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

! Whether the development of Porto Rico
and the stimulation of agriculture there
/ tend TO benefit or hurt the American far
mer is a 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. F. Cook TO Porto Rico q
make a practical investigation Of the ag-
ricultural 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 / do not see how the
development Of Porto Rico. agriculturaily
and otherwise. can be anything but bene-
fit rather than a harm, not only 10 far
mers, but 10 all other inhabitants OF the
United States. Porto Rico is not big
enough and cannot do enough under any
circumstances to affect US materially one
way or the other but as | observed the
crops and conditions OF the island there
will be little room for 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
They import in large quantities rice.
beans, -four. potatoes, beets, Goldfish. cab
bage. etc. In travelling over the island al
least nine-tenths of the eatables offered for
sale are imported. About the only crop
that | can see in which they will compete
with the American farmer is sugar but
their total capacity for this crop appears
10 be about $40. 900, GOO while We now i'm
port from foreign countries nine or ten
l. u ITrr,
tobacco WILL of course, enter into American
smoking. but il is not of a class TO 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-
ty of the islands can be doubled. but while
many things which are now imported
might be raised under better methods than
now obtain. yet | do not think they will
be- as really tropical products. which can
not be raised in the 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
be any conflict between them and the
farmers of this country. Each country
will raise for the markets of the other.
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.
LAS 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 majori-
ty of the population have little or moth
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 were there a year ago. are now
attributed to the hurricane. AS an illus
tration, the northwest part of the island
was hardly affected at all by the hurri-
cane, yet the people are destitute as 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
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."