New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-12
A CHANCE FOR PUERTO RICO.
THE VARIOUS OPPONENTS OF FREE TRADE WITH
THE ISLAND AND THE BASIS OF
THEIR CLAIMS.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In brief, the situation Is this: The sugar
grower in the United States who owing to I'M
favorable natural conditions cannot make profit
out of his product wants his neighbors to tax
themselves and pay him income. and wants
the Puerto Rcans taxed so they cannot make
an income out of competitive commodities
The tobacco planter is begging and protesting
with the noble ends in view. He forgets or
will not remember that present the Puerto Rican
leaf is of tr1ing Importance because of the small
quantity grown and because 1t Is of quality
that really completes only with the leaf grown In
Florida under conditions unfavorabe as those
with which the sugar planter has TO contend.
The next strenuous Kicker is the orange grower
of the Gulf States and a small part of California
Since freeze of 1S94-'95 that killed the
trees and at a stroke reduced the aggregate crop
from 65000OO boxes to 100000 boxes the yield has
in the face of continued annual freezes, and only
by putting forth enormous effort and expense,
been raised to average of 10000 boxes.
Another stl more trfing interest that makes
much noise in favor Of protection is Florida pine
apples. delicious product grown under such eX-
travagant expense to render it available only to
the purses of the rich. BY the time acre of it
is shielded" TO protect it from the winter cold ir
rIgated against the almost inevitable drouth, and
lavshly fertilized because the Soil, or properly
the sand is but medium for the fertilizer it costs
s150O to maturity
AS coffee is grown in the States. opposition
to its free admission from Puerto Rico is from
business interests that doing well. and need no
protection at the expense of the much abused lit
tie island.
Glass legislation is pernicous as a principle and
permissible only when the benefciaries needy,
their industry desirable their country, and when
the party Disseminated against foreigner.
That class legislation known the bounty to
sugar planters if desirable lost its only rason
detre when Puerto Rico became colony of the
United States, submissive to its Government ana
entitled TO it's protection and fellowship.
The sugar planter go thence, and while Nv
ing under the liberal government can, with
his superior skill and enterprise bring up the ISL
and to her proper position sugar producer
make money for himself. instead of begging his
profit from his countrymen, and incidentally af-
ford material benefit to the islanders.
Where there are now ten orange and pineapple
growers engaged in an absurd endeavor to produce
tropical fruit subject to temperature of 10 de
grees and selfshly working to keep Puerto Rico
down, that they may by means of an unjust duty
gain precariouS living, there should be a hum
bred of them in the colony earning liberal incomes
selves
Suppose that New-York tobacco planters, Jealous
the superiority of the Florida leaf sought under
one pretence another have the latter sub
jected to the internal revenue tax! 1t wouldn't
work.
tages equal to those of T." States, not because she
Is right. IN few years she would be able not only
to support herself and many insular public en-
terprises and improvements. bat would pay to the
Federal Treasury her full share OF general taxes
Let the little island have fair chance!
New-Yorl Jan. 30 1900. f. FRENCH.