The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-05-11
Porto Rican Affairs.
Especial Correspondent

Washington, May S.-Mr. G. f.
Saylor, of the Department of Agri-
culture, has recently been on an official
trip to Porto Rico. He shows clearly
that those who would benefit by abso
lutte free trade are the Spanish, English
and other European owners of the
plantations, and not the native island
ers. He says:
selves, and 1 do not fear challenge in
this respect, because I have been in
every factory in Porto Rico. Whatever
capital is invested in those factories
emanating at all from island sources is
purely Spanish 1t does not belong to
Porto Rico. The peculiar system main.
tanned by Spain through all of the bust.
ness concerns, and so far as their own
capital was employed, threw everything
into the hands of the Spaniards, who
were simply in Porto Rico doing bust.
ness. They do not belong to that ele-
ment of Porto Ricans that we feel so
tender about, and would not become
citizens of Porto Rico or this country,
whatever becomes of the constitutions
question Other factories are owned
and controlled by English capital; Others
by German, and the entire factory
system by Spanish, English and Ger.
man.
"These factories, mainly through
their cheap labor, can, under absolute
free trade, put sugar on the market OF
New York, at cost to themselves, for
cents pound. This would be $40 for a
short ton of sugar. Sugar has been
selling this year for $40 per ton. With
free trade this would be profit OF CSC
on an outlay of $40. which l figure is u
per cent. Who gets this profit? There
is only one way tor handling imported
sugar in this country, and that is
through the two or three sugar com.
binations, mainly through the sugar
trust, They agree with the planters or
manufacturers to take this sugar, re-
fine il, and place it on the market,
dividing the profit on a certain basis,
as is now being done, and as has been
done between the Hawaiian planters
and the sugar trust for years. How
will they divide the profits? Even
Each getting 37i per cent? We do not
know. Only the parties interested
know. This point is clear, however
and that is that the Porto Ricans are
not benefited. Simply the sugar com
binations of this country and the for
eign planters or manufacturers of Porte
Rico.
porto Rico has been able, at hel
maximum, to export about GO, 900 tons
of sugar She would be able if all bel
resources were brought into play. tc
send us about per cent of OR con
sumption. But when the Philippines
and Cuba ask for the same privilege
then it will be an entirely different
question. And yet the same principles
are involved that l have discussed in
Porto Rico. Isn't it enough that We
have expended so much blood and
treasure in wrestling these islands from
the condition they were in, at the same
time offering every help in the future
that is consistent with fair and honest
dealing with our own interests and
people?
al am a thorough believer in expan.
sion. I believe that expansion is
fraught with incalculabe benefit both
to the inhabitants OF the island and to
the people of this country, when con.
gress shall have framed such fair,
honest, just and equitable regulations
as are consistent with the right of our
own labor and industries"