Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-01-25
HERE TO ASK OPEN DOOR.
Porto Ricans Seek of Us What
We Demand of China.
Secretary Root Promises His Assistance
in Securing Congressional Action
Special Commissioner Carroll
Submits q Report of His Visit
to the Island of Porto Rico.

Another delegation OF Porto Ricans has
arrived in Washington to urge uDon the
authorizes the extreme necessity OF egis-
latioh which will remedy the present bus
mess 5, agnation of the island. This dele
gatitn is composed Of bankers and mer-
chah,s having nsidol able capital invest
cd in The island. Accompanied by Gen.
Davis, military governor of Porto Rico,
these gentlemen called upon the secretary
of war and besought his assistance in Sc
curing tho enactment of Legislation which
VIII open the markets of Porto Rico and
FIX It's commercial status with the United
States and the world gen rally Secretary
Root expressed sympathy with the objects
of the deleg ttion.
Henry *. Carroll special commissioner
for the United States to Porto Rico I'M
der appointment by the President to in
vestigatc the civil Industrial financial,
and social conditions OF the island, has
made his report.
The report states that Porto Rico has
an area estimated at from 1850 to $3.50
s1uaic miles. The climate Is tropical but
rot torrid. The thermometer rarely rises
to 1W degrees, the highest monthly aver
age on record in nine years in san Juan
being Sc degrees. The mountain are gem
eral Y covered with verdure and even the
peaks are gardens of the husbandman.
The death rate is moderate. Yellow fever
il not Indigenous, but smallpox sometime
become epidemic. The health bill Of
Porto Rico, however will compare favor
ably with that of countries in the temper
ate zone. The population in 1897 number
cd Sg0.S20 exclusive OF the Spanish mill
tary then occupying the island, and the
penal population.
comparison of the census Of 1857 and
1891 shows that the color ed race is re-
Creasng. The whites number "a per cent
Of the whole. Tho Catholic was the state
roll md
occupation there were only two churches
Of any other faith in the island There
was one Protestant Episcopal church in
Ionce and another at ISABEL H.. in the
island OF Vilques. The public charities
are few, poorly supported, and az a rule
poorly organized. The prevailing crime s
are homicide, theft and robbery although
these are not excessive. Burglary Is al
most unknown. The statistics of births
in 1897 show that about 50 per cent were
legitimate and As per cent were illegiti-
mate. AT most of the hearings held by
the commissioner persons insisted that
the fees exacted by the priests were too
heavy for poor people, who preferred liv-
ing together unwedded than to meet all
the conditions of ecciesia stical marriage.
These persons. it is said, are rarely I'M
true to each other
TRAITS OF THE ISLANDERS.
The Porto Rioans, the report says, arc
kindly, hospitable, polite people, very
sociable, and always ready TO do Ameri-
cans friendly service. Ole Of the great
est needs of the island it is said, Is good
roads. This is of the highest importance,
and affects all human interests-social, ed
ucational. industrial, commercial, and 90
litica!. The common estimate of Porto
lticans is that only one-tenth Of the cul-
tivatable lands are in actual cultivate at
any one time. The soils OF the plains and
valleys are generally very rich. and have
borne crops for generations without the
use Of fertilizers. The crops most gen
erally raised are in the order of areas
occupied in 1886: Coffee, l21. l76 acres; cane.
C0SA acres; tobacco 422 acres. Coffee
cannot be raised without shade. az in
Brazil. The coffee bushes need five years
for full development. under the shade of
banana and other trees, and continue
bearing % and even 30 years. Bananas
give both shade and fruit the FIRST year.
Coffee farms are exempt from taxes for
the iirst five years The grades of coffee
are among the finest.
The fruits of the island are such as are
common to tropical countries. The rails
ing of cattle is an important and lucra-
tive industry. The daily wages of the
common field laborer range from 80 TO %
cents native money. Women are rarely
seen in the fields. The people are indus
triJUs.