The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-29

lows:
owing to tn ehurricane and bought the
sugar crop for 1S99-19o0 was only $4,000
tons, yet, because of the high prices ruling
in New York. the crop sold for as much
money as the large crco of 1S96-1S97-
| LOCO tons. The rate of common wages
now in the cane fields is 40 cents gold per
day against 80 cents gold in 1S96-1S97.
| There are hundreds of thousands OF
negro iaborers in the British, French
Dutch, and Danish islands in the West
| Indies who would swarm into Porto Rico
| to secure the higher wages prevailing
| there but for the restrictive immigration
| laws.
The only considerable immigration OF
Porto Ricans since the American occu-
patton consisted Of LOCO who removed to
Cuba in 1899, the motive being to secure
80 cent wage rates. which was promised
| there. There has been for long time
movement of laborers from Porto Rico
to San Domingo. There is the usual
motive for such change, that is. to secure
better wages, which are paid in San
Domingo by the American and French
sugar planters.
THE cyclone destroyed the growing cof
fee, which was seven-tenths of all the ag-
ricultural products for the year 1899. The
coffee harvest offhat year was almost nil.
The crop for 1900 will amount to about
80 per cent Of the normal one. Conceding
the high estimate of 10 per cent for the
| sGlvage Of the crop of 1889, it is easy to
| figure the loss for last and this year. The
coffee exported averaged the value of
$1,000. GOO before 1899. The deficiency for
that year was six and one-third million
and the deficit for 1900 reached four and
two-thirds millions, the total loss for the
two years reaching s11 ,0G0, 600, and this
was considerably more than was received
for all the exported commodities of the
whole island for those two years. In three,
four, or five years the crop may reach Gus
tomary magnitude, but the recovery must
not be sooner expected.
I'm 1895 the imports OF food reached
100000 pounds. In 1899 the imports
were 100000 pounds and the relief sup
ply distributed by the military govern
ment reached $4,000, COG pounds making
the total Of food brought into Porto Rico in
1893 Of 9S.O00,000 pounds. The hurricane
totally destroyed every banana plant and
none matured until year had passed
Almost all other fruit crops were also de-
stroyed or greatly injured. Yet during
this year the imports of food were less by
36.oOO,GO0 pounds than they were in 1895.
These imports fell off because the island
ers had nothing with which to buy and
who can wonder that hunger ensued? A
Government or Administration is often
held responsible when disaster from any
cause befalls the people. Some persons
in Porto Rico blame the Government be-
cause this calamity was not averted or its
effect Immediately removed
Porto Rican Coffee,
The coffee of Porto Rico has hereto
fore been sold about one-third in Cuba
and two-thirds in Europe. Spain being a
consumer to the extent Of about one
quarter of the total crop. Anyone can
verify the truth of this statement. The
coffee going to Spain paid at Spanish Gus
tom houses a duty of about 10 per cent
less than was charged on the berry CON-
Ing from Brazil. By the change of SOW
ereignty Porto Rico lost that 10 per cent
differential-but not the market. The
high duties prevailing in 1899 in Cuba
against Porto Rico coffee were, In Octo-
Der. 1899, cut down more than three
fourths and left at Just about the same
figures they were under Spain. Porto
Rico has today just the same markets for
her coffee that she had in 1897, only she
has lost the preferential advantage she
had before the cession, yet the effects of
the hurricane are such that had no duty
been charged by Spain the advantage 10
Porto Rico would have been of insignifi-
cant value, for the island had practi-
caliy lost two crops.
Tobacco in Porto Rico was formerly
sold about half to Cuba and the rest to
Eusopc. The Cuban market is very nat
urally closed by a prohibitive duty. as
the United States is now but a trustee |
for Cuba, and this island has perfect
right to protect her own commercial ex-
istence.
Some Porto Ricans complain because
they have no full territorial autonomy;
some complain because the civil govern
ment has replaced the military one; some
Spanish sympathizers wish the former
regime restored. and there are half a mil
lion poor people who have never given a
thought TO the subject of government at
all, and would as soon be under Spain or
the Sultan of Turkey as under the United
States
we have embarked in the attempt to
set up self-government. Who can find
for the prediction that in fifty
years these Porto Ricans will any better
have demonstrated their capacity for self
government than the New Mexicans have
in the same period? Yet the population
OF New Mexico has been larger for long
time than was the population of several
OF our ierritories when admitted to fall
!: Statehood; put helther party IN Congress |
Is ye. "iiiihs 10 Grant iuii sel1-government |
10 ne" MeAieo. me seventy-odd thousand |
liau'e new Meaicahs nave not advanced
s s;n S indusea.aiy. or Intellectually
a en- usnSie. ma. assutnea command