The evening times., 1900-01-08
PORTO RIco's DEVELOPMENT.
Report of Special Agent OT the
Agricultural Department

Report Of n Special Agent OT the
Agricultural Department.
Whether the development Of Porto Rico
and the stimulation of agriculture there
tend 10 beue6t or hurt the American far
mer is question which is probably occu-
pying the minds Of many people just now,
when Congress is being called upon TO in
terest itself in that island in one way or
another
The Department Of Agriculture has sent
Special Agent O. r. COok 10 Porto Rico O.
make a practical investigation OF the as-
ricuItural conditions and possibilities Of
that island. He has just returned. and per
haps throws some light upon the question.
lie says
In the first place. I DO not see how the
development OF Porto Rico. agricuituraily
and OJherW Sc can be anything but a bene-
At rather than a harm. not only 10 far
mers but 20 all other inhabitants ot the
United States. Porto Rico is not big
enough and cannot do enough under any
circumstances 10 affect us materially one
way or the other but as I observed the
crops and conditions OF the island there
will be little room fOT competition between
them and those OF the United States. On
the other hand. the people Of the island i'm
port very largely Of their necessities. and
ma urallv We wiz get all this trade.
They import IN large quantities rice.
beans. -four. potatoes. Beets, Goldfish. cab
bsge. etc. In travelling over the island az
least nine-teuths Of the eaJables offered for
sale are imported About the only crop
that I can see in which they will compete
with the American farmer Is sugar. but
their total capacity for this crop appears
TO be about SO 900 coo. while We now i'm
port from foreign countries nine or ten
times this amount OF sugar Porto Rico
tobarcO will. OF course, enter into American
smoking. but il is not of a class 10 COM
pete with the American grown product
Agriculture in the islands is at present
in a very crude state. With improved
methods ! believe the agricultural capaci
" Of the islands can be doubled but while
many things which are now imported
might be raised under better methods than
now obtain vet l do not think they will
/ be- as really tropical products which can
not be raised in TIE United States Will be
more profitable ! cannot see that when
/ the agriculture OF the island becomes sys-
tematized so that the planters are raising
/ the crops which pay them best there will
I be any conflict between them aGd the
Z farmers Of this country. Each country
/ will raise for the markets of the other.
4 The islanders will plant mostly fruits. in
! which there will be a good profit. and for
which the United States Will furnish A rich
/ and acceptable market.
As the people OF the island prosper
/ they will use much more largely of Ameri-
/ can products At present as a result OF
/ the Spanish rule of centuries the MAORI
/ ty of the population have little or moth
T ing.
In spite Of the actual distress incident
/ to the recent hurricane. which did much
/ damage. there is a ludicrOus situation
presented TO one familiar with the Span
( ish-American character. As a matter OF
| fact all the troubles OF the island. most
/ Of which we're there a year ago. are now
/ attributed to the hurricane. A. an Illus
tration, the northwest part of the island
/ was hardly affected at all by the hurri-
Z cane. yet the people are destitute as q re-
/ suit OF this disaster. and are asking to
/ be supplied with rations by the United
\ States authorities
| AS soon as the ratiOns begin TO be sup
I piled work ceases In hundreds OF cases
where planters desired to repair damages
| done by the Storm, as soon as the Issuance
/ of free ratiOns began it was impossible
to secure any labOrers."