BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-08-31
SAN JUAN, AUGUST 81, 1901.
Editorial Comment.

More than o year and half ago me.
vement was begun in San Juan looking
towards tue organization OF an insular mil
itia, it being throught TO be clear that un
der the terms of the Foraker act, which
named the governor as the commander IN
chief of such force, the authority Tor Its
establishment existed and as it was believed
that at least company should at once be
formed to act as personal escort and
honorary body guard for the executive, sew
eral Americans here, chiefly clerks in the
various departments, took the matter up.
The question of authority to orgsnize was
referred to the then attorney general. Tne
latter expressed it as his opinion that the
organic act did not create or authorize a
militia and therefore the right to form such
body did not exist.
An appropriation from the proper funds
having now been made at Washington &C
cording to report for this very purpose 1T
wou.d appear that the right for the creation
of force is recognized at department head
quarters.
There can be no doubt as TO the value
of an armed domestic organization, it may
be and often is useful auxiliary to tie
police powers OF cities when wide spread
disturbances from any cause Occuf, it is
the military arm of the state and it is the
germ out of which volunteer army is
largely created in time Of scar.
While it is true that the present insular
police force may be said in some senses to
take the place of militia in Porto Rico,
that is no reason why a state organization
SHOULD not be made as the present police
body may be but q temporary onsS and
cannot in any event be considered as a
substitute for the larger and permanent
Steps should be taken 70 create at least
a company to act as an honorary body guard
for the governor on all official and public
occasions and in such a beginning no doubt
other parts OF the island will soon follow
in the creation of still other companies
Such suggested body would add grea-
tly to the imposing character Of the cere-
monies attendant upon the coming inaug-
uration of the new governor and If imme
diate steps were now taken TO organize it
home company might be ready to appear
upon that &C ;asion.
According to recent dispatches things are
greatly disturbed in Brazil the country is
B. oxen up into hostile factions, members OF
which are seeking each others lives and a
revolution seems to be imminent.
The present president, Campos SALES, is,
and has been for some time unpopular a1d
it is probable that the present state of aft
airs is in part personal move against that
official, though there is a national weakness
in Brazil, the republic has generally been
disrrusted at home and abroad and the mas
ses of the country are clearly not lit for self
government.
There is every reson to believe that mo.
narohy will be reestablished in Brazil in
the near future.
As announced in our extra of last night
President Mckinley at late hour in ibe1
afternoon of yesterday appointed Hon. w.
III. Hunt, Civil Governor Of Porto Rico.
The cable arrived too late for our regular
edition and the news was given 10 the pub
lie in a few minutes after the arrival OF
the message by means of BoLETIN Spe
cial.
When it became unofficially known some1
weex ago that Mr.. Hunt would be chosen
to be the successor OF Mr.. Allen as chief
executive Of is1sIand, the BOLETTN MER |
CANTIL, voicing its own sentiments and that
of the Porto Rican public in general, ex-
pressed its keen satisfaction in the choice
made and on the present occasion we desire |
to again say that roe feel the highest con-
fdence in the fitness Of Mr.. Hunt for the
duties OF the exalted Office to which he has
now been called and to again offer our
congratulations to that gentleman himself