Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-04-26
ABOUT PORTO RICANS
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An inportant point in the Porto Rican
question still seems misunderstood by
large number u people. Three-quarters
or the land in Porto Rico Is owned by
Spanish grandees and other Europear
aliens, and who. live IN Europe. where all
or the net earnings from the products Of
their lands are sent. This Is system
that has impoverished the islanders, and
brought them to their present unfortunate
industrial and social condition From Is
10 ~ cents day is the average pay Of
laborers in Porto Rico, and three-quar-
ters or the population--if not more--are
iaborers who cultivate the lands and har-
vest the crops for their European owners.
Two and a half years ago, when our
relations with Spain were becoming acute,
these Spanish and European owners Of
the lands in Porto Rico foresaw u prob
able war, the early withdrawal of Span
ism authority, and eventual free trade be-
tween the United States and Porto Rico
Ihey therefore have been warehousing
their staple crops of sugar and tobacco,
80 that now vast quantities are in store
and accommodating, ready for shipment un-
der free trade with the United States. To
some extent American sugar and tobacco
trusts have financial interest in, or COM
piete ownership Of, these crops.
VI this there can be no doubt; the
Forto hican working people have nothing
TO lose by the imposition of the duty upon
the products of their island entering the
United States. Their work has been
done and paid for at the prevailing rates
or wages for labor--from 10 to 20 cents
per day. The protests against the tariff
that come from Porto Ricans were from
those who represented the owners of the
lands and the warehoused crops. The
protests are not coming from the laboring
people of the islands who will be the
benefcaries of the act
The imposition of this tariff creates a
fund of several million dollars which is
drawn almost entirely from aliens or
American trusts. This money goes back
to Porto Rico for the employment of
Porto Ricans by our Government in the
permanent Improvement of the island.
The wages our Government will pay will
be higher than those paid by the land
owners, and will tend to permanently
raise the rates of wages all over Porto
Rico. This would be impossible under
immediate free trade; so, it must be plain,
free trade would only benefit those whose
oppression of Porto Rican labor would
remain undisturbed, and who could thus
all the better compete with the products
Of American labor in the same articles.
Immediate free trade could only benefit
aliens and trusts. The temporary tariff
benefits all Americans and only Injuries
aliens and trusts. 'N 'N
A couple of years Of this, and the Por-
to Ricans will be in receipt of wages APP
proximating to those paid to the laborers
on the sugar and tobacco plantations in
the United States, from 20 cents to
dollar day, and at the end of the two
years the tariff is to remain in force the
free admission Of Porto Rican products
into the United States will not have a
disturbing effect upon those products Of
the mainland with which they will COM
pete.
1t is impossible, in view of these facts,
which are confirmed by official reports
from the officers OF the United States
stationed in Porto Rico, for any sincere
or informed person to point out where the
imposition of the tariff upon the products
of Porto Rico for two years will injure
either Porto Rican or Americans. On
the contrary, it is a distinct benefit to all
whom the United States desires to bene
fit. The more this subject is studied
the more this will become apparent. This
is case where expediency is synonymous
Of justice to our fellow countrymen in
Porto Rico and at home. That is our
first duty, and the tariff performs it.