The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-09-12
sOur Failure in Porto Rico


civil war and attached to the staff of
General Miles as chief Of engineers
during the war with Spain, became
greatly interested in Porto Rican af-
fairs when that island passed into pos
session of the: United States. AS soon
as it's political status was determined,
General Stone wrote for the informa-
ton Of inquirers interested in the island
commercially a prospectus as to it's
great productiveness and the f1attering
opportunities offered there at that time.
for profitable investment Of American
capital.
General Stone died recently, but be-
fore his death he had written for the
North American Review an article
which it publishes in it's current mum.
Der, entitled "Our Failure in Porto
Rico''; and taking the statements as
reliable, we have certainly made a most
dismal failure in governing and de-
veloping that beautiful island. A con-
dition of distress obtains there which
is pitiable in the extreme. After five
years Of American occupation, the peo-
pie of Porto Rico, who not only came
& to, us gladly but many of whom took
5 up arms for us against Spain, find them
selves poorer than ever and longing for
the "good old Spanish days. when, as
General Stone says, "altho plundered
and oppressed, they had work and
food
And this dep1orable condition is not
due to any lack of kindly disposition
on the part of our government toward
Porto Rico. Indeed, it may be said we
have actually killed the Porto Ricans
with kindness. We have given them
one of the best governments in the
world and probably the cheapest. They
have American protection without
American taxation; customs revenVes
which in other parts and possessions
of the United States go into the ma
tional treasury are converted to the
benefit of Porto Rico; "peace and good
order are secured; education and santa
81 tion are provided for; Justice is admin
istered as never before;' and yet Por
to Rico is in a state Of deep distress.
First, we gave them a military gov
eminent which, anxious to avoid scan
dals regarding franchises and othe
privileges, discouraged railroad build
ing and other improvements, alth
abundant capital offered itself for tina
~. purpose. Then we gave them civi
S government framed "with the advic
and assistance Of many well-chosel
representatives Of the commercial an
., political interests of Porto Rico.' Thi
government went into effect April Il
1900. Prospects for Porto Rico SCENE
SO bright that thousands Of American
il began to look that way for opportunity
and European and American capital wa
& eager to occupy this promising fielc
# With free trade with the United State
& and constant market for the product
Of the tropics on the nearby Atlanti
4 coast, there seemed to be no limit t
the prosperity which promised. Ger
eral Stone says that $10O00,000 wa
ready to go into railroad building an
as much more into sugar, coffee, tobat
co and fruit growing-that is, into eac
Of then-but unfortunately, just 8
this time some well-intentioned peop]
undertook to protect the islander
against the trust evil, and they pr
into law the provision that no corpor;
ton should be able to buy and Sc
real estate in Porto Rico; that no co
poration could own any more land tina
it used in it's business; that no membt
of any corporation engaged in agricu
ture should be interested in any otht
corporation engaged in agriculture. NJ
could any corporation own or contr
over 500 acres of land for any agricu
Il tural purpose whatever.
= Now, no cane plantation could ope
ate a sugar mill proftably on less thu