The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-24

Walter K. Landis, postmaster at San
Juan, Porto Rico, is back among the home
folks on his annual vacation, and last
evening he dropped into the Columbia Club
to see some of his Indianapolis friends and
to meet his brother, Representative C. B.
Lands, of Delphi. He landed in New York
two weeks ago and proceeded at once to
Washington, where he arrived just a few
hours too late to see two of his brothers.
Frederick X. and Charles B., sworn in
members of the Fiftieth-eighth Congress.
He spent several days at the Capitol and
then came out to Logansport.
Five years in Porto Rico have changed
Mr.. Lands not whit-save, perchance,
they have added a few gray hairs to his
head-and he is the same Jack" Lands.
who is so well known and so well liked
among the politicians and members of the
newspaper fraternity in Indiana. He has
become even more Of Porto Rican enthu-
siast than he was year or two ago, and
says he would like to see more people from
this State show that they are alive to the
possibilities of the island for money MAX
ing. Politically, the island is very quiet,
he says.
1--WE hear the echoes of political happen
ings in the States" he said, but we see
little or nothing of the real article of poll
tics. At the time l left San Juan there
changes in the official household of the
island, and an Indiana man, by the way,
figured prominently I'm the talk. 1t is gen.
orally understood that Governor Hunt will
resign in five or six months, and w. H.
Elliott, formerly of New Castle, is being
mentioned as his probable successor. L
understand that the Indiana congressional
delegation has Endorsed him for the APP
pointment. Mr.. Elliott has also been
spoken of for the appointment as collector
of the port. There will be a vacancy there
in a short time
But we are more interested in the COM
mercial, agricultural and general business
development of the island than we are in
politics." continued Mr.. Lands, land in
that connection 1 might tell you what the
trouble with Porto Rico is, what it Is that
retards her development I have no desire
to pose as a second William Allen White
who answered the question. What is the
matter with Kansas? so effectively few
years ago. but have been deeply impressed
with a condition there that seems almost
irremediable. The trouble with Porto Rico,
in my opinion, is that the money that's
made there isn't spent there The island
is MIXED dry all the time, but the island
gets the benefit Of precious little of the
milk. The island produces great wealth.
but enjoys little or none of it. Imagine
the condition in Indiana il the Studebakers,
the divers, the Parrys and the Hannas
IN AND xGfk IN ana spent all ths
the capital invested in manufacturing and
in agriculture IN the State were controlled
by non-residents who spent in Indiana only
such money as was necessary to get their
products on the market. Such is the con-
dition in Porto Rico.
Take the sugar industry, for instance.
In Porto Rico there are three big centrals-
n tn ha
cane is brought from the country within a
radius OF fifteen or twenty milestone of
which is located at central Aguire, another
at Guanica, and the third at Canovanas.
The first is owned by Boston capitalists,
the second by New Workers., and the third
by Englishmen. The island produces about
one hundred thousand tons of sugar annu-
| ally, and the bulk of 1t is produced at these
three centrals. The profits on this industry
are all spent in Boston, New York Eng
land. Even II the owners Of the mills at
| times, devote part of their profits to the
purchase Of new machinery the money all
| goes to this country or TO England, and
practically the only thing that stays in
| Porto Rico is the insignificant item of 4O
| cents per day that goes to the peon for his
| labor. The same thing obtains in the cof-
| fee and tobacco industries. All the coffee
| plantations are owned by persons who live
| and enjoy their wealth in Paris, Madrid or
| Barcelona. Only one American is inter-
| ested in the coffee business. far as ]
| know.
| II know of no remedy for this condition
| 1t would be difficult to induce these CAPT.
| talists to come to Porto Rico to live, and
| ii is impossible to conceive of time when
/ the natives will own their own plantations
| and farms, for on wages of 40 cents a day
| the poems can never hope to become small
| capitalists.
Another system that milks the island
| is the system of graduating senior mem
| bers of all the large firms In practically
| every line of business. Every firm has q
| surplus fund, and when it amounts to the
| sum of $4,000 or 100000, or more, as the
| agreement may be. the senior member re-
| tires, takes that sum and goes to his ole
| home In Spain, or some other country, tC
| spend the remainder of his days in ease
| Thus We see changes in our firm names al
least once in every two years. and in the
| aggregate an enormous amount of none,
| is taken from the island. The withdrawal
of this money from the island and the
| spending of all the profits on the island.
| industries in other countries often reduce:
| the circulating medium of Porto Rico L
! less than 81 per capita.
| Again, Porto Rico has no higher insti
| tutions of learning-has no educational in
stitution the equal OF the indianapolis Higl
| School, for instance. The children of tn,
ts are a all sent abroad
| but 1t illustrates forcibly the condition in
the island. Porto Rico also has PRACTICAL,
| no factories. Aside from the sugar MILL
there are cigarette and cigar factories, AM
| a few hats are made the island, but Their
are absolutely no metal or wood-workin,
establishments. Under these conditions 1
| is difficult to see how the people of Port
| Rico can prosper materially and make an,
rapid advancement, but in time, with tn
investment of more and more capital. labo
may command higher wages, and q NOR
equitable division of the wealth produce,
by the island may be brought about
lone of the coming industries OF Port
Rico concluded Mr.. Lands, lis the cul
tiyation of oranges and other citrus fruits
such as lemons and grape fruit. Whel
Porto Rico was a Spanish colony Spai
would not allow the raising of oranges, etc
for export, because Spain herself produce
those fruits. A fine quality OF oranges
now being produced, that ranks with tn
hest Florida and California products. an
: i'm the last year two there has been
|, | decided movement toward the cultivation O
| these fruits as one of the substantial In
dustries of the island. Florida people ar
( coming in. and considerable money is bein