BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-03-22
SANJUAN, MARCH u
True Abolition.

kHuC AUV11lsVAls
To-day ID the twenty-sighth anniversary
Of the abolition Of human slavery In Porto
Rico. BY Royal Decree issued by the
Grown OF Spain oil human chattels in th
ialand Of Porto Rico were declared free to
pssssss their own souls, and to act according
10 the dictates Of their own conscience. In
homer Of this event the Governor has ordered
that all government Offices in Porto Rico
hs closed for the day, and that oil business
men who And themselves able to do 90,
refrain from engaging in:their usual occupa-
lions. Everything in fact ia being done to
make the anniversary felt according to the
real Importance Of it.
The liberation Of the colored man, or the
white man, from the chains Of slavery and
ssEfdon, 10 simply tho inception Of process
Of liberation, which must take many years
10 bring TO such . state that it can be said
real liberty exists. In giving TO the human
ehattsl the right to dispose Of himself, gov
eynments have - . rule failed to make
provision for the larger liberty Of the new
hsing, and in many cases the result has been
chaos, ard darkness
In the United States the slave sss simply
declared free man, he Vas told that he
owned himself, and was free to 60 or stay
60 hs choose. Toa beng Who tnew nothing
about freedom or what it signlfed, this psr
Rissisn scas simply license to ream, to 60
shsrs fancy led, and to do shat one pleased.
10 PROV sion OF any kind Was made to make
this new man . self dependent and self
respecting creature. He had all bis life
been plantation hand, or house servant.
Trades he knew nothing Of, there Tay have
hesn rare exceptions. and his schooling was
what hs obtained from the plantation school
or the plantation elder.
The result OF this all was, that for many
ysays &fter the war untold suffering and
hardship was endured, by these people to
saeh an extent, that many of them prayed
for the rstHrn Of slavery days; snd tbs rest ek.
q eat bare existence by doing the most
nsniAl kind of work which falls to the lot
Of man. To-day this situation in the States
has been materially improved, although
there 10 still plenty Of room for the same i'm.
provemsnt on wider lines.
When ssrfdom was abolished 10 Rassia
By the Osar Nicholas |, some several mil
liens Of white ehattels were taken out of
the hands Of their. masters, placed at large
on the wsrld, and asked to support themsel
yes, to contribute to the support Of the
army, and to be - good citizehs % their
masters were, who had been freedmen since
hsfefs the creation OF the Muscovite empire.
History recalls the result. Russia went
thFo1gh suck . period of suffering and
humility - has not fallen to the lot OF many
nations After vsinly trying in every way
70 exist, these people began an exodus from
the land, which has NOT syet ceased to-day,
and which has drained! !stbs Russian empire
Of pioneer corps, which We may cow find
ID the wheat ftlds of the far west, and
In the wood lands OF Minnesota, and the
other timbers countries in the Union,
Careful students of sociology and its kin
dred sciences have unanimously come to the
eohclusion that the act Of abolishing slavery
b net tie creation Of llber y, but that it
10 merely the initial step in the process Of
svsiutioa Wkich has for ito object the ul
timats freedom of mankind. Abolition is
just Ike putting man. In . preparatory
scheol before beginning college cotsss It
prepares for better and higher life. Il
spsns the door for the admission of knoWled.
gs and intelligence, without which there can
b no liberty, no self respect, no Sc 4 reli-
Anes.
In The Union to day Booker T. Wash
ington ID creating new army which will
II Time recruit the strength and power Of
Tie Union, and wkick will add = material
fogos to the immense resources of the Amer
lean nation. With persistent effort for
educasion and healthy enlightenment, be is
making real man Of the chattel IN such .
Bsy e the emancipation proclamation never
did. nor ever could de- in the centuries
which are to come. Education, ssnsibiy
snd carefully given has been the keynote Of
tAis awakening.
In Porte Rieo We have no sueh power a.
Becker T. Washington 70 tAks mp the work
sf educating the masses. Everything shich
d done must Iscessnrilyr be dons by the
government, and with government limita-
tiers and government restrictions. The
txue Liberty and saIvaiion Of the island lies
n the education Of the massea. Educat on
net alone in the knewn srts and sciences,
hzt education, most important Of ell, in
ssif EsliAhss aid sslf heir.
Fer black and kite, without distinctions
o. differences, the quesiion OF liberty can be
answered in sis aflirmatiye only, when the |
people have learned 70 govern themselves,
have learned II full measure tie real obli- |
assions w1ieh bind the citizsns Of = republic |
sqesthsr with much frmsr cord than that |
.Wkiek ID lashsd b human hacks By ths hands |
ct nenaxcbisl fatksr. The responsibility |
II faker Of that father and esch man |
muss becoms be own taskmssier, must
eovsrn hlmseIf, with rod Of iron, II neots-
eagy.
1hs snorownsd zings ef the earth sre tho |
. Wko ere ns themselYes fcr the government /
e sksnsslrss, under full appreciation Of
~ responsibilities phisA nus ssat upon