The Washington herald., 1912-02-04

-,oso SShOOAS IN lle l5idnd, attended Dy
lz5.Ooo pupils, and in each Of these the
children are being taught English. This
means that in course OF time Spanish
win disappear, but IT viii be a slow
process. II Is naturally impossible to
eradicate in a brief time the language
OF centuries, together with the traditions
and customs which have become estab-
iished IN that long period.
The American population. however, is
steadily increasing. This Is due to the
TACT that the production OF sugar offers
large remuneration. especially as Porto
Rican sugar has the advantage over
Cuban sugar OF free entry into the United
States. Sugar is, OF course, the principal
export OF the island. The insular line
alone win bring TO the United States
100000 bags OF sugar this year, each
bag averaging 900 pounds. At Guanica
Is located next TO the largest sugar mill
in the world. its annual output being
valued at approximately S5.0oooOo. Sugar
lands are so profitable, in fact. that a
scheme 10 irrigate them by means OF
storage reservoirs in the mountains ~
an expenditure of millions OF dollars Is
now in process of completion. Some OF
the sugar fields are still cultivated In the
ancient manner with plows drawn by
oxen. but on a plantation near Mayaguez
the air was filled with the smoke OF
enormous steam plows, cutting seven or
ten burrows at a time.
Americans also are cultivating grape
fruit, oranges. pineapples. and cocoanuts,
and the value Of these exports il increas-
ing at a remarkable rate. The chief ex-
ports, however, are still sugar. tobacco,
and coffee. The tobacco trust, II is inter-
esting to note, controls nearly all the to-
bacco grown upon the island. The total
output OF cigars last year was nearly go
900 OO0 The value of the coffee raised
was S5.0oO,OoO. When, in addition to this.
it is stated that the exports Of sugar dur
\ ing the same period reached a total Of
nearly S25, 900 900. IL can easily be seen that
the island. small as II is, and Il IL only
three-fourths the size OF Connecticut, is
Of tremendous value. especially as It's re-
sources are only commencing to be real
lied.
Chapter upon chapter could be written
Of the great development Of Porto Rico
under American control. and yet. after
all, nothing interests the Porto Rican peo-
pie so much as the question Of citizen
ship. Just now they are a people without
a country. They are ruled by a governor
States: an executive council Of six Amer
leans and five Porto Ricans, and an cleo
tive assembly of thirty-ive members. oil
OF whom, except one, are natives OF the
island. In the last analysis, control is
in the hands of the Americans. As far as
a hasty and cursory glance at conditions
may serve for a general observation, IL
may be said that this fact, in itself, is not
objectionable. At the same time. the Porto
Ricsn would like to have his island made
a Territory Of the United States and him
self invested with American citizenship.
He is not a citizep of any country to-day.
He is merely Porto Rican.
Gov. George r. Cotton, a popular and
efficient administrator, believes that this
citizenship should be granted In this
opinion he is sustained by the principal
officials and the prominent Americans in
business on the island. As matter OF
fact, it would do little more than give
tire Porto Ricans a definite status. but
this would unquestionably cause a cessa-
ton Of the unrest which is now felt Porto
Ricans who come to the United States
may become nAturaliZed citizens and re-
turn TO the island invested with a polit-
ical standing which their less fortunate
neighbors do not possess Present condi-
tiOns are an anomaly. and, sooner or later.
must be changed II is no wonder that
intelligent and aggressive Porto Ricans
who have been .Jyal to the United States
since the occupation and who have re-
strained the feeling of discomfort. are
finding themselves constantly called upon
TO explain why the United States ohlds
their people in such dislike.
This is the one problem OF the island.
But for this, there would be no cloud
upon the sky. Prosperity spreads its
beneicent wings over the mountains and
valleys; trade Is increasing; commerce IS
developing One does not have TO be
upon the island twenty-fOur hours, how
ever to discover that under the surface
there is a strong desire for a citizenship
which thus far has been denied
HENRY LFTCHFIEl4D WEST.