The Elbert County tribune., 1909-01-21
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has been great drawback to men
carrying their families with them, bu.
there is plan under consideration
now for the government to establish
schools at some OF the larger "cen-
trails for American children. This
will probably be the means of inducing
more men to carry their families with
them. and eventually greatly improve
the social life.
Probably the eschool-teachersf form the
largest class Of Americans on the Is.
land, but, of course. they are very
widely scattered. In the larger cities
OF San Juan, Ponce and Mayaguez. you
find great many American teachers
both men and women, and probably in
these three cities are to be found as
many Americans as In the rest of the
island.
San juan is the center OF American
civilization in Porto Rico. and has
been from the first. There are the
government officials. and most of the
men in business OF commercial ma
ture.
However. In travelling about the in
terror of the island and in the smaller
coast cities, the larger part of Amer
leans you meet are teachers. In every
town large enough to be called such.
you find school over which floats
the American flag, and in which the
English language Is being taught.
Often the only English-speaking per
son In the whole town is the teacher.
and 1t may be a long, hard trip by
coach or on horseback to the next
town.
Among a strange people, where the
language, food, customs, ETC., are SO
hard to become accustomed to. It often
proves hard life.
But In the larger towns the condi.
tions are much better. Here you gen
orally find more than one teacher. bet.
ter school buildings, and higher class
OF people. with whom 1t is easier to
mingle
The tobacco business has already
grown to vast proportions under Amer.
lean management, as Is evidenced by
the constantly increasing consump.
tion OF Porto Rican cigars in the
United States. In every town or vii.
lage. even among the mountains. to.
bacco is still raised and cigars are
still made as they have been for gen.
erations, but the, new tobacco raisers
have planted hundreds and In one case
over 1000 acres In stetch,
which may be seen entirely covered
by cheese cloth to subdue the light
and improve the quality. This indus
try has by no means reached its
height. and, indeed, has the prospect
OF vast future growth.
The coffee raising is also worthy OF
mention, although not developed as vel
to any great extent Coffee is raised
mostly among the mountains and
Americans have taken 1t up but little
However. it has been pronounced the
finest coffee in the world by President
Roosevelt, and when the market for II
Is made 1t will undoubtedly offer q
broad field for American interest.
There are also a large number oj
minor industries which men from the
United States have entered and nj
which they are making fortunes
Among these are the raising of nine
apples, cocoanuts, rice and vegetables
which are sent to the United States fol
winter use. The buying up and ex
porting Of native lace and drawn work
has also been carried on to limited
extent.
It is clearly evident that the Island
as a whole has not been developed to
anything like its capacity. While
Americans are recognizing the wealth
of the place and are taking advantage
OF 1t, the next ten years will without
doubt show much greater advance
than has the past decade.