Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-04-30

southern isle.
Mr.. Bates made a most interesting
| address on Porto Rico and its people
| and possibilities before the regular
eonclavc of Pilgrim commandery
! Knights Templar, in this city Thurs
day evening. Mr.. Bates is prominent
in Masonry, a life member of Tho
| gelks and a colonel in the Grand Army
and has become prominent in Porte
Rican affairs. His interesting address.
was in part as follows.
Porto Rico was ceded to our gov
ernmcnt. by Spain, under the treaty
OF Paris in 1898. and placed under
military rule with General Gny Y
Henry as governor. If YOU could FOL
low the meridian line that passes
through Now Foundland. which lies
quite a distance east of the state OF
Maine, it would bring YOU To tht
Island Of Porto Rico, 50 far out in
the Atlantic thai in making the triI
20 New York YOU find it necessary 10
turn your watch back thirty minutes,
The island lies to the east of Santo
Domingo. which in turn lies to tho
east of Cuba, all about on the same
parallel of latitude and about Il de-
grees from the equator.
The population is about one million,
and less than 20 per cent are able TO
read ana write. The masses are child
like, but not vicious when you take
into o the fact that they have
lived for centuries under the yoke of
foreign oppression and m%isgovern-
ment With all its evils. They are
peaceful and law-abiding and follow
blindly the mandates of their self-ap-
pointed leaders. They are allowed to
vote for local offices. but very few
know why or for what they are cast
ing their ballot.
After the second year they began to
cry for self-government and citizen
ship, at least their leaders did. and It
civil government was given them by
the passage Of the Foraker bill which
became their organic law. something
similar to that of a territory.
We have an executive council COM
posed of eleven members. all appoint
ed by the president. six of them
Americans, the heads Of the different
departments. ana five natives select
ed from the two political parties. The
heads of the departments are eas
urer. auditor, attorney general, com
missioner Of the interior, commits
sioncr Of education and the secretary
Of the island.
The lower house, or house Of dele
gates, consists of thirty-fivc members,
all natives and elected BY the people.
All the native members are highly
courteous gentlemen,
shrewd and quick to AXE advantage
Of any point.
The expenses Of the island are paid
by taxation, except thai our govern
mcnt returns to them the United
states customs amounting
to about two million dollars a year.
The island is well policed by some
seven hundred nattily uniformed ma
tives of various colors. In the rural
districts they are mounted on wiry
little nntive popics. and on the whole
are a faithful. trustworthy body of
men for thirty dollars per month.
finding themselves and their uniforms,
With Il long list of applicants waiting
for vacancies.
The native regiment, with its fine
with silver instruments, would
a credit to any land. our sccrc-
of war reviewed them last month
nnid Them the high compliment
that won would see very little better
at Fort Mver."
We found sanitary conditions at
heir worst. but before the work was
turned over to the civil government.
Juan had become a model for
health and cleanliness, and yellow
fever and contagious diseases arc
practioallv unknown.
InA IElAnI- mas "a range Oh illlG
runninr through II from east to west.
from which descend some twelve hum
bred streams OF water. the highest
point is about Two thousand feet. The
is one hundred miles long by
fifty wide. hui only n small portion
Of the land is cultivated.
The nrincinol product is sugar
which produces fortunes every
rear for the owners. The sugar COM
own thousands Of acres and
case such other lands as they can
The best of the sugar lands
,rc sold AT from two to three hun
lred dollars per acre and produce
rom thirty to forty tons per acre of
ugar cane. The Centrals DAY their
assees four dollars uer ton net above
IN expense al manning. harvesting
hauling. or from one hundred to
hundred and sixty dollars per
.cre.
THE cultivation of tobacco has in
reased very ronidlv. and millions OF
igars ana cigarettes. beside leaf to-
.acco are Skinned To- The states each
ear The c%ultivation of pinaaDples.
rruit. c-ocoanuts and COFFEE. has
.acop,n "a nraat industry Porto Rico
r,i.s bringing the highest nricrs in
York ana Boston markets.
Tba buildino of roads bridges.
and scbool houses aoes on nj
mid rate ana uonev is i'm ulentv.
,.t month tba citizens subscribed
-f,, thoneond do1l,re II, twenty DAYS
rardr ~ b,tildir@ Tor no Y N q Z
80 ono hundred and fiftv thou
,rd dollare Tho legislature rivjn. "A s
lot for maj nurpose At the same 5