Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1901-04-12
ISSUE IS TAKEN
WITH GOV. ALLEN
Porto Rican Conditions From
Native Point of View.
EXECUTIVE IS CRITICISED

Mere Statements Without Facts or
Figures to Substantiate Them-The
Alarming Emigration of Laborers
Bellies Aliens Story Of Prosperity.
NEW YORK, April 1I.-Replying to
the public utterances of Governor Allen
of Porto Rico since his arrival In Wash
ington, Wenceslao Borda. Porto Rican
commissioner, today made the following
statement:
"The questions st issue between Coy
ernor Allen and the commissioners are
merely two: First, whether his admin
istration in Porto Rico has been condu-
Give to the prosperity and welfare of the
island; second, whether the Hollander
revenue law was such a measure as
should have been passed and, without
hearing approved by the chief executive
of Porto Rico. Governor Allen has gone
out of his way TO attack personally the
commissioners when he says that the
members of the so-called commission are
foreigners-one Spaniard, one South
American and one an Englishman. We
fail completely to see how this asser-
tion, even we're it true, could affect the
merits of our case, but we do think that
it shows his arguments must be poor
when he has TO avail himself of one Of
this nature.
Unsubstantiated Statements.
Governor Allen states that Porto
Rico has never before in its history been
so prosperous; that more persons are en-
pioyed today than before; that the sugar
crop will yield 100000 tons. He has,
however, no facts or figures to substan-
tiate these assertions. They are, there
fore, mere statements Of an interested
official. There is no more truth in
them than there is to the statement
that we are tax dodgers and that the
rest of the Porto Ricans are well satis~
fed with the situation. Now comes a
Porto Rioan labor leader, Santiago In
glesias, with a petition signed by 5000
workmen, which declared that the con-
dition of the Porto Ricans could not be
worse. These people certainly are not
dodgers.
Governor Allen is apt to believe that
everybody who criticises his administra-
ton is bad, but he cannot call his new
critics tax dodgers, whatever else he
may call them, since they have nothing
that can be taxed.
Figures Talk EIoquently.
''That Porto Rico is not as prosper
Gus as we would like the people of the
United States to believe is eloquently
and conclusively shown by the customs
statistics. 1t is misleading to compare
the exports and imports of this year
that is to say, the production and con.
sumption of the island-with t1at Of
the years Of the war and hurricane.
Tie test contrast should be made to be
fair with the fiscal year just previous to
our occupation of Porto Rico and with
the present fiscal year, which, accord
ing to Governor Allen, is also normal
one. The exports during the former
year amounted to about 19, 900, 900 pesos.
or $11, 400, 900; the imports to about 49,,
900, 900 pesos, or about SIC, 800, ,000-a
balance of trade III favor of the island
of 1000, 900 pesos, or 5000, 900. The ex-
ports from May 1, 1900, to Feb. 29, 1901,
were $5,814,083, and the imports $8,-
100, 000-a balance of trade against the
island of $2,265, 9I7, which is wholly
| unsupportable, and means ruin when it
is recalled that our circulation is less
than So, 900, 600 and that Porto Rico has
lost her credits in the commercial world.
Effects Of Misgovernment.
Governor Allen states that never
has there been the number of laborers
employed as at present. He fails to
offer the grounds for this belief. The
production of the island does not show
it. The alarming emigration of labor
ers to Ecuador, Cuba, Hawaii and Santo
Domingo, which he admits is taking
place, emphatically belle the governors
assertion in this respect.
"Why does not the governor mention
the other industries of the island, be-
side sugar? We answer, because mis-
government has nearly wiped them
out"