The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-10-23
SAYS PORTO RICO
is OVERCROWDED
Governor wager Suggests that Remedy
is Transfer of Many Porto Ricans
to Some Other Region.

Mohonk Lake, N. ", Oct. 23.--rorto
Rico is becoming SO overcrowded that,
considering both the area and industri-
al development, the island is the most
densely populated region in the whole
world, according to Governor Arthur
wager of Porto Rico, who addressed the
Lake Mohonk conference on Indians and
other dependent people yesterday, as
serting that the only effective remedy
for the situation was the transferring
of large numbers of Porto Ricans to
some other region. He suggested santo
domingo to the United States, but he
believed a treaty arrangement whereby
Porto Ricans could emigrate to Santo
domingo would be the preferable solu-
ton.
After calling attention to the exces-
sve population for Porto Rico, approx
imately one and e-quarter millions,
Governor wager said:
at seems to me that those OF us who
are responsible for the future OF the
island should face this problem now. In
my Judgment ii is not only important
but il is urgent. With the population
already pressing hard upon the means
Of employment, If any unexpected ca
lamity should befall any of the is
lands industries there would result more
serious suffering among the laborlng
people of Porto Rico than the insular
government could possibly relieve, with
the means at its command. II, for ex-
ample, a cyclone should devastate the
coffee plantations, as actually happened
in 1899. the situation might become very
critical.
"Or, il as now seems certain, under
the recent tariff law. the protective duty
on sugar should be abolished. and the
decline of that great industry which
Everybody in the island would soon be-
come most serious.
II do not hesitate TO express my be-
i lief that the only really effective remedy
is the transfer of large numbers Of
4 Porto Ricans TO some other region. i
do not believe that there is in history
any instance of country that has
reached the over-crowded condition in
which Porto Rico now stands, that ever
escaped from il without the aid of emf
grafton Whatever can be done in other
ways to improve conditions should still
be done. but those things alone will not
not solve the problem.
1T is a great biological law that we
are confronted with and we can neither
alter nor repeal it.
Education, labor legislation, land leg
islation, bank legislation may all help,
but these measures must be supplement-
ed by furnishing some means Of relief
from the oncoming crowd Of surplus
population If we are to reacn real rem
edy."
After explaining that the need Of emf
grafton was not a new idea and that
500 Porto Ricans were taken 90 the
Hawaiian islands in 1901 and that 9TH
ers had been taken 20 Mexico, but that
these attempts had failed chiefly because
there had been no sitting or selection
OF the cmigrants, Governor Wager as
serted that Santo Domingo offered the
most promising field for starting Porto
Rican colony II satisfactory arrange.
msnts could be made with that country.
/ AT present il seems certain that
there Is one country only which hes
hopefully open to movement Of Porto
Ricans out Of their own Island, and
that Is Santo Domingo continued the
governor. MANY have gone there in
spite Of the dangers due T. the unstable
political conditions which have prevailed
there Tor almost a century. The island
i only 20 miles from the shores Of Por-
70 Rico. II i almost identical in eli
mate. physical characteristics; products,
peopie and language II has nov only
about 30 people % the square mile ss
compared with Porto Rico's $50. Vast
stretches Of fertile virgin soil await the
hand Of labor. and the two islands coald
BE- made 70 ri together IKE hand and
glove
4 believe 4 e the DUTY II the United
state. 10 make the arrangements usees-
sarr e make Il possible that these two
rsiqhls.rinr islands over uhi1h it has
lssgumea > certain confrol should surpi--
ms.ut each others nesds IN respect %
poPuintion.
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mieit - Done. The most direct SIM
r8esf and surast Nay would - the IN
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