BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-10-09
SAN JUAN. OCTOBER 3
Editorial Comment.


The City of San Juan is beginning wrong.
1t has started in Dy msking mistake. B.,
showing lbod example to the .oiher mum
icipalities on this island. 1t is beginu-
ing whore the City Of New York, and mLny
other American municipalities are leaving
of. The experience that has been paid
for so dearly by our sisters in the Union
should teach US the lesson of municipal tinan
ciering, scithout any expense to ourselves. In
our first attempt to interest the money
markets of the United States in this City
and the island, we have failed. We have
failed, not in attracting attention, but in
establishing municipal integrity before the
American people. We have placsd San
Juan bonds on the market at 90. when there
was man knocking at our doors, eager,
anxious and willing to give us 979 we
we're afforded an opportunity to place the
City c, Gan Juan, on par financially with
the fo.s'. : cities in the American Union,
and " have refused to accept that
opportur .ty. We must begin all over
again, and remember that we do not re
present ourselves, but the people Of
this city. The humblest peon within our
confines has as much interest, comparatively
in the floating Of the San Juan loan, as the
richest landed proprietor. We must take
him into consideration. s'Qaick action for
your money! is one way Of doing business,
but only when it is your own money that is
~ Question. Every man, woman and child
In this city has share in municipal funds,
and they cannot afford to run the risk OF
quick action for their money. They haven't
got enough Of it, and to much depends upon
the proper use Of it to permit them to take
any quick action chances. They must nave
fair, open, and carefully consideration 81
: any piopJsTtifsn 10 lI0an them IfUnsy. And
above all they cannot afford 10 take Ninety
i've cents for their dollar. when they can gel
Ninety seven and one.talf cents.
The financial and commercial standing
and reputation of this island depends above
oil other things, On the ability of our
municipalities sld business men to attract
to as that American capital which we need
SO much for the development of this island,
and We cannot at the very outset afford to
send back word to the United States that we
do not want American capital, that we DO
not believe in open fair competition, but that
We do believe in Star Chamber proceedings,
and that railroading measures through our
Sity conncils, and legislative bodies forms
an important part our policy. If we do thi;
We inform the American people that we are
accepting ell that is bad in the politics oi
their country, and that we do not desire to
learn from the United States any Of the
lessons of good government which stand
"a an everlasting monument, and and eter.
nal eulogy on the American people and its
great men.
In connection with this subject Of accept
ing the legislative railroading plan, we refer
TO the words uttered by President Roose.
welt Just before his Inauguration to pro.
minelt' American nov residing in Porto Ri
co, printed in cur edition of Sept. II in
which the President said "We have great
problem to solve in our new possessiors,
and we must undertake the task With a sin.
cere and honest puropose". s'We must as
far aapossible make the conditions of life
better Ifor the people, through education.
legislation, and just administration OF in.
sular affairs.p '9But there is one thing ilE
portani; AND THAT is THAT ALL
WHO GO THERE TO INTRODUCE
CIVIL GOVERNMENT SHOJ LID
EXEMPLIEY IN THEIR LIVES THE
BEST OF AMERIJAN ClTiZEN-
SHIP.
Legislative railroad schemes and political
jobbeIy is not an exempllficaiion of The besi
in American citizenship. Not alone is il
an imposition on the people Of Porto Rico,
but IL ls . slander and an insult to the great
American nation. It 10 an exemplificatioD
Of the worst, and Of the machine in Ameri-
can politics, of Cr0kerism and Tweedism,
Cf what the people of the gerater cities IN
the Union have been fighting for twenty
five years. And its introduction here must
besnapped oil in its inception. The people OF
Porto Rico must be given to understand
that the American uho attempts to intro
duce it here does not exemplify what is
hest American citizenship, bur that be does
exempliiy wat is bad in American politics,
ard that 10 does not represent the great
bulk Of eur citizenship, but tine polincal
jobber against whom the hands of all honest
men are raised even today in the metropo
lis OF the Empire State.
10 the Executive Council must the people
ef Porto Rico look tor their examples OF
what Is best in Americanism, and 1t was to
nvoid the possibility Of municipal mistakes
and bad policies that our Organic law provid-
Cd snch . Council, and our Legislators gave
% tho Executive Council ihesuperyisofy po
wers they hold. There can be ats,lalely no
d3ubt that when DR.. HolIander introduced
the clause In tho revenue laws requiring IN
9aIar supervision Of municipal loans that he
contemplated the poasibilily Of just such \
occurrence ~ We sre to-day k.ving. Senator
Foraker when he introduced what is now
enr ofSanic law suggested those measures
that would give be greetest assurance
Df protection against the bad ia politics
There u no necessity TO make sneRfslions
n ~ Nxocu:iYc Council They sfo men