The Colorado statesman., 1910-08-20

sus in Porto Rico, who recently
reached Washington and will remain
to write his report on the census and
conditions of the island.
Mr.. Skinner has a thorough knowl-
edge of the island, it's people and con-
ditions- He has been employed there
in an official capacity ever since 1898,
when the United States took posses
sion.
Before he became supervisor of the
census Mr.. Skinner was the assistant
secretary of Porto Rico. He served
in this capacity under William F.
Willoughby, who was secretary of
Porto Rico, and who is now assistant
director of the census bureau.
Mr.. Skinner has also served in Por-
to Rico as chief of the bureau of
property taxes in the treasury depart
ment, as assistant postmaster and as
consul.
How great has been the develop
ment of the island since the United
States took possession of it can BIT
gathered. in part, from the great In
crease in the sugar trade, Porto RI
co.'s chief business" said Mr.. Skinner,
"In 1898 the production of sugar was
about $4,000 tons. In the last year
the production of sugar was about
300, 900 tons.
"Under the Payne tariff law the
sugar industry in Porto Rico receiver
protection. such as is granted the
sugar industry in the United States
This enables the islanders to success
fully compete with the Cuban manu-
facturers."
The people seem well satisfied with
American rule, says Mr.. Skinner, and
are thriving under 1t. He gave credit
to Governor Cotton for quieting the
political troubles of few months ago
Governor Cotton is doing more and
more to interest the people in bust
ness and in the development of the
country's resources" continued Mr.
Skinner. He is making them forget
their political difficulties.
1--WE have never had any revolution
ary movement to overcome in Porto
Rico, such as has had to be overcome
in the Philippines. The Porto Ricans
are a peaceful, peace-loving people.
You can Judge that the people are
peaceful from the fact that the whole
island is policed by force of between
600 and 700 policemen"
Mr.. Skinner said he was not permit
ted at this time to give an estimate of
the population of the island. There
are more than million inhabitants
of the island. 1t is learned.
"They are intelligent" said Mr..
Skinner. "The entire census has been
taken by Porto Ricans and in the
Spanish language, the language of the
island. l had eight special agents un-
der me, all of them Porto Ricans, and
nearly 1,200 enumerators, who were
also islanders.
"The laws under which the Porto
Ricans are governed are much the
same as in this country. They have
adopted a code which is practically
that of California.
Their corporation laws are much
the game as those of New Jersey. But
they have outstripped many American
communities in the adoption of excel
lent laws for the control of public
service corporations.
"Their law dealing with the public
service corporations is much similar
to that in New York. There Is COM
mittee on franchise. which goes care
fully into the facts in the case before
any charter is granted a corporation
to establish public service"
Mr.. Skinner said that the islanders
are extending their railroads and that
eventually there will be lines running
all around the island and connecting
all principal points. The sugar man