BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-12-18
SAN JUAN, DECEMBER 10
Editorial Comment.

Emerging from a wonderful chaos of color,
and after writhing in the turmoil of cUntor-
tions caused by the effort to be green, yelloH
and red all at one and the same time, the
befudded chameleon rises its head after
the storm this morning, forgets that it was
red yesterday, and foolishly believing that
the public mind varies with The aspect oi
its ever changing and vanishing rainbow,
comes out in what is supposed to be an
editorial especially directed to the attention
OF those who think, aud makes the remark
able statement that ssthere is too much
pretension, too much talking and insincer
iy in some of our Porto Rican journals
For months, many weary months has the
San Juan public been endeavoring to
impress this idea into the, for want of better
and more positive information, what we may
call the textile fabric of the Yellowist. After
endeavoring for many months to inculcate
the above remarkable statement into the
personnel of the chameleon, we are at last
compelled to admit that there are some
things beyond human achievement, aud this
apparently is one OF them. Instead of hav.
ing learned the spirit and intent of rhe lesson
that it this morning declares, it has taken
the propos tiou word for vord, aud in place OF
an intelligent appreciation of great principles,
we are confronted with the fact that the
chameleon is Without the power OF intelligent
understanding of good substantial truths
but is mere follower of details, and when
lett alone beyond the proposition that the
statement made above is aud was intended
for instruction, it simply follows the adage
word for word, and like a lisping babe
SIMPLY takes what is given, repeats it
faithfully and then shyly awaits mama's
penny.
If there is any satisfaction to us who
have been endeavoring to teach the lesson
uttered this morning, in knowing that it
has been learned word for word, without
any good results accruing theretrom, then
the penny is honestly due the chameleon,
and We should be guilty of reputation if We
withheld it. Even if the pet has not earned
the penny honestly for the lesson we have
attempted to teach it We must all admit that
the elegant specimens of school boy heroics
which we have all been treated to in tie
last few days, should certainly call for the
full appreciation Of those who are interested
in the development OF the youthful mind,
and the belief that some day he will be able
to make fine Fourtl of July grafton. AS
a maker OF authentic cables, and as tsprin.
ger of new ones" he is already a genius IS
he himself admits, and as no ie questions.
Sometime in the month of November
1900 Sir Arthur Sullivan, the noted English
composer died. A cable was received by a
local newspaper giving the information that
simply said "Sullivan Dead" The cable
being dated New York, and the member OF
the office staff in charge Of the cable trans
latiOns, being and American naturally and
reasonably believed that the name of Sui.
lvan was intended to be John L. Sullivan
the noted American pugilist, and this belief
was all the more strengthened by the ac-
counts which bad appeared some days be.
fore in the New York papers, of the serious
lllness of the aforesaid noted pugilist.
Firm in the belief that the prize fighter
was dead, the cable was inserted in the
paper telling Of the death OF John l.. Sui
livisn the noted American pugilist, and
giving in addit on short sketch Of his
career. The next morning the .'only one
that springs anything new in its cable ser
vice" had ''the world staggered and SPELL
bounf By the information that John L.
Sullivan had died, that he had been operated
on for caoEer and had died from the effects
of the operation, AND GAVE THE
NAME OF THE HOSPITAL AT
WHICH THE SAD CATASTROPHE
HAD OUCURED. The next week the
papers from the States gave the il ,rmation
that the pugilist was alive and as vigorous
as ever, and that S'r Arthur EuIlivan had
succunbed in England.
For many weeSs before the national cam.
paign of 1000 the news was Aeralded broad.
cast Throughout the island that full and
complete details OF the cleo ion results
In the various states would be received
Dy Tetuan Street and that a stand
would be erected on The Plaza, and
the news given free to the world, that the
cable Office had been bought, that the world
was amazed BY the enterprise of tropical
journal, and that money lad been consider
ed more insignificant detail in the desire
to satisfy the public. The exhibition which
was given was really case Of sispringipg
something newv on the Porto Rican people.
To the indignant citizen who waited on The
Plaza for the news Hkich had been so often
promised, the ways Of the yellow journal
were indeed new, and furnished some food
for contemplation. Many thought il was
new specimen Of Amsricsn humor, that il
was simply one Of those huge practical jokes
which are peTpetrated upon transporting
people, and with many pnssled lock and
expletive they returned to their homes firm
y resolved that although they might like
the American way Of doing business and its
governmental principles, they certainly
cou'd'nt see any bumor In American Jokes,