BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-07-12
SAN JUAN, JULY y, 1901.
Editorial Comment.

The atmosphere is full of mystery as TO
the South African war and tie real san
timents prevailing in foreign courts tow
ards the contending parties and The attit-
ude they are likely to hereafter assume If
the struggle does not scon terminate has
become the subject of much wondering
comment in the press everywhere.
Mrs. B0tha's recent visit to the c0ntin-
ent where she held conference with
President Kruger, as it was first believed
tor the purpose Of persuadins the aged
Boar magistrate to end the war, seems nov
not to have been mission of peace and
the lady is quoted as saving that she
would rather her husband should fall upon
the field than that a jot OF the rrincples
for which her people are con:end!ng Should
be yielded up or sacrificed.
Wilhelmina, the noble young queen Of
Holland, lately visited The kaiser, it is
generally believed to attempt to persuade
that monarch to intervene in the interests
of peace, though it is tue the foreign
press has stated that the royal errand ter
minated in failure, and the French people
recently have been more than ever con
demnstory of the English side of the con
troversy.
1t IS poss BILE that Hollands beloved
young sovereign may not after ell have
met with the reported rebuff and the recens
rumored rapprOcbment between Germany
and France indicate a new un4nimity' be-
tween the wv 4n;asllens which might bring
them to a similar view point as to the
war. AS for the press of the two countries
they have from the first been together in
c0ndemning the British cause.
The recent policy adopted by Kitchner
of concentrating non-cOmbatants in de:en
tion camps, where women are said to have
been caused much suffering and the NOR
talty among infants has been excessive,
has undoubtedly not alone aroused Oppos
ition at home but has awakened much feel
ing everyaohere. There are rumors that
many Beers have been tried in military
courts and CONDEMNED to he shot,
If these reports prove to be true and it
is found that the articles of war are beins
violated by either sid protests are pretty
sure to follow from The neutral nations.
1t is likely however that the reports
have been exaggerated, there have been
mutual accusations from the first in the
taco armies
In the light of the gossip and all the
mystery it would not be surprising is in
tsrventon should seo1 be openly buggested
or definitely offered.
No public event of recent years in the
United States has been SO reple:e with
political immortality and seDsationalism as
the bold attempt, if reports speak truly, OF
J. E. Addicks, a particularly shameless
and aggressive ''boss," to purchase seat
in the United States senate from the state
of Delaware.
Addicks is an extremely rich man, his
wealth runs into the millions, and has
been accumulated through altogether shady
methods in the requirement of valuable
public franchises in Boston and elseu here,
where he has manipulated large enterprises
aad holdings with consummate skill He
removed to Delaware and there obtained
citizenship, then he went deliberately to
wolk to break into the senate
Wherever men<were vulnerable he cor
rupted them aud be did not for bis parf
attempt to hide tie fact. So far he has
been beaten but he<succeeded IN dep>iv.
ing the state of represent natives of both
seats in the senate by deAdlocking the leg
islature. And he SAYS he wont give it up.
This offensive scandal and the events
attending upon Senator ClarHs election in
Montana and that of Mat Quay in Pen.
sylvania are eloquent arguments in favor
Of the choice Of senators by the direct vote
of the people.
Such reform will be likely to be ad.
vocated in the platform Of all parties in
the next presidential campaign.
Tha status of Porto Rican citizenship
does indeed seem to be kazy. This con.
dition grows out Of the decision OF the
supreme court which while it sets at rest
many legal points leaves this matter an
open one and SUBJECT to various interpreta
ti0ns. 1t is certainly true that some coor-
dinate questions with those definitely sdjud
ica'ed are not clear in the decision, and the
real political standing of the Porto Rican is
left 10 ss much doubt as prior to the handing
down Of the courts opinion
1t would appear, hoSever, that full citizen
ship has already recognized by the court in
that Mr. Degetau has been admitted to prac.
tice before It's bar, privilege which cannot
be coDstitusionalIy granted to any one but
citizen Of ihe Unitel States
It is probable that the court will not touch
this matter at its next session as il isa poll
itical question and according to the language
Of tbs decision such must be left to the aut
hority Of congress,
That body can scarcely do less than affirm
what the court has already by its acts yir-
tually conceded.