BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-07

0u upuu PIVYoiSyJ cno n@'es.S ..-
lace as q militia or as part Of the insular
fact, gentlemen, the Porto Ii,
sican people when they were Drouget BEN
ath our protection were in sad, sad state ,
by the past, only to be aroused
" confidence in the United States. Yet
With that indomitabls courage which charac-
srizes the American, with that unsWerving
to follow the path of enligh-
tened thought, we took up the cause OF L
these insular people and told them that the |
same flag and institutions which had gained |
tor MS our foremost piece in the world
should be implanted among them, the same
hopes should be theirs, the same happiness
should come, the same liberty should be
eni ,yed, q like destiny should await them.
ssGradually, gentlemen, these promises
are being made good. We could not do 1t |
all in day, nor could we escape some
misjudgment for not moving faster. But
we have gone steadily forward, knowing
that the conscience of the American people
| was behind us and that there could be but
one end to our tasks. To-day the provisio-
nal regiment Of United States tr>Ops in
Porto Rico is made up entirely Of native
Porto Ricans, enlisted in the RANKS. You
saw them on last Inauguration day in Wash'
Iington and could Judge Of their soldierly
Ibearing and good conduct. say to You,
gentlemen, that although these troops have
been enlisted less than two years l would
TRUST them in battle with every confidence
that the Porto Rican only needs the opport.
unity to prove that he too knows that 'tIf
sweet and bessed thing to die for country.
A Native Policy.
"To.day, too, the insular policy or cons
. tabnlary, numbering nearly seven hundred
} men. is composed entirely Of natives (witl
but one exception. To them is committed
9 the maintenance Of general public order al
. over the Island.
!, "And in education, where lies tn
i greatest responsibility, zoe can turn .
specific facts. Your own distinguished fellol
citizen has done mighty soork. There ~
d sc. 600 children attending schools IN Fort
< Rico to day. We have erected thirty q
d cellent schoolhouses and are projectln
q elmany more. The corner stone OF . norm'
70 school Gas bsen laid and we shall never sto
until every child of the 25O,OOO OF scho
age in the island hes q school to 90
where he can get good education to
him for the responsibilities Of life. WI
h the customs money generously refunded
Ill Congress we are building many roads-ls
kilometers having been completed sin
lAmerican occupancy. Against the o
'e stacles of climate and mountains ro'
building is expensive, the average %
being $1,000 per kilometer. Neverthele
within three years the United States b
built more than halt as many kIlomett
as were constructed in the entire preceedi
history of the islands.
ssIt is also the purpose Of our Cove
N. ment to establish an institution for
he INDECENT blind and in time for cripples, "
"a. are helpless and unless cared for must
ed lin degradation and shame.
as. % System Of Revenue.
uOur system of revenue is akin to
ue most advanced in America. The 0di'
AZ consumption tax has been abolished {
HE revenues now come from excises and
so nnusIooan 8ass as slialRlsuI e6 & sSs
ch, for insular purposes and the same municiI
by the burden is not heavy. We have
~. yet sold single piece Of property for i
Ill, collection of q tax. And that our finan
ID, are in healthy condition may be Rnders:t
lat when tell you that upon November
ny for the months of July, August, Hepte
ber and October our current revenues
of ceeded our current expenses by &ll3,5l
We which, with q balance of ever q mill
It, dollars to our credit and not one dollar
10. debt, represents the financial present q
RS prospect.
10. "A word as to the future. There I,
be less than fve hundred thousand acres
fho on1l NJ A..
y, that is, about 0ne.fitth only is cultivate
Id and of the area titled less than l0O, 900 acl
m are in sugar, less than 170, ,0Oe in coffee q
le less than 5000 tn tobacco. With tai
0. which saves over $50 per ton to the POI
ut Rican sugar grower, and with only IL
r. miles OF sea haul to Neac York, with
ID minimum cost Of production, sciht fay
le shown the tobacco and fruits Of the islam
D. business will naturally attract the cspitali
Is who seeks nesC fields and bountitul reWar
D. Tor investment.
ofI "These material matters in turn arou
n our keen interest in tariff matters, pa
% ticularly as they may affect ths coffee, Il
Isugar, tobacco and fruit industries. / belle,
in reciprocal trade advantages. I bsliey
f that in the struggle of commercial activiti,
& Jour country must win the markets for th
v fifty millions or more of people living in q
I America south of rs. believe in the liber,
development Of reciprocity, but we mul
, hold to the national policy which accords 1
American products advantages Of th
! American market. Where the flag flies th
! stimulant of this policy must be kept an
!. our agriculturists in Porto Rico must, ii
Justice, be protected as are your own manu-
factures in Pennsylyania or Massachusetts
i Vast Coffee Producing Land.
i "By the acquisition Of Porto Rico til
United States today has become coffe.
producing country with millions Of acres O.
the best coffee land under the sun, only
waiting the development Of invested capital
And nov thank you tor your patience,
say to you We have fertile and valuable
possession ip Porto Rico ard it's future Il
going TO CRAFTY NJ all. The people are
adapting themselves daily to our customs
and habits. They will not go backward.
"We only need the same loyal coopera.
tion that this league has given whenever
naturalization has been involved. We
L. b,A - r. n. ="