Washington sentinel., 1900-08-04

necessary to consider briefly the nature
OF the benefits which are to be derived
from trade with Porto Rico. Porto Rico
is an agricultural country. Its products
do not compete to any considerable
extent with the products OF the United
States. Its sugar cane does not compete
with the cane OF Louisiana.
Tut this competition is very limited
one. II every acre Of land in the United
States adapted 10 the raising Of sugar
cane was cultivated, and every pound OF
cane raised that nature will produce in
this country, the supply would still fall
far short Of the domestic demand. Add
the fields OF Porto Rico to those Of
Louisiana and there would still be
deficiency IN the home supply, although
that deficiency would be materially de-
creased Sugar IS an article ofunive-sal
consumption. Every man, woman, and
child in the United States is directly
interested and benehcially interested as
a consumer in the increase Of the domes
tic sugar crop.
As the supply would not equal the
demand, the sugar crop of Porto Rico
would not seriously conflict, If IL would
conflict at all, with the interests Of the
sugar grower in Louisiana. The other
great product OF Porto Rico is tobacco.
Tobacco is raised in the United States.
The crop of tobacco has steadily de-
creased in this country for several years
past. The reason for this is that,a large
/ acreage of tobacco land is worn out and
no longer produces in paying quantities.
1t is a notorious fact among those
people who are familiar with the tobacco
trade that the acreage Of bright leaf
| tobacco can not be increased ia the
United States. Nearly all Of the Porto
Rico tobacco is OF a superior quality and
does not compete at all with that pro-
duced IN this country. We still import
tobacco and cigars in large quantities,
Every consumer Of tobacco is directly
interested in the increase OF the home
product.
The next staple Of Porto Rico is coffee
We have expended a very large sum OF
money in the aggregate trying to INTRO
duce the coffee plant into the United
States. While there have been some
partial successes, there has never beer
paying crop of coffee raised in thi:
country. Every consumer OF coffee il
directly interested in an American croL
OF that berry.
The people OF Porto Rico manufacture
prac ucally nothing. They raise nothiuI
which enters into competition will
| American products They are customer
tor our manufactured goods, for GU
wheat, our corn, and our flour The,
are customers for our coal and our iron
They are customers for what we produc
and they are raisers OF what we do no
produce. They are an agri i-ultu-a
people, and yet they do not compet
with us IN any Of our lines Of agriculture
The Republicans recognized tina
Porto Rico was an ideal countrg to hav
free trade with; and James G. Blain,
when Secretary of State, chose Port
Rico as one of the first countries wit
which il was desirable to establish reciI
rocal tree trade And 1t is fact know
to every memOer of this House thu
during the three years OF free trad
relations between the United States an
Porto Rico sugar, coffee and toDacc
were purchased by the United States
larger quantities, and in return th
people of Porto Rico patronized OF
lines OF agriculture and manufacture ;
they never did before and have new,
done since.
The Republicans were unauimol
that the three years otIee trade betwee
the United States and Porto Rico wei
5 prosperous years for both the Unite
> States aud Porto Rico So convinc,