The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-07-19
PORTO RrcANs ARE WISE PEOPLE.

The action Of the Porto Ricans in promptly accepting
that feature Rcan which authorizes free
trade between the the nted States likely to
give them great advantage over their sister islands Of the
West Indies At least this is reasonable conclusion from
examination of some figures just public by the
treasury statistics regarding prosperity
which Hawaii enjoyed after the reciprocity treaty which
admitted the Of those islands into the United States
free of duty These figures show that the sugar produc
of the Hawaiian Islands has increased over 1000 per
cent under the free admission Of their sugar to the markets
Of the United States while the other ugaproducng
islands and countries have during that time suffered great
depression, and in many cases heavy losses
1876 that reciprocity treaty was made be-
tween the United States the Islands Prior
to that the average production sugar the islands was
but % million pounds per In Eve years the pro
duction had trebed in IS years times much
and in twenty years twenty times before the
treaty Within less than ten years after the ratification Of
the treaty than s2OOOOooO American capital had
been invested in the islands the value Of the
sugar production islands since the treaty is $780,
100000
The advantages which Hawaii has had over other
sugar producers by of her ability to sell her sugar
free Of duty the United shown in the relative
growth Of sugar production in Hawaii Porto Rico Cuba
and the entire ana beet sugar sections Of the world
1870 Porto Rico has decreased her produc-
slightly that times increased her production from
1870 to 1895 cher greatest sugar year, but As per cent
The cane sugar production of the world increased from 1870
to 1893 but so per and the beet sugar production $40
per cent while during the same time the Hawaiian produc
ton increased over 1000 per cent
The increase in commerce between the Hawaiian ISL
and the United States which followed the free move
of merchandise between those islands and our ports
also illustrated by the that the exports to the
Hawaiian the United States prior to 1875
amounted to less than 100000 annually but rapidly in
creased until in 1900 it was about $14 goo and recent
report the collector OF customs at Honolulu estimates
figures for the present year at $2oooooOo The com
eroe Of the islands is according to the American CYCLIC
pedia an accepted authority larger per capita than thar
Of any other country the world nearly all of it with
the United States and carried in American vessels
The fact that this enormous increase in production and
commerce and wealth Of the Hawaiian Islands has followed
the freedom Of with the United States established by
the reciprocity treaty OF 1876 suggests that the porto Ran
likely benefit by the same close trade relations which
they viii under new law which they have asked
President Mckinley put into operation on the 25h Of
present month. The Hawaiian Islands are 5000 miles
from the Pacific Coast and 5000 miles from the great
sumng ceners the United States; While Porto Rico is
but hundred miles distant The sugar production
Porto Rico now double That of the Hawaiian Islands
the year pEor the adoption OF the reciprocity agree
ment while tobacco tropical fruits and other produc
tons OF Porto Rico VIII also have the same advantages Of
free admission the markets of the United States in com
petition with the duable products her sister islands ~
tie West Indies and Of The world