Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-02
FUTURE OF PORTO RICO
WITH ITS Ex-ATToR-
NEY GENERAL.

Col. Willis Sweet who recently resigned
the post of attorney general of Porto Rico,
is in Washington on his way back to Porto
Rico after brief visit to his old home in
Idaho, where he has extensive mining
properties. Col. Sweet will go back to the
island to look after some private legal af-
fairs there and will probably not return
for a year.
When seen in his apartments at the Eb-
bitt House by :. reporter of The Star Col.
Sweet talked about present conditions on
the island He mentioned a peculiar phase
OF the political affairs of Porto Rico with
which the average citizen is not familiar,
namely. the unusual degree of scholarship
and training which is found among it's
people.
What strikes me as little singular"
said Col Sweet, lis the fact that many of
us Americans are disposed to look upon
the natives of Porto Rico in many respects
as less refined and educated than ourselves.
This is wrong. True it is, our government
since assuming the part Of protector Of
the island has made wonderful strides in
educational as in all other lines, the sys-
TENS of our country being in vogue practi-
cally throughout the island The inhab-
itants are taught all the English branches
and a good proportion speak English flu
emily. The leading men of the country are
men of character and notable attachments
and will measure well with the representa-
tives of other countries.
Some of the best men on earth live
there Their hospitality and big hearted
ness is excelled nowhere There are now
100000 people on the island, and there is
a surprisingly small percentage of Hitter
ates. AS illustrating the moral atmosphere
in which the people dwell | remember that
during the last election in November was
in perfect touch with every voting precinct.
There was in the neighborhood of 10000
votes cast in that election, and to my
knowledge not single fight or rowdy af-
fair happened during the day. Unfortu-
nately this cannot be said of some sections
Of our own States"
eventually annexed as state to the United
States?' he was asked.
Undoubtedly that will happen he re-
piled, though no one can tell when Con-
gress will, take a notion to add another
star to the flag. The country will some day
see the wisdom of bringing it into the
Union. Its people would make ideal citi
zens. They are eager for statehood down
there, and that idea is the prevailing
thought in their campaigns The people
seem to be charmed with our democracy
and the general scheme of our politics.
They find our methods so essentially diff
ferent from the monarchial form of govern
ment and they are not long in approaching
traditions they believe and maintain that
the country is for and by the people, and
that the wish of the people expressed at
the polls is sovereign.
"Industrially Porto Rico is fast becom-
ing rich. In it's production of sugar to-
bacco and fruit 1t is astonishing the out
side world. These main products are raised
in great quantities. Sugar takes the lead
with tobacco a close second. The island
will soon become the seat of a thriving
orange-growing industry. The blghting
freeze in Florida some years ago drove
number of fruit growers further down into
the tropics where the soil and climatic
conditions are REGARDED admirable"