BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-29
SAN JUAN, NOVEMBER %
Editorial Comment.

The Indianapolis News OF November 10
in discussing the Iglesias incident gives
voice TO the following sentiments:
ga dispatch from San Juan, Porto Rice,
saws that NJ. Santiago Eglesias was arrested
on his arrival there from the United States
a few days ago. This is the same lglesias
acho attended the Socialist convention In
this city last summer and introduced some
resolutions abusing the United States gov
ernment for its ''tyrauical exercise OF pow
er in Porto Ricor. From here he Went
East and got Mr.. GOmpers, president OF
the American Federation of Labor, to take
him to call On President Roosevelt, achen
they ioined in request that the Pres dent
should instruct government officials In POr.
to Rico to give Mr.. Iglesiss all needed as.
sistance in organizing the worklgmen OF the
island. The President treated the callers
politely, but was noncommittal IN his In
dorsement of Mr.. Iglesias's mission. T.e
next we hear OF him is his arrest In San
Juan, on which he sends an indignant
message to Mr.. Gompers, which the latter
hastens to lay before the President lgle-
sias pretends not to know why he Was ar
rested, but q press dispatch shows it was
for contempt of court in having paid no at
tention to q summons thr ce repeated 10
appear in proceeding against him for hav'
ing organized labor conspiracy and strike
based on opposition to United States cur
rency. The dispatch says s'the puOlIc pro-
secutor asks that he be sentenced to term
of Imprisonment on the grouad that he is a
dangerous labor agitator and is continually
causing unrest.n All the facts go to sustain
the latter charge. Before coming to the
United States Iglesias obtained some not
oriety by denounciDg Governor Hunts an
nuRI report as tissue OF misrepreEensa-
tions, and his principal object in coming here
seems to have been to get in his inceudIary
resolutions at the Socialist convention and
secure the Endorsement of Mr.. Gompers.
He is one Of tie bad assets the United
States got with Porto Rico, and is evident.
ly what the public prosecutor calls him =
dangerous labor agitator. If Mr.. Gompers
knoaCs his true character he deserves severe
censure for indOrsing and cooperating
with him, and if he does not know him he
is equally censursbIe for Introducing a
stranger to the President as reputable
labor leader. Mr.. Gompers seems to be
doing his best to assist IglesiaS in making
himself national nuisance.
1t seems to be the general impression in
the States, spread apparently by Mr.. lgesias
himself, that he has bsen the victim OF per-
secution and injustice at the hands of the
authorities in Porto Rico. 1t also seems to
be true that Mr.. Iglesas imposed upon MI.
Gompers when he informed him that he had
been arrested and without cause, upon his
arrival here.
Mr.. Jglesias was well aware OF the fact
that he had disobeyed the mandate of a
court Of this island, and when arrested upon
his arrival here there is absolutely no douDr
information from the authorities, what the
charges against him were.
AS to Mr.. lglesias real object in the cam.
paign which he has conducted on this island
and in the states, nothing can be said
What his ideas on socialism and the labor
problem are cannot be readily discussed as
Mr. IgIesias has never properly made them
public, or placed himself before the people In
8 way which would entitle him to the Onest
consderauen of peaceful citizens. But as
to the manner in which Mr. Iglesias has
conducted his campaigns, and the procedure
he pursued in his attempts to create riot and
unrest, the unanimous dissaproval of the
press, the people and the government must
surely be known to him..
Resorting to every possible device TO crea.
te riot and bloodshed in Porto Rico, TO over
throw law and order, and to betuddle and
belabor honest workiDgmen, Mr.. Iglesias,
it appears goes to the United States and
attends socialist convention and introduces
resolutions abusing the President of the
United States for his shameful treatment
and exercise Ct power in Porto Rcou. Ii
certainly was blessing for the people Of this
island that the President did exercise power
ct the time Of the lglesias disturbances, or
the people Of this island would never cease
70 remember Igleeias and his cork.
The mans ideas may be good, but his
manner and principles OF conducting efforts
In behalf Of labor are bad, aud Mr.. Gompers
should send another representative to
Porto Rico, who is in better position to
come before the Porto Rican people and dc.
mands labors just rights.
Surely no fault can be found with ii 9
Ind. News statement that Iglesias is {" one
Of the bad assets the United States got
with Porto Rico =.