PORTO RICO 951 



Industries and Commerce. For the fiscal year 1912 the total exports were valued at $49,- 

 705,413 (an increase of $9,787,046 over the previous year); in 1901 the value was 88,583,967. 

 Imports in 1912 amounted to $42,926,473 (an increase of $4,137,476 in the year), and in 1901 

 at $8,918,136. The total trade was one-sixth greater in 1912 than in 1911. Of the 1912 

 trade 87 % was with continental United States, which established free trade with the island 

 in 1901. In 1912 the island ranked I2th as a purchaser of American goods. Sugar heads 

 the list of exports and the 1912 shipment aggregated 367,145 tons (valued at 831,544,063) 

 or 63 % of the total export sales. The quantity was the largest ever shipped from the island, 

 being five times as much as in 1901. Tobacco, valued at about $7,500,000, holds second place 

 on the export list, and coffee is third with 40,146,365 Ibs. ($6,754,913), more than thrice the 

 amount exported in 1901. More coffee is now being sent to the United States, where it was 

 long practically unknown. The 1912 crop was the largest ever grown on the island. Fruit ex- 

 ported in 1901 amounted to $109,801 and in 1912 to $2,377,762, the principal increase being 

 in the shipments of oranges, pineapples and grapefruit. The coco-nut industry is extensive 

 and profitable, and the shipments were valued at $308,883. 



The chief imports in 1912 were cotton goods valued at $5,132,693, manufactures of iron 

 and steel, $4,977,146, the largest item being sugar-mill machinery; rice, $3,866,986; bread- 

 stuffs, $2,392,863; preserved meats and dairy products, $3,564,137; leather manufactures, 

 $1,266,132. About three-quarters of the trade goe? through San Juan. 



The trend of agriculture in the island is toward more intensive methods. Machinery is 

 being substituted for hand labour to a considerable extent; planters are studying the econo- 

 mics of fertilisation; tile drainage is employed in wet lands, and an irrigation scheme which 

 will insure the delivery of 4 acre-feet of water per annum for 35,000 acres of dry lands in the 

 south was three-fourths completed in 1912. The Sugar Producers Association has estab- 

 lished an experiment station (opened in 1911) at Rio Piedras, near San Juan, which is sup- 

 ported by a tonnage tax on the industry. Here experiments with fertilisers, lime, different 

 distances of planting, and the study of insect pests are carried on. There is a government 

 agricultural station at Mayaguez. The first annual Insular Fair was held at San Juan, in 191 1. 



In 1909 the first census of manufactures was taken. There were 939 manufactories, 

 employing 15,582 wage-earners, with a capital of $25,544,000 and a product value of $36,750,- 

 ooo, of which $15,271,000 was added by manufacture. More than half the total value, 

 $20,569,000, was that of sugar and molasses. Dependent on this industry is the distillation 

 of liquors, $1,117,000. Other manufactures were tobacco, $6,060,000; coffee, cleaning and 

 polishing, $5,053,000 (only $289,000 added by manufacture). The four largecities of the island 

 had manufactured products as follows: San Juan, $3,243,000; Ponce, $2,400,000; Mayaguez, 

 $2,256,000; and Caguas, $124,000. The manufacture of cigars is rapidly increasing; the out- 

 put in 1912 was 281,000,000, being 14 times as great as in 1901. 



Transportation and Public Works. The principal steamship lines are: New York and 

 Porto Rico S. S. Co. (of the American, Gulf and West Indies Steamship lines) with a new 

 passenger steamer "Brazos" on the service since November 1912, in addition to three other 

 passenger boats (and four freighters) one each week from New York, stopping at San Juan 

 and (except the "Brazos") at Ponce and Mayaguez, and three boats making weekly trips from 

 New Orleans and one from Galveston and Port Arthur; and the Red D line with weekly sail- 

 ings from New York to San Juan and Mayaguez (4 steamers). The A. H. Bull Steamship 

 Company has eight freighters making fortnightly sailings between New York and the island. 

 On the island there has been no new railway construction in the last two years. Wagon 

 and automobile roads are being built and improved and there are motor bus lines on the 

 military road between San Juan and Ponce. From Ponce there is a good road to Guayama. 



In the fiscal year ending June 30, 1912, 67 km. of macadamised roads were completed, 

 making 1,069 km. now maintained. Public works of different sorts in 33 municipalities were 

 in course of construction in 1912. The Federal government dredged the San Juan harbour 

 during the year and the Porto Rican legislature created a San Juan harbour commission for 

 the permanent improvement of the city's water-front. 



Legislation. The 1911 legislature was in session from January 9 to March Q, 1911. 

 It gave the Executive Council the powers of a public service commission. In 1912 the 

 regular session began January 8, but as all business was not completed within the 60- 

 day limit a special session was called and the final adjournment was March 14. An act 

 was passed providing that one out of the five members elected Biennially from each 

 of the seven districts shall be returned from the minority party. No party may name 

 more than four candidates, and the minority candidate of each party who receives 

 the largest number of votes is elected. Delegates must be residents or tax payers in 

 the district from which they are chosen. Laws were passed promoting the secrecy 

 of the ballot and requiring a new registration of electors. Another important act took 

 all matters of sanitation out of the hands of the municipalities and put them under 

 the control of the Territory, through a non-partisan sanitation service. even street 



