attempting to strike a fair balance-it must be said that American rule in Porto Rico has been remarkably successful. In concluding his report of 1919, Governor Yager summarized the results of twenty years of American possession of the island as "Twenty Years of Progress in Porto Rico," and gave some very interesting facts to substantiate his claims. In 1899 there were but 267 kilometers of completed roads; in 1919 there were 1,189 kilometers. In 1899 there were practically no public-school buildings worthy of the name; in 1919 there were 529, built at a cost of more than $2,500,000. More than $2,000,000 had been spent for other public buildings and almost $5,000,000 on irrigation systems. Agencies of guarding public health had been introduced, such as quarantine, hospitals, and sanitary systems; some diseases, such as yellow fever and smallpox, were almost completely eliminated, and others were being brought under control. A more modern and just taxation system had been put into operation, and a strict auditing system provided. The exports of agricultural products had multiplied ten times since 1901, and foreign commerce had risen from $17,502,103 to $141,896,400. And as an indication of the full share of the Porto Ricans in the administration of their own affairs, of the 5,953 positions in the government service, only 208 were held by non-natives. In conclusion, Governor Yager gave due credit to the Porto Ricans for the excellent results: "It is a record creditable alike to the Porto Ricans themselves and to the great free republic to which they owe allegiance. Much of it is due to the liberality and generous aid of the great American government and people, but most of the credit is due to the splendid coöperation of the Porto Ricans themselves." 1 This table, prepared from statistics found in the report for 1920, shows graphically the commercial progress of the island: 1 Report of the Governor of Porto Rico, 1919, p. 53. Merchandise from Porto Rico to the United States $5,581,288 $150,811,449 Merchandise from Porto Rico to foreign countries 3,002,679 Total trade with the United States.. 17,603,941 12,546,696 223,931,767 We have already outlined the political development; from an autocratic but efficient military government the Porto Ricans have now, by successive stages, reached a point where they have almost complete autonomy. Yet, in spite of this progress, the Porto Ricans are not satisfied. Perhaps it is even because of this development that they are not contented. As Señor Rodriguez, one of their best known publicists, states it: "By the guidance, help, and example of the American people, we have already attained that condition of social, economical, and political development which entitles us to manage at least our own internal affairs. We feel, therefore, that we have already attained our political majority; and just as any normal boy, upon becoming of age, wishes to go out into the world to face and solve by himself his own problems of life without parental dictation or interference, we too, as a normal people, strongly feel that we ought to be permitted to face and solve our own Porto Rican problems in our own Porto Rican way without governmental dictation or interference from the United States.1 This sounds plausible. Señor Rodriguez makes it clear that complete independence is not essential. A system such as Great Britain gives to her self-governing colonies might prove satisfactory; or a nominal protectorate such as the United States maintains over Cuba might be preferable. Is there any reason why the United States, a nation entirely alien to the Porto Ricans in customs, habits, and language, 'P. C. Rodriguez, "Porto Rico as a National Problem"; G. H. Blakeslee [ed.], Mexico and the Caribbean (N. Y., 1920), p. 338. should have the veto power over all Porto Rican legislation and appoint an American governor and his assistants to see to it that such laws as we permit to be passed are executed in accordance with our ideas and precedents? Surely we must concede that the Porto Ricans have reached a state of civilization such that they are competent to govern themselves in a fairly satisfactory manner. We might well concede that they could do it in a far abler fashion than some of the Caribbean states that are now independent. If this is true, is the United States justified in determining how efficient, or of what type, their government should be? Are we, for example, willing to accept for ourselves the more efficient methods of an autocracy? If the United States intends merely to hold Porto Rico in leading-strings until clearer proof has been given that complete self-government would work, a goal at least would have been set towards which the Porto Ricans might strive. But so long as no policy whatsoever is laid down, and the Porto Ricans are compelled to receive governors whose appointment is based principally upon political grounds, and to accept laws in whose making they have had no voice, we can hardly expect them to be entirely satisfied. Nor can we truthfully say that our conduct and policies conform completely to the highest ideals and traditions of American political life. SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS L. S. Rowe, The United States and Porto Rico (Lond., 1904). W. F. Willoughby, Territories and Dependencies of the U. S. (N. Y., 1905), Chap. V. G. H. Blakeslee [ed.], Mexico and the Caribbean (N. Y., 1920), pp. 338-363. C. Lloyd Jones, Caribbean Interests of the United States (N. Y., 1916), Stephen Bonsal, The American Mediterranean (N. Y., 1912), pp. 289-302. A. H. Verrill, Porto Rico and San Domingo (N. Y., 1914). P. C. Rodriguez, "The U. S. and Porto Rico," Amer. Jour. of Int. Law, Vol. IX, p. 883 (Oct., 1915), Vol. X, p. 65 (Jan., 1916), Vol. X, p. 312 (April, 1916), Vol. XIII, p. 483 (July, 1919). A. Shaw, "Porto Ricans as Citizens," Rev. of Rev., Vol. LXIII, p. 483 May, 1921). Overland Monthly, Vol. LXXIII (April, 1919), series of articles on Porto Rico. CHAPTER X AMERICAN INTERESTS IN HAITI AND SANTO DOMINGO TH HE influence of geography upon history can hardly be overestimated. In ancient times, when nature's highways, the seas and great navigable rivers, furnished the principal arteries of communication, this influence was unquestionably more important than to-day, when man's ingenuity and effort have so largely overcome the obstructive barriers of nature. But even now, although the effects of physical factors are less evident, they play an important rôle in national and international policies. No nation can ignore the consideration of geography in evaluating the bases of its historical development. A mere glance at a map of the Caribbean Sea gives the key to the history of the island of Santo Domingo. Lying almost directly between Cuba and Porto Rico, it would undoubtedly be discovered by Spain; like Cuba, it would probably be the sport of English and French buccaneers during the seventeenth century; and at the present time, commanding as it does both of the important routes between northern Europe and the Panama Canal, i.e., the Windward passage and the Mona passage, it would necessarily be affected in some way by the influence of the United States. This is the general setting of its history, no less than that of its neighbors. But, although the historic background of the Caribbean islands is similar, each island has had a decidedly individual foreground; and in the case of Santo Domingo it must be sketched in rather somber colors. Santo Domingo was discovered by Columbus on his first voyage, shortly after he had discovered Cuba. The natives |