Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-02
poRTo RIco PROSPECTS.
General Guy Y. Henry's Estimate of
The PnasIhIIItIes of the IaInnd.

General Guy v. Henry's Estimatc of
the Possibilities of the Island.
The possibilities OF raising sugar. tobacco
and coffee in Porto Rico are great, writes
General Henry in Golfers Weekly
The first two crops have been the
main product Of the Islands in
the past and the trade in these be-
tween the Inhabitants and Spain was
large. Although the taxes and system OF
extortions reduced the profits on these pro-
ducts to a minimum, the farmers could
in spite of all, make a fair living Sugar
can be raised in Porto Rico with ease
We hear a good deal OF the possibilities
Of sugar raising in the Philippines, but right
here at our door we have as fertile a ter
ritory for raising this product as any land
found on the other side of the globe. The
sugar product of the island could be doubled
in few years by the introduction of new
machinery and modern methods OF culture.
The Porto Ricans accept the bounties of
nature without much thought of the future
and they naturally rob the. rich soil to raise
their crops, and rarely think of returning
anything to 1t. The future generations must
consequently suffer for the present lack Of
foresight. Good sugar land scientifically
treated could be made to yield abundance
of crops forever.
The tobacco of Porto Rico may not have
the reputation of that raised around Ha-
vana, but 1t is an article that is not by any
means inferior to three-fourths OF the So
called Havana tobacco. 1t is raised with
comparative ease, on land that is naturally
adapted to it. and on some farms
it has been cultivated for years
without any attempt to renew the
fertility of the soil. The climate
of the island is well adapted to the curing
of the native tobacco, and also for keeping
the leaf for a considerable time without
suffering or degeuerating. Thus, tobacco
stored in warehouses for months has been
taken out in just as good condition as when
1t was first put in. The trade in Porto
Rico tobacco must eventually prove very
profitable
The island should in the near future sup
ply the United States with most of its coffee,
ana the Brazilian product should be en-
tirely supplanted by it. The native coffee
is superior grade to any that comes to
us from South America. 1t is raised on
the farms, where many OF the plants have
been growing for years. Cultivation of this
crop on a large scale and by improved
methods offers an opportunity for the Amer
lean capitalist that will bring its own re-
ward in time. While the native American
tobacco, and the sugar made from beet
roots, will enter into formidable compe-
tition with these two Porto Rican crops the
coffee grown on the island will meet no
opposition in the United States. There will
be rather a sympathetic movement to en-
courage its growth.
Capital is needed on the island more than
anything else, and without it thore will be
few opportunities for new settlers from the
,op
Of Americans to the island during my ad-
but they came there with the
avowed purpose of picking up easy jobs
and lucrative berths. But such settlers are
not needed, nor will they find what they
are seeking. Intelligent farmers and settlers
with some means to carry them over the
first few years in the cultivation of their
crops will find abundant opportunities to
secure a pleasant and satisfactory home.
The delightful climate will attract many
whose constitutions will not permit them
to remain in our vigorous North American
The fact should be made plain, however.
that Porto Rico Is distinctly a farming
and, moreover most of Its products
are Of tropical origin. The methods are
somewhat different from those
which prevail in the United States. They
do not differ materially from the farming
in Florida or southern California. little
capital is essential to successful begin
ming on the island, and without it settlers
would find themselves greatly handicapped
for native labor Is cheap. There are plenty
of idle laborers on the island who are will
ing to work for much less than 81 day
farmers or capitalists could
find in this material cheap workmen for
cultivating plantations Of coffee tobacco,
sugar or tropical fruits. OF the latter any
can be raised of the finest kind. The un-
cultivated oranges and pineapples, now OF
the best. by proper culture can challenge
the world and. there never being any
frost, Porto Rico will become the fruit
garden of the United States Almost any
vegetable can be raised, and the future of
the island for the agriculturist is most
favorable.