Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1906-12-19

r38 - SAAso- sea1t1 I VI " &s.Ss&At 1SoS AttSQs
81 Should be Perpesuated-Full Am
81 erican Citizenship Should bc Con-
@ fsrTed Upon Natives = Marked
So Progress Made Under Present Gov
.ernor Toward Salt Government
SD Electiens This Year Were Abso-
81 lutely Orderly and Unaccompanied
81 IL Any Disturbance.
y Washington, special.-The presi-
fent's message to Congress giving tbs
result Of his recent observations in
Porto Rico and making recommenda.
lions concerning the government Of
Shat island was delivered to the Sen
ate. It was read at length and re-
peiyed careful attention. The mes
3Sage was as follows:
The Presidents idsssage.,
8To the Senate and House Of Repres-
81 entatives:
3 On November 2l visited the is:
aand Of Porto Rico, landing at Ponce,
erossing by the old Spanish road by
i #Cayey 20 San Juan, and returning
he1e morning over the new American
road fro Arecibo ITO Ponce; the
5Ecerery was wonderfully beautiful.
ESPECIALLY among the mountains of
The interior, which constitute vcr
ftabie tIopic Switzerland. ] could not
embark at San Juan because the har-
abor has not been dredged out and
#can not receive an American battle
ship. i do not think this fact credit
liable to us as a nation, and / earn-
testify hope that immediate provision
will be made for dredging San Juan
4 Sharbor.
4 I doubt whether our people as a
! whole realize the beauty and fertility
OF Porto Rico, and the progress that
las teen made under its admirable
government. We have just cause fol
lsside in the character of our rep
|Ssrasentatives who have administered
e tropic islands which came under
onr flag as a result Of the war with
Spain; and of. no one Of them. is this
,sere true than of, Porto Rico. Ii
would be impossible to wish more
faithful, a more efficient and a NOR.
sstiisinterested public service than that
nov. being rendered in the island Of
asorto Rico by those in control of the
slnsular government.
stopped att dozen towns all told.
aa,i oneaof the notable features in
every town was the gathering OF the
school ehild dren. he work sttlLat5 has
been done IN Porto Rico for education
sha5s Beer. noteWorth thy. The main en-.
phasis, as IS eminently wise and
Z proper has been put upon primary
education but in addition to this
!, there is "a normal school, an agTi--
cultural school, three industrial and
three high schools. Every effort is
being made to secure not only the
benefits Of elementatry education to
all the Porto Ricans of the next
generation, but also as far as means
will permit to train them SO that the
industrial, agricultural and CONNER
5cial opportunities of the island can
be utilized to the best possible ad-
vantage. It was evident at glance
that the. teachers, both Americans
and native Porto Ricans, were de-
voted. to their work, took the great
est pride in it, and were endeavoring
to train their pupils, not only in
mind, but IN what counts for far
more than; mind in citizenship. that
is il character.
Troops in the Island.
Twas very much struck by the ex-
ceilent character both of the insular
police and of the Porto Rican regi-
ment.: They are both Of them bodies
that reflect credit upon the American
administration of the island. The in
sular police are under the. local Porto
Rican government. The Porto Rican
regiment of troops must be appro-
priated for by Congress. / earn
estly hope that this body will be kept
permanent. There should certainly
be troops in the island, and it is wise
that these troops should be them
selves native Porto Ricans. It would
be from every standpoint mistake
not to perpetuate this regiment.
In .trayersing the island even thu
most cursory survey leaves the be-
holder struck with the evident rapid
growth in the culture both of the
sugar cane and tobacco. The fruit
Industry is also growing. Last year
was the most prosperous year that
the island has ever known before or
5 since the American occupation. The
. total exports and imports of the
island was $45, 100000 as aginst $751;
100000 in 19O1 This is the largest
in: fhe islands history. Prior to the
American occupation the greatest
trade fer any one year was that OF
1896, when it reached nearly $685..
100000. Last year, therefore, there
was double the trade that there was
in the most prosperous year under
the Spanish regime. There were
2l0,273 tons of sugar exported last
year, Of the value Of $14,1S6,319 $3,-
555, ,163 of tobacco, and 2S,29O,322
pounds Of coffee of the value of 49,
4Sl, ,102. Unfortunately, what used to
Be Porto Rieo's prime crop-coffee-
has not shared this prosperity. It
has never recovered from the dis
aster Of the hurricane, and moreover,
thez benefit Of throwing: open our
market to it has not compensated for
tbe loss inflicted by the closing of the
markets to it abroad. I call your at