Marble Hill press., 1921-06-30


l"r'. lar" as tropical paradise ~ ''e benefit
~ "'Fa' rai" Au,rgaa otto, s,sarrs tlc Porto
Ht'"hs would have ulrs sFirtaHe,. II The
t1Ah''s "i %, island v,rp adm ul.'rr,sl fpf the
it''if ~ D" government at WUsNHsfuu. ur u
ih' e"a"'r'' - p, Island u,r, under r,sf-.riioas
i.a' 'art,i l"ai prosperity ti,a c,rfslaIy Flr-
g. A3rn would h.t, -rfc,aur,> Hut lH.f.f e..
r.' sam las mas, .aal r...r1 90 'h,-. respects
IrIi" between IHr' Rico alf n, Unite! states
j. - n" as trad. h''v,,a Nrv Nurk aud Ncv
jersey. Inc production aud Cpl.u,rr, - The j.
land ha'' Increased enormously under the Amer.
Icaa Regime
Porto Rico has % ,p-al lncnmc tax DATING frrn
The war period Nu' 'ls surtaNrs ur, a. y.-y low
rates as compared w.th those q otI national In.
com" tax A. regard, public nnancs II, Porto
Rcaus ere IN uu oNfr'u,'y fortunate position Tie
islands outstanding Indebtedness, T. naly about
$l"t"hv'. Al ~ o." revenues uls,i uy Porto
Kcan taxation are applied 90 o., islands own pur.
poses and ur subject o. the disposal u The icgis.
latur, IN addition o. these local revenues tie
United states gover.m,It pays back 20 Porto RICO
foT IT, own uses an the sums collected rs our Gus
tomAausc officers ~ the Islands ports on gods
from foreign countries The Porto IIcuns are not
subject 10 our national income or other direct
taxes and therefore are exempt from the burdens
imposed hy our immense war debt They are pro
tectcd by the army end navy ~ the United states
but do Dot pay any part OF the cost II maintaining
our defensive establishments
For one th!ns, almost the entire population tuds,
bc rchousci. Families are large, and the typical
home IS a very small and light structure thaichcd
with palm leaves. 50 primitive and So lacking In
all that makes for comfort. convenience, health.
and family dignity that II must be condemned and
superseded as IL matter II public policy The In
nuencr Of excellent schools IN the towns is al.
ready having n marked effect upon the improve
meut Of home conditions. In san Juan. the capt
tai the government itself is building large suburb
Of small concrete houses with suitable appoint,
ments, and selling these on longtime plan TO
workingmsn.
1t takes courage TO ann high md 10 work toward
the realization of the lnrEcst possibilities Look
inc to the future II Is easier TO entertain the no
ton Of on Independent Porto Rico associated Do
litlcaIy with other Latin American entities sur.
ruundngsthe Caribbean sen And this conception
might be fully justified II the alternative meant
n rough and tnciess attempt TO Anglo -Saxonire
Porto Rico or to suhjecr It's people 20 rules Gus.
toms and standards that seem TO them both strange
and unpleasant. But this is nm age In which Der.
sonal liberty and local dls,lnctiveness seem 10 be
entirely In keeping with large organizations OF gov.
ernment, Of commerce. and Of culture for purposes
of common welfare.
Porto Rico need not fear that she Will be a.ner.
Iected Cinderella In the American household I,
Is probable that she can play her part In the Garth.
bean regions with more influence and success II
she a@,andons all thought of future substitution
Of her local flag for the Stars and Stripes por.
TO Rico will inevitably be managed by Porto RcaDs
for their own welfare. There is not the slightest
danger of domination from Washington for tho
benefit of continental America aud to the harm Of
Porto Rico The training md development OF the
Porto Rcan people Is much more important lust
now from ahe standpoint Of democratic progress
than the achievement of outward forms OF n more
complete home rule. Statehood may be expected
as the ultimate thing.
In theory, Of course the Porto Ricans should
choose their own governor. In practice, however
II would probably be best for Porto Rico, at least
for some time to come that the governor should
be named by the President of the United States
Latin American countries often vfctimixs them