BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1901-11-14
SAN JUAN, NOVEMBER "A
Editorial Comment.


ferer from a serious chronic ailment, anO
subject to temporary disorders OF vlrulent
nature, had just been discharged from
charity hospi. al. picture Of abject misery |
he acalked the streets OF one OF our larger
cities. After an all day tramp just as ne was
about to give up in despair, he found lying
in the gutter bright shining nickel. lie
picked the money up, played with 1t Tor
while. and then tried 10 decide in which way
he could best spend it. He needed meal,
but he wanted drink. He walked over to
corner where there was a saloon, and sitting
down on the edge of the curb tossed the
coin high in the air If it came head
he was to have drink, if it came tail ne
was to have a meal 1t came tail. Then
he hesitated for he wanted the drink mort.
He tossed again, and this time it came head.
Then he decided to have two out OF three
for q final decision. Th coin was tossed the
third time, dropped to the street, rolled
down the gutter and with faint splash
fell into the 70 yer, lost forever. Then
he got up and resumed his journey.
The people of this island in despair and
poverty stricken because OF the occu-
renee Of unforeseen disasters events over
which they had NO control, are now just
beginning to recover from serious tempor-
ary ailment. The poorer classes, that is
the masses, are still suffering from the blow
which was inflicted upon them by the terri
BILE San Oiriaco cyclone. Their condition
however has improved very much since the
days Immediately following the terrible cat.
astrophe. Nov when they are beginning to
see the light Of day, when the benefits to be
derived from liberal education, liberal
just beginning to dawn upon us, Mr Andres
Carnegie, permits us to find, in the gutter IS
it were 100000 for the purpose of building
public library. We need the library, we
need it badly is admitted, but along comes
our friends of Tetuau Street and they tell
us that we cannot eat books, that they will
not fill our stomachs, that they soill not cure
the sick. We admit this. We need a
hospital and we need library. And chen
comes some San Juan phys clan, who wants
to toss the 800, 900 up into the air. And
the chances of its final disappearance into
the quit would indeed be very bright.
The Commission Or of Educat on of Porto
Rico, one Of the foremost of American
educators, whose enthusiasm on the subjec
Of the San Juan Library knows no bounds,
made personal application to Mr. Andrew
Carnegie Tor an endowment for public
libflry. Tie matter was sgitsted, discusse
and decided on, and Mr. Carnegie willingly
and grac tusly makes us the gif. No bind.
ing or restricting conditions, no saving OF
sparing clauses for himself, absolutely
nothing hut the gift of 100000 for publ G
library on condition that the City of San
Juan will furnish site and an appropriation
for the annual expenditures of the library
Everybody in Porto Rico btc mes en-.
thuslastjc over the prospect, and fully coz.
Vineed that he has helped his follow men
in Porto Rico in the best way he knew how,
Sac Commissioner of Education sails to the
Sites prepared to make final arrangements
for iha erection of the building, when along
comes the chronic anti, the dissgreer, the
man with the exceptions, the fellow with The
new ideas, and informs us under large
brazen headlines that books would not fill
his stomach. This is a self evilent propos.
ition when made by the Tetuan Street gen.
tleineD, for If the books could be made n
appel zing dish, these erudite individuals
would develop more intelligence, in their
intestlnes than in their brains
If the People of Porte Rico DO t and ur.
derstaud ng want 10 accept Andrew Car
negie's gift, all that is necessary is
to send him a c1py of the Te.u n
Street journal of to-day. Never has there
been more open insult offered to
liberal kesr:ed dlsin crested philanthropist.
Because we eed hospital we are advised
to inform Mr.. Carnegie that we don't want
bis library. Surely this is going beyond
mere discussion for the public welfare. II
begins to take on the aspect Of OPP ,sition
to everything and anything that does not
origin Me in Tetuan Street. We should
make our Yellow friend the censor and sole
judge Of municipal and insular benefits, and
rot act without his advice and suggestion
given in advance. Because you cannot eat
Andrew Carnegie's books don't read them,
because yon cannot cure the poor sick with
them, do not permit the poor healthy to
gather an education which will make them
selfdependent in times of Hines They have
figured 1t ell out according to Tetuan Street
logic, and SO tat you should not for get tie
strength and power Of their conclusions they
have pic sit in large black Lead lines
Il lis fortunate that the People OF Porto
Rico are not open to the advice Of j)urnal-
lists whose opin ons and prtjudicss are so
patent and plain as to deceive no one.