Rocky Ford enterprise., 1900-10-19


year.
Then when trouble In Cuba came.
l'orto Rico. as the penalty for being
good. was compelled To advance large
sums OF money for the suppression OF
the rebellion. The accounting OF this
matter shows Il balance. mostly ne.
crucd since 1888, OF g. 522:i, 5iJ-5J, for
which amount u claim In now pending.
The one thing plentiful WIS taxes. the
ever-prcs.ni guest, the gnthcrcr Of
tithes. Aptitude in making appropria.
tions and skill In manipulating them
FOR the benefit OF the favored few
were marked features Of Spanish I'D
ministraiion. There were appropria-
lions FOR schools, but not school
house: the budgets provided for roads.
but only one road worthy Of the name:
there were so'callei charitable funds.
but hospitals only In name. Bcsgars
OF every degree extended emacinted
hands ON every side. and evidence of
diseases produced long continuance OF
deprivation OF wholesome food was
painfully apparent.
The sugar industry Of the Island had
materially declined, due In part To the
exhaustion OF lands never fcrtiiizcd,
but particularly 10 the employment Of
anclcn; methods. The low price OF
coffee had materially reduced the prof
Its. One market only. Cuba. was open
Tor the tobacco crops. The people
We're prohibited from establishing
trade with the United States. hence
us unc fruit lands ~ exist In the world
lay waiting. ~ rule, the plania.
lions We're heavily mortgagcd. and the
NOR igagccs wcr- disposed To forcciosc
With the foregoing conditions cx-
istins. American occupation began. \
military government was established.
IL ruled with milincss and Justice.
holding steadily In View the succession
Of n civil government and undcttnk.
Ing TO prepare the way. Harsh laws
Were modified as rapiiiy as possible
aud I'll. people We're gradually given
control oI local Affairs. Mortgage FORE
closures We're suspended. Work was
provided for the poor on the roads and
trails, u plan oil roads covering til.
islnnd was prepared and In due time
numerous contracts Tor the consiruc.
ton OF hrst.cia-s inaca'iamizcd high
ways We're let and they are being
pushed to completion.
On August ;. 1870. a terrible hurri.
cane swept over the Island. leaving a
trail OF destruction. death and suiIcr.
Ing. Relief was promptly extended
and cncrsctically continued FOR nearly
year. :t2.vJJ,VJJ pounds OF rations lG-
Ing distributed. Private charity like.
wirc poured In money aud clothing:
the poor were well FED and sufficiently
clothed.
Meantime Congress provided "a wise
ami just measure FOR civil government,
| which. when Its scope ana iibcrality
Were understood by the people. caused
general rejoicing and proved an In
ccntivc to all classes. Then the mon.
cy current. forced upon the people orig.
inaily ms II speculative scheme, worth
only Its bullion value. and not rccOs.
nized rs money outside OF Porto Rico.
was exchanged FOR United States coin
OF par value the world over. and the
commercial interests took courage.
business Is looking UP. old firms
have swept the cobwcbs from the
walls, many new firms are hanging oui
signs; Importation have Increased cnor.
niously and are holding up through the
dull season: long lines Of carts. wagons
and pack horses move daily from the
ports To the interior: thousands OF
acres Of land have been added to the
cane iiclds. and II IL confidently pre-.
dictcd that next years sugar output
will he the largest In the history OF
the island.
Meantime many new factories, sup.
piled with modern machinery, are be.
Ing erected. Tobacco culture has In.
creased immensely and the demand
from the United States is booming the
cigar trade. The coffee plantations
suffered from the hurricane and many
of the planters were too poor to imme-
diatcly repair the damage. but nature
has l,at nj In. xx1,
few months ago IL was estimated that
the yield would not exceed ten per
cent. Of normal. II is now conceded
that favorable conditions give a pros
pect OF forty. fifty Or sixty per cent.
Planters are greatly encouraged. The
fruit Industries. never large because
growers We're not permitted TO open up
trade with the United States. are
bounding. Thousands Of acres Of land
are planted In bananas and pineapples
and laid Off for oranges. lemons, lines
and other fruits: every arriving steam
or brings Invoices of orange or lemon
trees from California and Florida and
several nurseries are being opened UP.
In n short time the fruit trade of
Porto Rico will be an item, and In II
few, years II will be great.
Meantime the insular government Is
giving particular attention 10 Toaus'
some fifteen contracts for first class
highways are already under way. The
purpose Is to build good roads and to
build them now as an encouragement
TO the development of the Islands re-
sources.
Proof of the confidence of the Porto
lticnns in the prospect and their ear
nest desire to have II continue is shown
in the political situation. The election
of commissioner to Washington and
house of delegates will be held No.
vember. Here. as In the states, there
are some politicians and many dcma-
gogues. The municipal elections II
year ago We're holly contested and one
party showed majority of about six
thousand votes on the island. Inspired
by feeling of supremacy its leaders
this year assumed the attitude of crit.
L. n In lxaIl