BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1900-02-03
Extracts From Cen
eral Davis State
ment Before The
Senate COn1rni=
tee on Pacific Island
And Puerto Rico.
[Continued from Thursday

for other trnnienl inlands in the West
Indies, General Davis gave the
Committee some interesting official
statistics, as follows:
The total population of the British
West Indies is, according to latest
accessible figures, /, 71O,97S and the
debt of these Colonies combined is
$2S, ,533, 1862, or the per capita debt
is $13,75. This per capita for Bri-
tish Guiana is 1858, and for Tri-
nidad is $17,56, while Jamaica,
with population of 100000, owes
$13,O9 per capita. The Jamaican
imports in 1898 were $S,OS1, ,913;
while the exports we're $7,O49, ,OS9,
making a total exterior trade of
$15, 131, ,OO2.
I" 1 have shown" he said, "that
the annual exports of Puerto Rico
were, for five years before 1898,
above $11,OOO,OOO annually, and
that the imporst we're about the same,
or total of $22,OOO,O 900 exterior
trade. Surely, if Jamaica can sus-
tain surden of 1875 per capita,
SO per cent of her inhablts nts being
negroes, then Puerto Rico, nearly
two thirds of whose population is
white, can carry a debt of $40 per
capita"
/ do not recommend the guarantee
by the United States. The pledge
of the Island alone should be Suffi-
cient and / am assured by financierS
that investors would Immediately
subscribe for this loan at low interest
the moment it was simply sanctioned
by the United States. But the remedy
to be most effective should be ap
piled Immediately. Every day adds
to the difficulties and discourage
ments.
In response to questions General
Davis said that the market for to-
bacco before the war was principally
in Cuba and the Continent of Euro
pc, especially Spain and Germany.
He said the principal tobacco of
Puerto Rico was of grade, the
best use of which is as a filler for
other wrappers; that it would not
compete with Connecticut wrappers,
but that the Puerto Rican filler to-
bacco could go to Connecticut and
the Connecticut wrappers to Puerto
Rice, with advantage to both inter-
eSts.
e'How about sugar9" asked the
Chairman Senator Forakerl. The
re are great limitations on sugar"
the land has been largely worked
out. They would have to adopt new
ystems, and fertilize, and have new
and improved machinery. They can
utilize the abandoned fields some
what, and might reach their former
maximum, possibly exceed 1t, after
several years.
General Davis then explained
what had been done in the way of
establishing and organizing schools.
He said that only beginning had
been made but that good results
would be attained in time.
He then described the different
classes of the population in Puerto
Rico, speaking highly of the Island.
He said their feeling towards the
United States was extremely cor
dial that they had rendered him
very material assistance, and have
anticipatiOns of great benefits to
come, which have not yet materia-
lized.
He then explained the system of
insular taxation and went on 70
speak of civil government. He said
that the form of government he had
proposed to the War Dept. would
consist ola Governor appointed by
the President, a cabinet or admins