Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/695

 AREA, POPULATION AND INSTRUCTION — FINANCE 643

power resides in a Governor appointed by the President of the United State*. The legislative functions are vested in a legislature which consists of two elective houses : the Senate, composed of 19 members (2 from each of the 7 senatorial districts and 5 senators at large), and the House of Representatives, composed of 39 members (1 from each of the 35 representative districts and 4 elected at large). Porto Rico is represented in Congress by a Resident Commissioner to the United States elected by the people for a term of four years.

There are six heads of departments, who form a Council to the Governor, known as the Executive Council. The essential features of the United States civil service have been incorporated into a local law by the Legis- lature. The judiciary comprises an Attorney General and stafT and a United States court appointed by the President ; a Supreme Court of 5 members also appointed by the President ; 7 District Courts appointed by the Governor ; and 34 municipal courts, the judges and officials of which, as well as the 51 justices of the peace, are appointed by the Governor.

Governor.— Arthur Yager, 1920-24 (10,000 dollars). Executive Secretary. — Ramon Siaca Pachoco.

Area, Population and Instruction.— The island has an area of

3,606 square miles. The population in 1920 was 1,297,772 or 377 8 per sq. mile. The negroes in 1910 numbered 50,245, and mulattoes 335,192. There were, in 1910, 732,555 whites and 20 Chinese and Japanese. The coloured population was 38*2 per cent, of the whole in 1900 and 35 per cent, in 1910. Chief towns, San Juan, 70,707 inhabitants (1920) ; Ponce, 41,561 ; Mayaguez, 19,069. Of the working population, 63 per cent, are engaged in agriculture, fisheries, and mining ; 21 per cent, in domestic and personal service; 8 percent, in manufacturing industries; 8 per cent. in trade and transportation. In 1910 the percentage of illiteracy was 66 5. In 1899 the school system was reorganised and education was made compulsory. In 1919 there were 3,090 class-rooms in 1,903 school-buildings, with 184,991 pupils enrolled ; and a well distributed system of night schools and kindergartens. There are also a number of private schools. The University of Porto Rico, established in Rio Piedras, 7 miles from San Juan, is open to both men and women.

Finance. — Revenues are derived from customs and excise, from the general property tax, a collateral inheritance tax, taxes on incomes, on insurance companies and from various licences and fees. Receipts and dis- bursements for the year ending June 30, 1920 : —

Dollars.

Balance, July 1, 1919 5,022,316

Receipts, 1919-20 16,685,782

Total 21,708,098

Disbursements, 1919-20 15,621,963

Balance, July 1, 1920 6,086,135

The assessed value of property on June 30, 1919, was 254,169,242 dollars. The total outstanding bonded indebtedness is 10,264,000 dollars.

The police force consists of about 700 men, and the military force of about 3,000.