Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-05-03
PORTO RICAN QUESTION.
Spanish and Other European Aliens
ImpOycrish the Is
Ianders.

An important point in the Porto
Rican question still seems misunder-
stood by a large number of people.
Three-quarters of the land in Porto
Rico is owned by Spanish grandees
and other European aliens, and who
live in Europe, where all of the net
earnings from the products of their
lands are sent. This is system that
has impoverished the islanders, and
brought them to their present unfor-
tunate industrial and social condi-
ton. From Is to 90 cents day is
the average pay of laborers i'll Par
to Rico, and three-quarters of the pop
ulation--if not more-are laborers
who cultivate the lands and harvest
the crops for their European owners.
Two and half years ago, when
our relations with Spain were becom-
ing acute, these Spanish and Eu-
ropean owners of the lands in Porto
Rico foresaw probable war, the
early withdrawal of Spanish author
ity, and eventual free trade between
the United States and Porto Rico
They therefore have been warehous-
ing their staple crops of sugar and
tobacco, so that now vast quantities
are in store and accommodating, ready
for shipment under free trade with
the United States. TO some extent
American sugar and tobacco trusts
have financial interests in, or COM
plete ownership of, these crops.
Of this there can be no doubt. The
Porto Rican working people have
nothing to lose by the imposition of
the duty upon the products of their
island entering the United States,
Their work has been done and paid
for at the prevailing rates of wages
for labor-from IS to 90 cents a day.
The protests against the tariff that
come from Porto Ricans were from
those who represented the owners of
the lands and the warehoused crops.
The protests are not coming from the
laboring people of the islands who
will be the beneficiaries of the act.
The imposition of this tariff creates
a fund of several million dollars,
which is drawn entirely from aliens
or American trusts. This money goes
back to Porto Rico for the employ
ment of Porto Ricans by our govern
ment in the permanent improvement
of the island. The wages our govern
ment will pay will be higher than
those paid by the land owners, and
will tend to permanently raise the
rates of wages all over Porto Rico.
This would be impossible under imme-
date free trade, so, it must be plain
free trade would only benefit those
whose oppression of Porto Rican Ia
Dor would remain undisturbed, and
who could thus all the better com
pete with the products of American
labor in the same articles. lmme-
date free trade could only benefit
aliens and trusts. The temporary
tariff benefits all Americans and only
Injuries aliens and trusts.
A couple of years of this, and the
Porto Ricans will be in receipt OF
wages approXimating to those paid
to the laborers on the sugar and to-
bacco plantations in the United
States. from rs cents to n dollar a
day. and at the end of the two years
free admission of Porto Rican prod
ucts into the United States will not
have a disturbing effect upon those
products of the mainland with which
they will compete.
1t is impossible, in view of these
facts, which are confirmed by Off
cial reports received from the Off
GERS of the United States stationed il
Porto Rico, for any sincere or in
formed person to point out where the
products of Porto Rico for two years
will iniure either Porto Ricans ol
Americans. On the contrary, it is {
distinct benefit to all whom the
United States desires to benefit. The
more this subject is studied the more
this will become apparent. This is {
case where eXpediency is synonymous
with justice to our fellow countrymer
! in Porto Rico and at home. That is
our first duty, and the tariff per
| forms it.