The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-06-04
PORTO RICO'S PROSPECTS.
Secretary Hunt Discusses the Future
of the island,


NEW YORK. June William H Hunt,
Secretary of the Insular Government of
Porto Rico, arrived yesterday from San
Juan on the steamship Ponce. One Of his
fellow-passergar was DIT. Jose BaTb0sa,
a member Of the Executive Council Of the
island and a leading physician of its CAPT
tai Mr. Hunt Is staying at The Everett
House, and DR. Barbosa is being enter
tanned at ~ West Fourteenth Street
The Secretary was unwilling to discuss
insular affairs fully and referred the re
porter TO DE B2Tbosa. whose language as
native in the Government would, as he
expressed It. carry greater weight
About all I can say declared Mr..
Hunt, is that the outlook in Porto Ri
co IS encoura sing and hopeful. So far as
the ruling Of the Supreme Court IS con
cerned. not having reaL it in its entirety.
I would not undertake to discuss it at all,
and 1 do not believe that the natives
themselves have yet passed judgment on
it 1t will take a Ions time for them TO
grasp its fuiJ meaning
Practically I'll the citizens of Porto
Rico favor free trade with the United
States That is perfectly natural, although
some Of the taxpayers are beginning to
see that, as the ID per cent levied under
the Foraker bill is applied to the expenses
of the island. the proposition is about as
broad as it is long If the tariff on Porto
Rcan imports to this country were abOI-
!shed. certain amount of money would
have to be raised by local Ievies-
The people generally speaking. are
cheerful and realize that they are better
/ off than they were under the Spanish SOW
ereignty. Of course, the cyclone caused
I II.
now beginning to recover from its effects.
! Wages are higher than they ever were be
| fore in the island. and the Iaborins,
| classes have at least as much work. They
are paid in gold
How about the educational advant-
| ages2" Mr.. Hunt was asked
There IS no comparison between the
| school facilities and before the date of the
! american occupation" was the reply.
| All of the children have school advant-
| ages, and the teaching of English is COM
/ pJIlsoTy. It VIII not be long before even
| the people Of the interior viii have a fair
/ knowledge of the English language The
! people are very plant to instruction and
/ viii make good citizens in time They are
/ d0cilc ana Trustworthy"
| Asked What business brought him to the
| United States. Mr.. Hunt said:
I an here on a purely personal visit
| There is not the slightest political or Of
! fetal significance to my presence. nave
/ not seen my son fer two years, and ex-
/ pect to go to Connecticut, where he is in
! school The general health of Americans
/ ii Porto Rico IS good, and it is not bad
/ place in which to live"
| 1t has been said that the population is
/ already too dense. and that there IS nc
frrlNs
| gested the reporter
/ There are great many people in Por-
| to Rico, it is true" replied BIr- Hunt
! and yet you would be surprised to see
| how much undeveloped land there Is
| there. Land, too. which is very rich and
| capable of growing almost anything
| There is no doubt in my mind about the
future of the island, but it will take time
! to bring out the best results
/ DR. Barbosar who was seen later, talk
! ed frankly of his native island He also
| Is in America on private business. and
| during his stay viii attend the commence
| ment exercises of his alma mater, tht
| University OF Michigan, at Ann Arbor
! He was graduated from the medical de-
| partment Of that institution in 1850. and
! at once settled in San Juan. where he has
| lived ever since. This Is his first visit e
| the United States since he took his de-
| gree. To a reporter he said:
/ 4 believe ! have a fair knowledge OF
| the state OF public opinion in the island
! OF COURSE we all expect to have free trade
| as soon as the local revenues VIII justify
! It And yet the conditions nov are 81
| infinitely better than they were under
the rule Of Spain that the most iateiIi-
! gent people are satisfied American meth.
DDS and the American language are being
| introduced, and the people are begin
/ ming to understand that they are ap,
| preaching sBIf-gOvernment