
PEOPLE as these. but you can see they are con-
people act more on impulses: they are erratic.
lacking In what we call good Judgment and
their manner OF conversation are great on ges-
tieulation, saw an Irishman trying to talk to
sters IN our army down there. and he wanted
70 purchase some hay. He could not make the
talked the more they both ih"qb became aaH @o esci tneJy
make nns ihhiis m nndey w9nId TAX ,bs, louder ~ II order 70
R RSsn H would Hn simpiy iiin .nn ais w arms sa and is gss p !,
II he knew what the fellow asked for the Irish:
waS!a he deaf fam" and E d"m fH0"'a lose his arms he
men Mhf iars spn snd .maii p are there for invest
un.eas are downs mot tb many oRRR Re unit for in.
owned by the Port" Ricanss are ,sc eoSer red' WITH III
MORTGAGES held by the Spaniards. and they are
paying from II to IL per cent. interest. Gen.
Henry has issued al. order putting of fore
closures ior a year, Now. then. there should 10
OPPORTUNITIES for buying up these mortgages
and getting control Of some OF the lands since
Snese people have got to settle soon, and the
spanish want to get their money and leave tina
county Try, But a. the present Time The peopiis
especially in view Of the precarious hold that
they naHS on them. and also. in view OF
ing condition. They have a notion that tho
Americans are going TO make n great thing out
OF that country. and prices are quoted now Tor
everything two or three times in advance OF
anythlhR mat was ever before known. There
are probably some mining interests down there
hat will be developed, and there viii Ia
chances Tor investments. hut | would advise
any Americans to 60 down and study the stu
alton over carefully before they embark in any
thing. Winter, hotels and things that will lie
needed, for the comfort Of tour ss viii
certainly pay. AS. Porto Rico is going to
pc the great winter resort OF people ~
this country. When il comes to beauty, 1t is a
perfect dream OF nature. and the winters are 80
beautiful and mild that there is no doubt that
u will be very inviting for winter trims in the
IfnFn ThAHn n 100 - 80. -