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

tacle of disturber of law and order, an
advocate of riot and liceHse appealing TO
the very authorities whose existence he has
universally decried and bewailed, for
protettion from those conditions and
persons whom he shought with all the
power in his might to place in positions OF
superiority and power, and his erst-ohile
defender and compatriot to-day was IN
those days before the vision became blurred
BY causes unknown to the public, one OF
those WHO cried out loudest against his ma
ehinations and his personality.
We have the pleasure, we believers in
law and order, in the sacredness OF justice,
of hearing the plaintive wall of man whose
reputation as one opposed to all government
has long been known to all citizens OF this
leland. The case suggests that of Justus
Schawb the New York anarchist who imme-
diately after the death of President McKin-
ley, appealed to the Police OF New York
for protection from possible violence.
That was indeed a rare satisfaction for the
New York police and the people of that
community, and we of San Juan are to-day
awarded the same glory and honor, the
spectacle of Santiago Iglesias appealing for
protection to the same government which
ne tried to interfere with, and disturb as
much as any one man could.
The sacred rights of labor have never
been ignored by the American government
and there is no danger that they ever will
be, and there is no man so certain 0f this as
Mr.. Samuel Gompers, the President of the
American Federation of Labor. Our fore.
most men have always stood for the organi.
cation of labor, and Bishop Potter one oi
our leading clergyman, in a powerful aTtic
le written in New York paper not so long
ago, defended organized labor from ali
points of view, and his doctrine and opinion
was readily accepted by the nation almost
as body.
To the Porto Rican laborer the same pro.
lection and insurance of equity which we
afford the workingmansin the states, will be
and is guaranteed by all our laws, and
dogmas, but does it not indeed look like a
case Of hurling defiance at all law and
order when the people, the working classes
of Porto Rico, choose as their representative
such leader as Santiago Iglesissf Is Mr..
Samuel GOmpers familiar with the career
Of Santiago Igleslasg
Mr.. Gompers owed duty to the work,
ingmen of Porto Rico when he sent RI
preventative amongst them to organize and
protect their various trades, and did he
properly perform that duty when he sent as
his representative Mr.. Iglesias?
Taking into consideration Mr.. Gompers
reputation ss conservative labor leader,
and as one who has the full confidence OF
the administration and all lovers OF Law
and order in the states, it is difficult to
believe that Mr. Gompers was familiar
with the career of Santiago Iglesias i'll
Porto Rico. 1t is hard to believe that Mr..
Gompers has stamped with his approval
the Disturbances caused and created by
Iglesias in Porto Rico long before his
advent az labor leader in the Un ted
States.
1t can also be q1estioDed whether Mr..
Eompers was or is familiar with the fact
that Mr.. Santiago Iglesias absolutely ig.
nored and disobeyed the mandates OF our
Courts of law, and refused absolutely to
have any respect for our judges or their
decisions. 1t is also mighty difficult to
believe that Mr.. Gompers is aware OF the
Fact that on his arrival in the United States
. fugitive from justice from Porto kco, Mr
5antisgo Iglesias attended a meeting of
socialists in the city OF Indianapolis and
here in fiery speech characterized Presid
mt Mckinley as tyrant and called his
OF affairs in Porto Rico as |
styrannical abuse of powern
If Mr.. Samuel Gompers was aware of
hese facts then he has consciously and
inflicted grave injury on the
Of Porto RICO, and if he il I'm
acquainted with these facts, the workingmen |
,ere should make him familiar with them
md should call for Porto Rican represen-
ative who has the respect Of the people |
md the government, and one who is in a
position to come forward and demand for
abor those rights which it is justly entitled
o. This Santiago lglesias cannot do, since
ong ago he forfeited all right to be con
idered anything but leader Of disruption
nd disorder.
To those citizens who never in the course
/ their daily occupations come sinto contsct
nth disorder and disobediense, the spectacle 1
/ the knowledge of two mob leaders fight.
IL for power amongst their following comes
IMPLY as . tale Of disturbance in the lover
'gions which is listened 10 and then forgot
n, but when public newspaper hecomesl
10 chronicler of such state Of affairs and
rem gees 90 far as TO take sides 10 the con
0vtrsy and battle for powsr amongst two
en-, one Of whom has already led mobs, I
i'd The other aspiring 70 lead mobs, the in, !
rmation is not shadowy tale to be for
,tten sn instant alter it is related, but be
mes thorn in the side Of honest psop
ID honest officials For days and days we j
We had pages and columns of Mauleon and &
lesiss, their daily doings, their lives and q
~ aeiiens, until 81 sye agreed thal these 3