The New International Encyclopædia/Porto Rico
PORTO RICO, pōr′tō̇ rē′kō̇ (Sp. Puerto Rico, Rich Port). An island of the West Indies, the most easterly of the Great Antilles, the smallest among them, but the first in density of population. It lies between latitudes 17° 50′ and 18° 30′ N. and longitudes 65° 30′ and 67° 15′ W., is nearly 1200 miles from the equator, 1000 miles from Havana and Key West, 1500 from New York, and 3000 from Cadiz, Spain. It is roughly rectangular in shape, nearly three times as long as it is broad, the greater axis extending almost directly east and west. Length, about 100 miles; area, 3676 square miles, or about three times that of Rhode Island. It contrasts sharply with the other Great Antilles in appearance, for its mountains are lower and on the whole it presents a hilly and picturesque rather than a mountainous aspect. A number of islands lie off the coast, but only three are of importance, Mona in the west and Vieques and Culebra in the east.
Topography. The coast line is about 360 miles in length, with comparatively few important indentations. Around the whole periphery of the island are numerous fluvial valleys disposed at right angles to the coast. The coastal plains comprise about one-tenth of the area. There are a few headlands along the coasts, which, however, are usually low, especially on the southern side. They also lack the fringing keys such as border Cuba.
Passing across the island from east to west, a little south of the middle, is a broken irregular range of hills or low mountains which toward the eastern end trend to the northeast and culminate in the peak of El Yunque, 3609 feet high. Elsewhere the range is from 2000 to 3000 feet in altitude, with a few summits over 3000 feet and passes a little below 2000 feet. The range is known by various names in different parts of the island, Cordillera Central, Sierra de Cayey, and Sierra de Luquilla in the northeast. From this backbone of the island the land slopes north and south, its steep hilly surface deeply cut by streams. Toward the coast it becomes more nearly level until it spreads away to the sea edge in broad, level, alluvial, fertile plains.
Hydrography. The central range of mountains forms the water parting of the island, most of the streams rising on its slopes and flowing northward or southward. Those flowing north have the longer courses and gentler slopes, and some of them are navigable for several miles by small boats and flat boats. The southern streams are not useful for navigation, and nearly all the Porto Rican rivers have troublesome bars at their mouths. The principal rivers are the Loiza or Rio Grande, Bayamon, Morovis, Plata, Cibuco, Manati, Arecibo, and Blanco, which flow to the north coast; the Culebrinas, Anasco, Guanajibo, and Mayaguez, flowing to the west; the Portugés, Jacaguas, Coamo, and Guamani, to the south; and the Humacao, Naguabo, and Fajardo to the east. The rivers give great facilities for water and steam power and irrigation. One reason why Porto Rico is more healthful than the other Antilles is because the streams afford such excellent drainage that there is an almost total absence of stagnant water. There are eight small lakes on the north, east, and south slopes of the island.
Climate. Though the island is in the tropics, it is also under the régime of the persistent
few plantations are as yet provided with the best steam machinery for making sugar, and nearly one-half of the cane-grinding machines are worked by oxen. Sugar-growing is chiefly confined to the coastal plain, only a little above the level of the sea, where the lands are alluvial and very rich.
The best coffee is produced between 600 and 2400 foot above the sea. It is grown, therefore, chiefly among the mountains. It has an excellent reputation in over-sea markets. Porto Rican tobacco is also in excellent repute in the markets of Europe and America. The district of Cayey, for the quality of tobacco produced, is in Porto Rico what the Vuelta Abajo is in Cuba. All tropical fruits flourish, and the cultivation of fruits is now receiving great attention. Oranges, pineapples, cocoanuts, and bananas are increasing in supply. All kinds of vegetables are produced in abundance where care and industry are given to their cultivation. Cotton grows well, but in recent years practically none has been raised. The home market absorbs the entire crop of maize. Nearly all the rice is of the upland variety. More than 1,000,000 acres of pasture land are devoted to or are suitable for stock-feeding. Over 100,000 acres are in very fine grass, much of it of the malojilla variety, which is very productive and highly nutritious. There were in the island, in 1897, 67,751 horses, 4467 mules, 303,612 cattle, and 13,411 swine. Cattle are exported chiefly to the Windward Islands and are of excellent breed. The cows, oxen, and beef cattle compare favorably with those of any other part of America. They are descended from a large number of fine cattle taken to Porto Rico from the Cape Verde Islands about 1840. The horses are small, agile, hardy, work well in harness or under the saddle, and have remarkable endurance.
The small area of the island and its dense population naturally increase the value of land, which is held at high prices. The best sugar lands are valued at $150 an acre; tobacco lands, from $60 to $75 an acre; fruit lands, from $40 to $50 an acre; pasture lands, from $15 to $20 an acre; and hill lands, suitable for coffee, from $10 to $15 an acre. Land along the sandy seashores, where only cocoanuts are grown, may be purchased for $5 to $10 an acre. About 100,000 acres of public land passed to the United States under the Treaty of Paris. Some of it is valuable for agriculture or timber, and other tracts near cities and towns are available for their growth.
Manufactures. Manufacturing industries are chiefly confined to sugar, tobacco, rum, and straw hats. Sugar-making, the largest mills being controlled by American capital, is the leading industry. A small refinery near San Juan rectifies crude petroleum. There are a few tanneries and foundries, and at San Juan matches, ice, soap, and some leather goods are made. Straw-hat braiding has received a large impetus, as the United States is buying many of these products.
Commerce. Since the change in the control of the island, the United States has become the chief source of supplies and largest market for native products. The trade with over-sea lands, particularly with the United States, is steadily improving. The imports from the United States in the fiscal year ending July, 1902, were $10,719,444; the imports from foreign lands were $2,429,004; total imports, $13,148,448. Flour and breadstuffs from the United States were bought to the amount of $1,090,079; rice, to the amount of $1,803,065; cotton cloths, $2,060,826; provisions, $1,336,646; wood manufactures, $560,081; fish, $300,703; leather goods, $234,331; vegetables, $231,450; mineral oils, $144,512; paper goods, $110,222; chemicals and drugs, $135,896; and malt liquors, $118,450. The chief imports from foreign countries were codfish from Newfoundland and Canada, $424,953; preserved meats, $158,046; soap, $133,962; besides olive oil, machinery, rice, vegetables, wine, and sawed lumber. The exports to the United States were $8,297,420; and to foreign countries, $4,592,505; total exports, $12,889,925. The chief sales to the United States were: Sugar, $5,890,087; cigars and cigarettes, $1,570,938; molasses, $322,636; straw hats, $204,555; hides and skins, $67,888; oranges, $51,364; and coffee, $29,188. The principal exports to foreign countries were: Coffee, $3,168,664; cattle, $418,268; molasses, $256,461; and hides and skins, $13,656. The larger part of the foreign trade is with Spain.
The United States Congress provided in the act creating civil government, approved April 12th, 1900, that when the Legislative Assembly should raise sufficient funds by local taxation to pay the expenses of the government, all tariffs on merchandise passing between the island and the United States should cease. The revenue act passed at the first session of the Legislative Assembly was so successful in operation that the revenues for the fiscal year ending July 1, 1901, surpassed the expenses of government; and on July 25th of that year President McKinley proclaimed free trade between the United States and Porto Rico.
Transportation and Communication. In November, December, and January the north coast ports are difficult of acess on account of north winds, and from June to November southerly winds endanger the anchorages on the southern coast. The principal ports are San Juan, on the north; Fajardo and Ensenada Honda, on the east; Playa, the port of Ponce, and Guanica, on the south; and Puerto Real de Cabo Rojo, on the west. The island of Vieques has several commodious harbors. A line of steamers plies regularly between New York and Porto Rico. There are also more or less regular communications with Spain, England, South America, and the other West Indies. In the fiscal year 1901-02, 222 American and 295 foreign vessels entered the harbors. Not many years ago the bull cart and pack animal were almost the sole means of inland transportation. These primitive appliances are being supplanted by railroads. The American Railroad Company, which purchased the existing railroad of the French company, is now operating 131 miles of narrow-gauge road along the north coast, and proposes to make it a part of a belt railroad around the island. In 1901 the road carried 149,597 passengers, 76,912 tons of freight, its gross receipts being $197,000, and the operating expenses $170,000. Other narrow-gauge railways extend from Cataño, near San Juan, six miles to Bayamon, and from Mayaguez to Añasco, 10.5 miles. There are electric trolley roads in San Juan and Ponce. The Government in four years has completed 87 miles of fine wagon roads at a cost of about $8000 per kilometer (.62 of a mile); about 177 miles of good roads were in use when the United States acquired the island. In July, 1902, there were 32 telegraph offices and 600 miles of wire. Two submarine cables connect the island with the outside world, one via Saint Thomas and the other through Kingston, Jamaica. Banking. There is only one bank, the Spanish Bank, situated at San Juan, with branches at the principal towns of the island. It has power to issue notes to the extent of three times the amount of its capital, but the present policy of the bank is to curtail the issue of banknotes.
Finance. The insular revenues are derived from the customs, internal revenue taxes, postal receipts, a few minor sources of income, and trust funds. The trust funds are derived from revenues collected in the United States on importations from Porto Rico and placed at the disposal of the President to be used for the government and benefit of Porto Rico, for the aid and relief of its people, and for public education, public works, and other public purposes. The total receipts for the year ending June 30, 1902, were $4,472,192.63. There were derived from customs $848,258.30; internal revenue, $1,497,802.63; miscellaneous, $52,525.22; trust funds. $1,478,682.08; balance on hand at close of business June 30, 1901, $563,650.54. The expenditures were: legislative, $51,430.14; executive, $1,655,779.23; judicial, $200,104.66; other disbursements from insular revenues, $292,128.37; disbursements from trust fund, $914,281.37; total expenditures, $3,113,723.77; balance on hand at close of business June 30, 1902, $1,358,468.86. The municipalities are supported chiefly from taxes on real estate.
Weights, Measures, and Money. Mexican money was current nntil the end of 1895, when a five-peseta piece was coined and put in circulation. The peseta has now been superseded by the American dollar. The metric system of weights and measures is in use.
Population. The population by the census of 1899 was 953,243, or 264 to a square mile, a density of population about the same as that of New Jersey. The people live chiefly in the rural districts. There are no large cities, the only cities exceeding 25,000 inhabitants being San Juan (32,048) and Ponce (27,952). Mayaguez had a population of 15,187, and Arecibo 8008. There are 8731 more females than males in the island. The census divides the inhabitants into whites, numbering 589,426, or 61.8 per cent.; and colored, numbering 363,817. The classification ‘colored’ includes a very few Chinese and many persons of mixed white and negro blood, as well as the pure negroes. More than three-fifths of the population are pure white, and nearly two-fifths are partly or entirely negroes. About 84 per cent. of the total colored were returned as mixed blood. Of the whites of Porto Rican birth, 21 years of age and upward, 35,397 could read, and of the colored, 12,576. Under the educational qualification, therefore, the number entitled to vote would be 49,973. About 200,000 persons are employed as laborers in the fields. Though small in weight and stature, their bodies are all bone and sinew, and they have great powers of endurance. The average daily wage of the farm hand is about 35 cents, and the scale of wages can hardly be increased until there is a general rise in the price of agricultural products. In 1897 the wealth of the island was estimated at $150,000,000, but the municipal and private mortgage indebtedness was about one-third of the total wealth, and rates of interest are very high.
Immigration. The immigration laws and regulations of the United States apply to Porto Rico. Of the 1908 persons arriving at San .Juan in 1902, 725 were cabin passengers, three-fourths of whom were Spaniards who left the island at the time of the American occupation and are now returning. Most of the immigrants are from the other West Indies, Spain, and South America, a large part being Porto Ricans who left at the time of the American occupation.
Education. On February 21, 1902, there were 876 schools, with 41,642 pupils and 934 teachers. The number of schools has increased over 80 per cent. since the American occupation. The Porto Ricans predominate among the teachers, 837 teachers being natives of the island. More than half the schools are ungraded rural schools. In the 345 graded schools much attention is given to the study of English. There are also a normal school for the training of teachers and a high school at San Juan. Two-thirds of the text books are in the Spanish language, although wherever practicable the pupils are required to use the English text.
Religion. The predominant religion is Roman Catholic, but all faiths have complete toleration. A Protestant church is maintained in Ponce, and a few others in smaller towns. The bishopric of Porto Rico, founded in 1504, was the first to be established in the New World.
Government. After the cession of Porto Rico to the United States the island was governed chiefly by the military authorities under the direction of the President of the United States until May 1, 1900, when the scheme of government prepared by Congress went into effect.
Shortly after the transfer of the island to the United States, the President appointed a commission to investigate conditions in Porto Rico and draft a code of laws for the island. It recommended a separation of Church and State in the island, an improved system of taxation, a revised tariff schedule, the establishment of a public school system, and the encouragement of industrial enterprise by the grant of liberal charters. About the same time the civil government of the island was reorganized by order of General Davis. Bureaus of State, of internal revenue, and of agriculture were created and placed under the management of natives, subject to the supervision of the civil secretary to the Military Governor. An advisory board, known as the Board of Insular Policy, consisting of nine members, was created. At the same time the judicial system was reorganized and the island divided into five judicial districts under the jurisdiction of a Supreme Court at San Juan. By act of April 12, 1900. Congress provided a civil government for the island, but did not raise it to the status of a Territory, nor extend the Constitution and laws of the United States thereto. The inhabitants of the island were declared to be “citizens of Porto Rico and as such entitled to the protection of the United States.” The form of government provided consists of a Governor appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, at an annual salary of $8000; an executive council of eleven members, five of whom must be natives of Porto Rico, apoointed in the same manner as the Governor; and a legislature, consisting of the Council as an upper chamber and a House of Delegates popularly elected for a term of two years. There is a small property qualification and a low educational test for the exercise of the suffrage. The judges of the Supreme and District courts are appointed by the President. There are also a treasurer, a commissioner of education, and an attorney-general, appointed in the same manner. The island is represented in Washington by a resident commissioner, although he has no seat in Congress. In 1902 comprehensive codes of law and of legal procedure for the island were prepared by a commission representing native Porto Ricans and Americans. By these the Spanish law and procedure are partly supplemented and partly superseded by the American system of jurisprudence. Public order throughout the island is maintained by an insular police force of 670 men. The capital is San Juan.
History. The island of Porto Rico has from the beginning played a secondary part in the history of the West Indies. Overlooked by Columbus on his return from Hispaniola or Haiti in the spring of 1493, its southern shores were coasted by him on his second voyage in the winter of that year, when he gave it the name of San Juan Bautista. In 1508 Juan Ponce de Leon crossed the Mona channel from Hispaniola to investigate the reports of a rich and fruitful land in the island of San Juan. He was hospitably entertained by the native chief Agueynada, whose power seems to have extended over most of the island. Two years later, having secured authority to conquer and govern the island, Ponce de Leon returned thither with a large military force. He followed the northern coast till he discovered the spacious bay on which he established his headquarters, founding a city which he named San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico, whence comes the modern name for the whole island. Juan Ponce devoted himself for ten years, except during his first expedition to Florida, to the pacification of the island and the extirpation of the hostile Caribs from the islands toward the southeast. After his death in 1521, successive Spanish administrators continued to rule the island, which had a peaceful, uneventful history for nearly two hundred years. Under the repartimiento system, by which the Indians were forced to work on the Spanish plantations, the natives gradually decreased in numbers, and the consequent dearth of laborers resulted in the abandonment of many of the outlying estates. The Caribs in turn reëntered the island and occupied largely the eastern portions, so that for many years the Spaniards appear to have been restricted to the districts immediately dependent upon San Juan, Ponce, and one or two other towns. The corsairs and West Indian pirates also visited the island, using various places on the coast for more or less temporary headquarters. In 1595 Drake, after trying to induce the inhabitants to ransom the town with money which they did not possess, sacked San Juan, and three years later it again suffered similarly from the Duke of Cumberland. Heinrich, a Dutch sea captain, undertook to do the same thing in 1615, but was beaten off, losing his life in the assault. About the middle of the eighteenth century negro slaves and colonists from Spain began to be introduced in considerable numbers, and by 1780 the population had risen to nearly eighty thousand. In 1797 San Juan successfully withstood a three days' attack from the English under Lord Abercrombie. During the first quarter of the eighteenth century the island became a popular resort for large numbers of those who desired to escape from the turmoil and disaster incident to the revolutionary movements in South America. As a result, the population came to have a large preponderance of whites over the black and colored elements. Another consequence was the marked aversion of the populace to strife of any sort. An attempted rising against Spain in 1820 made headway for two or three years, but had no strong popular support. In 1867 another revolt was attempted by those who were engaged in the plots to free Cuba, but this was speedily suppressed. In 1869 Porto Rico was created a province of Spain, with representation in the Spanish Cortes by delegates elected by popular vote under the same suffrage as in Spain. The Governor-General was made the resident representative of the Crown, and in practice all administrative power was in bis hands. In 1873 the Spanish Cortes passed an act for the abolition of slavery in Porto Rico. During the Spanish-American War the fortifications of San Juan were bombarded by a fleet under Admiral Sampson. On July 20, 1898, an expedition under General Miles landed on the island. Ponce surrendered on the 28th, and the American forces met with no effectual resistance until hostilities were terminated by the peace protocol of August 12th. On October 18th the United States flag was raised over San Juan. By the Treaty of Paris, signed December 10, 1898, Porto Rico was ceded to the United States. Following the establishment of a civil government in 1900, elections were held for the choice of a commissioner to Washington and members to the House of Delegates of the Porto Rican Legislature. With the beginning of representative government party lines were sharply drawn, the Republican and Democratic parties in the United States becoming the models for similar organization in the island.
Bibliography. Hill, Cuba and Porto Rico (New York, 1898); Davis, The Cuban and Porto Rican Campaigns (London, 1899); Dinwiddie, Porto Rico, Its Conditions and Possibilities (New York, 1899); Morris, Our Island Empire (Philadelphia, 1899); Hamm, Porto Rico and the West Indies (New York, 1899); Carroll, Report on the Island of Porto Rico (Washington, 1899); Ober, Puerto Rico and Its Resources (New York, 1899); Robinson, The Porto Rico of To-day (New York, 1899); Fiske, History of the Islands of the West Indian Archipelago (New York, 1899); Griffin, List of Books on Porto Rico (Washington, 1901).
