Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-09
Porto Rico After Thirty Years
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

The territory of Porto Rico is cele-
brating this year a series OF ami
versaries 80 years after the occupation
of the island by the United States. On
July rs the anniversary OF the first
landing of American troops was COM
memorated. Other dates mark the an
niversary Of the various steps of Amer
lean occupation and subsequent setting
UP OF the civil government as an Amer
lean territory. Oddly enough the first
celebration was also a Spanish feast
day, Santiago, and in Porto Rico, near
the town of Yauco, ceremony took
place at the tomb of the unknown
Spanish soldier, one Of the few who
fell in the scattered fighting which
accompanied the American occupation.
These anniversaries have given the
people of Porto Rico an occasion to
take stock of what 80 years as an
American territory have meant to them.
On the Bay of Guanica, where the first
American soldiers landed in 1898, there
stands today the sugar mill of the
Guanica central, which produces more
than 10000 tons of sugar a year, or
one and one-half times the total sugar
output of Porto Rico IN 1898. It is but
one of the many large mills of today,
some owned by Americans. some by
Porto Ricans, Spaniards and French
men.
In 1901, when the first complete
figures of trade were made available,
the whole export business of Porto Rico
was eight and one-haH million dollars.
In 1927 the sugar export to the United
States alone was $55, SOC, 900. On the
commercial side of the Islands life a
single industry today brings to Porto
Rico many times the total foreign trade
! of the island in pre-American days.
Dense'y Populated.
Before delving farther into statistics
of trade. it is worth observing that
Porto Rico is denSely populated
tropical island, whose people must
either develop industries In addition tt
agriculture, or suffer from the pressure
| inevitable to large populations on limit
ed acreage. The / 400 900 people occupy
a land of 5000 square miles. To rise
above a condition of relative poverty
such population must, of economic
certainty, adopt intensive methods Of
cultivation of the soil, and establish
manufactures and trade. The ease with
| which tropical people may drift alons
| IN conditions of poverty, ignorance anc
disease has been well enough illustrated
| in other portions of the West Indies
| The tale of American leadership ir
! Porto Rico, summed up in the cole
| figures of commercial wealth, is one o.
successful progress in health, education
and industry. Porto Rico was almoSt
as populous, and certainly as naturally
fertile, 80 years ago as it is today. i
| then enjoyed total commerce valued
| at less than $17,000,000. This ha:
RI 6vac Sxf
| The sugar industry, selling almost it:
whole output in the United States
makes up about 60 Pc cent of the
export trade. A visitor to the island!
| is certain to see some of the sugar
mills and realize the Importance anc
extent of the business. Tobacco, thu
second largest export product. is .nor'
largely raised inland, with Cayey as tn
| center of the business In 1927 thu
| tobacco exports were $24 1871 1881, chief,
made up as cigars and cigarettes, almos
all to the United States.
Women Are Expert Needle Workers.
The third largest item of Porto Rical
export trade would aStonish any vet
eran of '98 who remembered the islam,
of that year. 1t is textiles, chief
handmade by the skilled needleworker
| Of the tight little island. The wome,
are the powerful force in this newe
and fast-growing industry, which pro
duced more than, 100000 worth o
exports last year. Handkerchiefs, cot
ton embroidery, Women'S wear and /;
variety of mems and children's wea
were included The product of skilled
handicrsft has developed until it
wealth producing power exceeds tina
| of the coffee or fruit crops. Its groWtl