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    "localId": "290019006",
    "label": "Report, United States Policy Toward Puerto Rico Since 1898, Division of Historical Policy Research, Department of State",
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    "id": "290019006",
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    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Report, United States Policy Toward Puerto Rico Since 1898, Division of Historical Policy Research, Department of State",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/290019006",
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            "logicalDate": "1951-08-01",
            "month": 8,
            "year": 1951
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{
    "seq": 162,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "photo",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/truman/hst-psf/602191/750357/750357-26-162.tif",
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    "ocrText": "RESTRICTION\nRESTRICTED\n-297-\n-298-\neconomic policy toward Puerto Rico, namely, free trade, it\nmay be stated that many Puerto Ricans have opposed it\nprovided in the Organic Act. 1\nbecause it gave rise to higher imported-food costs for\nPuerto Ricans and to a largely one-crop (sugar) economy\nPredictions that large corporations, if not controlled,\nwith its accompanying evils of absentee ownership, minimal\nwould acquire a stranglehold on the island's lands were\neconomic benefits to natives, and reduction of food-crop\nmade by Congressman William A. Jones, of Virginia, a\nmember of the House Committee on Insular Affairs, in\nacreage. American officials and unofficial investigators\nhave replied that free trade has enabled the island to\ndiscussions of proposed amendments to the Organic Act\nobtain higher prices for its exports to the United States\nfor more stringent control over corporations operating in\nand has provided the islanders with sufficient income from\nthe island. He said:\nthe sugar economy to overbalance the \"drain\" of absentee\n\"Unless these amendments are adopted I believe\nprofits. In the absence of a determination of the ultimate\nstatus of Puerto Rico, the pleas of islanders for tariff\nthat it is almost certain that within the shortest\nautonomy have not been complied with by Congress.\nperiod possible after the government provided for\nin the act of April 12 has been organized and put\nB.\n500-Acre Law\ninto operation, the great corporations of this\ncountry will own every single acre of the sugar\nand tobacco lands of this most fertile island. And\nThe history of agriculture in Puerto Rico under\nif that shall become the case, then the condition\nAmerican sovereignty is bound up to a large extent with\nthe so-called \"500-acre law\". Following the President's\nof the population will, I believe, be reduced to\none of absolute servitude. The people of Porto\napproval of the first Organic Act for Puerto Rico on April\n12, 1900 (effective May 1), 1 there was introduced in\nRico will be driven to cultivate these lands for\nthese corporations at whatever daily wage they\nCongress on April 18 a bill which became the joint\nresolution of May 1, 1900 (effective immediately). It\nchoose to pay them.\nprovided that\nHe also said on April 11, 1900:\nevery corporation hereafter authorized\nto engage in agriculture shall by its charter be\n\"Today there are no corporations in Puerto\nRico. It will not be long after this bill becomes\nrestricted to the ownership and control of not to\nlaw before organized capital will own everything\nexceed five hundred acres of land. This provision\nshall be held to prevent any member of a corporation\nof any value in sight, including the very soil.\nengaged in agriculture from being in any wise in-\n1. Nonenforcement Prior to 1935\nterested in any other corporation engaged in agricul-\nture. 2\nThe law's admirable intent was, however, nullified\nin effect by the absence of penalties for violation.\nIn passing this law Congress clearly intended to protect\nthe people in the island against the loss of their land\nto large American corporations, which were certain to ex-\npand sugar-cane growing in view of the tariff assimilation\nTugwell, Puerto Rican Public Papers, pp. 294-303,\n339; House Report No. 497, 79th Congress, 1st Session, p. 48;\nCaribbean Land Tenure Symposium, pp. 99-102.\n1\nSee ante, pp. 11 ff.\n2 Congressional Record, vol. 33, part 5, Apr. 24, 1900,\n231 Stat. 715; 48 U.S.C. 752.\np. 4619.\n3Ibid., vol. 33, part 8, Appendix, p. 234.\nRESTRICTED\nRESTRICTED"
}