BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1900-02-23

$1,000 wv OnO AOAASAVuS1 AAASA~A va.
material Well-being of his numerous
flock in Puerto Rico. The vener
able and distinguished Bishop Of
Minnesota has also honOred us With
his presence, and will cheer us with
his words. An eminent jurist who
so ably presides over one Of oul
Courts of Justice, will speak to us
of the Island which is now his home.
All these speakers and the music
we shall listen to, will tell Of love Of
country, devotion to law and order,
true manhood and respect for human
rights.
There can be no comparison bet.
ween the quality of the patriotism
of the speakers and hearers, and
none as respects their admiration for
the nobility and grandeur of charac-
ter of the patriot and statesman and
soldier who was first in war, first
in peace and first in the hearts of
his cOuntrynen.
All our conceptions of Christian
duty and love of country are one
and the same, for we are all Strin-
wing for the same goal the dignity,
honor and prosperity of our common
country and the good of our fellow
men.
To hOnor the memory of Was
hington, statues and monuments OF
bronze, marble and granite have
been raised and are still being raised
in our country and in foreign lands,
but all these will pass away and re-
turn to dust, but his works, his deeds
and example shalt not pass away
while the human mind and the hu
man being retains the faculty of re-
cording human actions and convic-
tionS.
Among the many able and patrlo-
tic Puerto RicanS who have exten-
ded to me their cordial aid and as
SiStance in the difficult and response
bic position and duties which the
President of the United States has
devOlved vi ON me, is one who today
has kindly consented to address this
aSsemblage upon the theme assigned
by the order of the exercises.
haze the pleasure of Introducing
the distinguished member of the
Puerto Rican Bar, the Hon. Her
nandez Lopez.
Mr.. Hernandez Lopez made must
eloquent address on the life and cha
racter of George Washington and
his remarks were frequently inte-
rrupted by enthusiastic OutburSts of
applause.
Bishop BlenE said
1t seems to me that the purpose
of this meeting is accomplished al
ready. 1t is essentially and distinc-
tly patriotic meeting, and all tho
Sc who have listened to the fervid
eloquence of my friend, Mr.. Lopez,
if in their hearts their did not exist
a monument to the greatest Ameri-
can Of them all, then il must now
be there in triumph and glory.
This magnificent spectacle, these
young people each with flag Of
the United States in the hand, hol-
ding it high, their hearts learning
the grandeur the beauty, the strength
of American citizenship stirs up wi
thin me admiration, joy, delight
and transport within my heart. And
universally we are celebrating here
the stirring memories of the past
leading to the hopes and promises
that arise as by magic when tur-
ming to the years that are to be.
The anxious thoughts that will
busy themselves with the present
momentous period in our national
life; the economic, sociological,
agricultural and all fellow conditl
ons of this Island, as affected by
its Incorporation with the great
Republic ofthe West are my friends.
/ must tell you the whole just as
| feel it. To the winds with the
cold preparation of thought. Let
the human hear speak, and to the
human heart.