New-York tribune., 1907-01-29
PORTO RICO RICHES.
Evidences of Gro1ring Prosperity
Since United States Occupation.

San Juan, Porto Rico, Jan 2s (SpsciaD.-A com
parative statement and summary Of the commerc.
or Porto Rico for the fiscal years 1eOl-05 hss
been compiled by James H. CaUstsn. Collector OF
customs for the District OF Porto Rico. Mr. Caus-
ten precedes his statistics with optimistic com
ments Among other things he says, after a long
discussion OF the coffee situation In which he holds
that Porto Rican coffee planters need expect ntE.
aid from the United States:
While under certain special conditions il nav
be true that nation may purchase more thar h
sells and remain prosperous yet trade balances ars
dtions for under ordinary conditions he who sells
WIFI S SaR I ne purchases Is acquiring surplus
H.iIs ne VINO Guys more than he sells Is diminish
ing ais stock Of wealth. II this be generally true
gaen Porto Rico Is prosperous now with every In
9tcSuon @ tnat 1t will grow more prosperous from
During the fifty years prior to the civil admins
tratiop Of the island BY the United States there
4 put iour years n which the balance Of trade
saLed but AO90o0 pesos. The balance against the
soooo The first two years OF civil adminstraffon
showed trade balance Of three quarters OF mill
e. SnCW net balance Of seven and quarter millions
danoes OF TINS fSa9abl cs8o1 s5Sfg nanq We ana sy
hS sugar and tobacco districts the people are bet
Due TO high pT5tsctivs ts!iI. sugar IS nov III.
principal product OF the island In 1sn only SsSN
% ~ Sss per sent r. ave Ave yeaTs This rapid increase
mills giving a much Iarzsr extraction and IarTsIv
TO the increased acreage Tbs acreage under cult
Tation has not reached It's limits. and it Is believed
that with The additional modern mills being sTects
and scentihc fertilization, the present output can
pio9aei g9soO is PPs5sasPs Ps Sas mGTs .sDe than
soo were exported: N isos rSSoSo EsnSS va9ss 81 a.
SO6s0o0, an increase Of $50 per cent in ave years
practically unlimited Thsrs appears TO Be no Tss
soa why the island should not ship 5OOO00OO0 cigars
last year one company alone manufactured and
four times the total exports OF 1901 '''1'''
Both tobacco and sugar ars better crops for the
parativey little labor in IT'S cultivation. one man
s n1T n35 ssEe6s % acT9s In ths picking season
sserav S 4a lo aTe SivSa employment out wages
In being largely cultivated on small farms owned
Tobacso and sugar. on the other hand. are IarzsIv
Shsa N, or controlled oy large Corporations but in
and more expensive. but the factories give empoy-
ment 20 thousands OF people OF all classes at good
wages. In fact, the making OF sugar ana the max
ing Of cigars are practically the only fors Of az
Since American occupation considerable attention
mas 9een gwen 20 the cultivation Of citrus fruits.
out eondltlons are favorable and the outlook prem
lsing. The exports OF fruits and nuts shown IN
and Wild Oranges Ths Gua1IitiSs sInoStsS tsv
varied considerably from year to year, due, not 10
Transportation facilities fruit being often Ia1dsi
IN New York IN an unsognd and unmarkstabls con-
ditiOn- Pines receiving special attention now.
and VIII In time induce the establishment OF can
For the twelve months ended Juns 30 Iaoa the
total trade OF the island SIS 0S5.195 or approx
In ts history Th sTs1Sds s ia be 0S n sE EaSo ST o II, s
and. however only 81. ~. sos due to a fan a.
articles OF export and import
There appears TO be no reason, under normal con
ditions. why the trade should not increase S5-
O00O00 within the next decade. and Il also seems
reasonably certain that the island win not only
retain It's annual trade balance but Increase II IN
The estimated production Of principal commodities
for the twelve months ended Juns 90. 1907 Is:
Fruits and nuts SO, o, CoHfes .......... S0000C0
Molassas 100000 OIhsr articles -. 100000
Sugar ........... 1T,0o0 Ve0l
Cigars 6oOOO0oI Total $50 2OOOoO
The total trade OF the island for such period Is
estimated at S5.Oo0OoO
The principal foreign buyers OF Porto Ricaa
ports during the ended June 30 last were Cuba
N5S2SO4; spain. sS1S47S; France sSSsil4i Austria
Hungary. S7SS29; Italy. SI0O1, followed with
lesser amounts by Nova Scotia. Germany, the
United Kingdom and other countries.
Porto Rico bought. during the fiscal year ended
June 30 last. from twenty-four foreign countries.
the principal six being In Ordsr Spain $50 DO: Nova
Scotia. SS7S7S7; France. S45.7SSl the Unitsd King
dom. S26aIl2: Germany S4Ss1. and Belgium. g1l.sSs
The heaviest foreign imports we're ssh. manu-
faetures OF iron and steel meat and dairy prod.
textile grasses. The heaviest foreign exports
ooffee mOIassss and cattle
The six leading exports TO the Unitsd States
were sugar, $l+lS4Sl9; cigars. S.OSs5J5 fruit and
nuts $lso 6s4 leaf tobacco. $4SSS9; mOlassss. SS2
The six leading imports from tho United statss
were rice $S41l0l; manufactures Of Iron and steel.
S24s12l meat and dairy products. s. NSoo,Sr: bread
stufrs. s. .S95 ,2S7. and wood and manufactures q
States for the year were SO 2SSSi. as agalnsE
8; GO. 7s4 imports rom fOrsign countries.
foTelgn countries during December. 1sS. amounted
10 .sSi5.S71 and $6zssSI respectively
SIS l0l. and Cuba the most important buyer, cease
Coffee 20 the value OF s6SS.s70 was shipped durtnf
Exports to the United States totaIsd sSSgT7 TO-