BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-03-15
sANJUAN, MARCH IS
The Chronic Anti.

Tue creed Of vigorous opposition to al
things done or attempted BY anyone, either
privately Or publicly, to benefit the world at
large or some place in part 'cular, seems t.
have obtaioed many followers in Porto II co.
The deesriLe Of unbelief in oil things takes
iss most positive foim here In opposition to
s'l Innovations, no matter where they come
frsm. Every poss bic obstructien thrown in
the way Of those people who take an active
iatsrest In the scelfare of the island, 10 one
Of the modes OF procedure.
II 10 mistake for the authorities to be-
iieve that, this opposition 10 purely on
grounds of sentimentality or patriotism. 1t
is merely the proifaeted scsil efths pessrnist,
the same % we haer him every where IN
the world. In the states his power for harm
10 very small, distributed - he is over such
large area, but here in small spot oi
ground, and listened to BY people who are
snsious for startling tbings, his power tor
ds4nagss 10 wideapfsad.
This fellow objsctsd to the things that
wers under SPAN with wall and shrek.
He was always On hand ready TO condemn,
sriticiss and cry put against oil things To
day ks 10 still the Same opponent OF every
thipx that partakes of the nature OF An
attempt 70 make tho world or any portion OF
It one whit better. First he wsrks destruc-
tion and confusion, and VIXEN the crash
comes hs quietly takes cover, and waits for
the storm 10 abate.
Every new movement begun in Porto
Rioo since the American occupation has
been violently and severely attacked and
criticised. Obstacles Of every kind have
bsen throw in the seay Of labor aud work fol-
hette1ment. Under weak administration
this obstrustiOa might hare succeeded and
eheas would to-day bs the result. Every
Law passed has been bitterly Assailed, bul
suly to be s:yenghsasd BY the earnsstnsss o.
The hopeful ones, who alsAys look for the
hest. and who shiYk NO responsibilities.
This pessim mism 10 the wall of the jrresPon
aihle. the SHREK Of The NAN who answers the
cry Of ":what's the use OF anything ! !" with
tke werd "nething". This 10 the man
who believes in the destiny Of nations, bal
Who when the time comes to test thai
destiny er,ss for artillery and warsh'Ps. This
n the man who obstructs tie passage of q
new law, and shsn his tactics succeed, be
walls the impotency OF the authorities 10
failing to pass 1t. This 10 the same mar
who Il law does pass, uses every device u
trevens its proper enforcement, and II sac
esss.ui, wants to knos welt what did te
youn. ;. -.
Now such psssimistic indifference might
b attributed TO the Porto Rican tenpera
insnt were is not Tor the fact that it il
nnsxampled in the history of the discover
ing Nation. Statesmen have always prattlsd
8 coed deal about the destiny Of nations
bat the, providence they have unused hal
been found N the battles that their nation
has wen. Htatesmsn have ere now, like
Napoleoh, tssn 10 Ehemsslves q star q
destiny. aupsrstitioRs too, has been geot
deal mixed ap in politics, and nature phe
aonena----a eomet, an eclipse, the bia'inl
s.lsatial Gro . Of OoEst mt ne, the csc b {
ii . Aock OF geese, SPIDERS web across !
0sye.-nave been regarded - common ten
def of . pr0vldentiai care. Pollucal and
pssotical responsibility has almost without
exception made the bearer OF it hopeful
The saddtst Of oil The presidents Of ths
United States, Abfsham Lincoln, was N
cptimiat. In genIus for politics he rose faI
ahcts Douglas becsuse OF his moral iptuitou
g enc writer has recently observed, bul
tdcoln,s insight into what ought to be never
discouraged him in regard 70 what had been
accomplished.
Pessimism il Characteristic that belongs
b the unfssponsiDle--to men out Of touch
Sfiih practical life. In the ss fess j. ara
tke Americas psople have had pretty
lsrts sxpsrisncs with ! malignant variety
81 irresponsible fAult.fnders. The events
leading up % the acquisition Of the Philip-
pinss Ws:s perplsxiDg to the most e,Dser
Satiys thinker. The nation has nsEsr b on
g nearly psfsuAdsd that it was going e
lie dogs e during ths two years immediate.
II preceding the death Of President Nc
Xiuley. But from the mtnant thai
Osoleoss fred his pistol mslignancy in
polifical cxitioism ceased because everJ
IneYioau citissn has felt in stms msasur,
a reeponGbility for the crime ct Buffalo
This sudden ehange was not merely q
neral ysRsnerasion bat slsc Iesst 4 10 I'll
sitissns ID responsibility. Never WAS the
anrsspsnaibis Americsn less in evidences
thsn % day. Never has responsibility been
e distrihutsd. Occasionally the htrill pipe
Of ths psssinist is heard In New England,
kat Il ands no echo. The fearless, contsg
isus spirit Of President Roosevelt is u
kAxmsny With the spirit sf the American
p.tpls st The present time.
Il deer well sneugh for that eminent
uorsllst. RobInson Orrsos, from his lonely
islsnd % say of tie world he had LEFT: "Ihe
msn svsnt fbsiF strength IN daily struggling
for bfesa 10 mniutsin ths vital strength
: -, fakn,nd ,vish a. living IN 4 dasly