BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-04-08
SAN JUAN, APRIL 8
Backing Up
Z" Honest Dealing. "
San Tuan, April Sth, 1902.

San Juan, April Sth, 1902.
To the Editor, BoLETtN MERCANTIL:
I read, with a great deal of interest
the letter in your edition of yesterday
signed "l1onest Dealing" and I must
say, if anything, that the writer of that
letter was rather mild in his statements,
and that he did not put the situation
before the public in as strong light
as it should be.
It is well known fact that the mer-
chants of this cityand other insular towns
could before the annexation purchase
from Europe goods of every description
on which there was either no duty
whatsoever, or SO very little duty that
the price was never materially increased.
To-Day these goods from Europe, which
without the duty, would be much
cheaper than American goods without
the duty, cannot enter here without the
payment of heavy customs. Duties so
heavy that their purchase is ont of the
question.
The result of all this is that the
Porto Rican merchant is compelled to
purchase his goods of every description,
from machinery down to pins and
needles from the States. The protec-
tion given by the Dingley tariff extends
to protecting American merchants in
the Porto Rican Market and practically
gives to American manufacturers an
absolute monopoly on the Porto Rican
market. This is just in accordance
with the American principle of protec-
ton to home industries.
Where does the justice come in
compelling the Porto Rican merchant
to purchase his goods at a high price
in the States, and then having his
customers send to the States for the
very goods which he is purchasing in
large quantities, and keeping ON hand
for the convenience of possible pur-
chasers.
If the Federal authorities will remove
the duties on articles coming from
Europe, the Porto Rican merchant will
guarantee to better New York prices
by at least IS per cent on everything
which can be had from the other side.
There are for sale today in Porto Rico
various articles at prices lower than
those of New York, such articles as
French perfumes ETC., simply because
these goods have been, here since be-
fore the Dingley tariff shut them out.
This would be the case with every
other line of goods which might be
obtained abroad.
To the Dingley tariff have never
heard word of objection from any of
the local merchants and this has been
simply on the assumption that goods
purchased from the States would be
bought here, and would give the mer-
chan. the same percentage of profit as
he obtained of his foreign imported
goods. The truth of the matter is that
the Porto Rican merchant made larger
Fl ,ft on low price European i'm.
por .ations that he does today on goods
pouhht fro II the Staies and sold at a
b Chg, prize comparatively.
This much is certain, that the local
American will in time kill the Portori-
can market for the American manufac-
turer. Of what benefit or interest will
1t be to Porto Rican merchant to pur-
chase goods from the States which
4An4Cl4SaAlO bDCAl1OCASCo OCllQ lOl t1llQ It.
csive by mail
No profit. no benefit and waste of
time and energy
There should be some fairness shown
in this matter. OF course we Ameri.
cans can get very indignant ever any
one telling us where to spend our mo-
hey, and when to spend it. We can
go ranting about the ingratitude of
some people, and insist that every
dollar obtained here is well earned,
and even say that we don't get it from
Porto Rico anyway, but the fact of
the matter still remains that if the
Porto Kican merchants should combine
and refuse to purchase any goods from
American commercial agents travel
ling to this island, that the American
people would suffer far mole than the
Porto Rican would
! am glad to see that the BoLETIN
published the letter of Honest Deal
ing !. and hope that it will also pub
Iish this one of
COMMON SENSE. /