BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-02-27
SAN JUAN, FEBRUARY u
The Re-aVakeDing
Of The Delegates.

The long sleep of the Delegates begun at
the Theatre during the reading of tfe Gov
ernor's message has at last come to an end
Upon re-awakening the message has oeen
-rcoslicd 10 memory, and athpr things which
had been permitted to rust in the long
slumber, are being frightened up and taken
in hand. Even for this much should we be
thankful When Mirsbeau heard that the
French Assembly had abolished the king
dem of France, and everything connected
with it, in just one night, he remarked that
it took months to discuss the formation Ut
an adyerb, but that the history OF the world
had been changed in single heur. Oar
Lee1siatnro has been awaiting the proof,
and now satisfied that health measures are
necessary, we have what can truthtully he
called good bill passed in few hours.
Mr.. Rossy's bill which was passed
in the lower house yesterday, and which
provides for the establishment, main.ainance
and enforcement Of regulations ard rules
10 prevent contagious and infections diseases
is certainly an excellent measure, and
might have been passed one month ago just
81 well IS now.
The bill provides in section 1, that "The
Governor, upon the Recommendation Of the
Superior Board of Health is authorized to
enforce such local quarantine, sanitary and
other regulations, as Re may deem ne cessary
or domestic animals of the island, from all
infectious or contagious diseases, and by
proclamation to designate the foreign OF
domestic ports against which sanitary or
quarantine regulations shall be enforced or
with which all intercourse shall be prohibit
ed.v
The bill then goes on to provide for the
punishment OF persons Who violate any order
issued tor tie benefit of public healtf; it
NEST properly gives the Superior Board Of
Health authority 10 prepare regulations for
the treatment, quarantine and destruction OF
animals suffering frcm diseases, contagious
or infectious; and enc of the most important
Of al PROVISIONS, it gives to the Superior
Health Board Inspectors police powers to
carry into effect proper measures to enforce
regulations. The law is to take effect i'm
mediately.
That this measure is great necessity and
should have been passed long ago there can
be no doubt, and it certainly is great pity
that our Delegates could not have found
uMe " htteuu LO IL III Lu0 pas, SO Cu6t tu0
two deaths some days ago could not be
charged to Insular neglect. However, We
should ell be thankful for this much.
Another evidence of the re awakening of
the legislature is the introduction of the
measure to reduce the number of municipal
governments on the island. The Governor
gave considerable space to this subject in
his message, the newspapers have written Of
it Numerous times, and the very men who
have failed all along to take legislative no.
tice of it, have been known to privately
condemn the present system of municipal
titles.
It seems to be a certainty that q
heavy truck must have passed the building
where the Legislators are 10 session, and
awakened them. More real work was done
yesterday than has been accomplished dur
ing the whole session. We may still have
better things, but it should be r.memhered
that almost sixty days have passed sibce
the session first opened. It has been sug-
gested that future terms of the Legislature
be made limited to ten days only.