Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-08
CONDITIONS IN PORTO RICO.
Statement by Gen. Kennedy of the In
suInr COmmissiOn.


General Robert +. Kennedy of the insular
commission has prepared statement as to
resources ard conditions in Porto Rico.
which, he thinks will cover the points upon
which the greatest interest has been mani
Tested in inquiries addressed to the COM
mission. Concerning the people themselves
General Kennedy says:
There can scarcely be found upon the
globe more hospitable and warm hearted
people than those of Porto Rico. They are
in full sympathy with American institu-
tons. There is a great deal of poverty in
the island as it is understood in the United
States; that is, the people live in fimsily
constructed huts, have few clothes and still
less of ready money, but owing to the
bounty OF nature around them they can
live With LITTLE work and few worldly goods
and still not suffer from either cold or
hunger The stories of starvation upon the
island are baseiesS fabricatiOns.
While the richer classes live we'll in
beautifully appointed homes and have
been for the most part educated abroad, so
that they speak English. the percentage of
nllteracy among the poorer classes is very
high, reaching 80 per cent, but this is large
ly due to the fact hat there arc 10 schools
worth the name outside of the largest town,
or, indeed, one might say in the whole Is
land.
As to agricultural opportunities should
say that not one-fourth of the islands
in the island are now under cultivation,
and thousands of acres remain to be given
over TO husbandry. Lands are held at good
price owing to the promise OF an influx OF
people from the United States. Still there
Is opportunity for many thousands of per-
sons who really wish toEengage in agricul-
ture on the island. That there are great
opportunities in Porto Rico is unquestiona
bic.
TO young men desiring to seek perma-
nent homes and who have a good stock of
energy and enterprise Porto Rico offers
great Inducements. But would discour-
age the simple adventurer who expects to
reap "a quick and uuearned reward. Sugar
and coffee both require, large outlay in
lands, material and improvements The
promise of both of these however, Is I'M
eQualed anywhere else In the world. An
OLD cof1ee planter from Java, who has just
bought plantation. assured me that the
climate and conditions Were as favorable as
he had ever seen. Tropical fruits of all
sorts grow readily and are of the finest
quality. L know Of no place which offers
greater Inducements than does Porto Rico
to Florida orange growers who are seeking
a location outside the frost belt.
The. opportunities for stock raising, 1t
appears TO me, are superior to those in al
most any part of the United States and
TINS without disparagement of our own cat
tie country The climate Of the island, in
my experience and from what / can gather
OF 1t from records official and otherwise, is
all that could be desired. 1t is warm in
summer and cool in winter, and even the
densely populated city of San Juan is a
remarkably healthy place. l look forward
70 the time not far distant when Porto
Rico VIII be not only the tropic garden
spot OF the United States but one of the
most popular winter resorts"