BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1902-04-05
Government d Ile
DQliSl |dQldS.

The reported pur pose of the Presi-
dent to organize for the islands of ST.
Thomas, St. John and St. Croix, on
their acquisition, provisional govern
ment entirely distinct from that main
tanned in Porto Rico will command the
approval of all persons who nave given
careful study 10 our West Indian prob
Ilems. 1t is undoubtedly desirable to
cultivate close relations between St.
Thomas and Porto Rico. An English
speaking community under the rule OF
the United States, within few hours
sail of San Juan, may be of decided
influence for the Americanization OF
the Porto Ricans. The removal of the
commercial and sentimental barriers
which have kept these near neighbors
apart cannot tail 10 be beneficial to
both. The local conditions in St. Tho
mas St. John and St. CroiS are, how
ever, SO different FRONT hose prevailing
in Porto Rico that separate laws ana
separate instrumentallries of govern
ment must be provided to meet the
needs of each. The Danish islands
have long been political entity, ana
their inhabitants would not find 1t plea
SAINT to be made a mere appenda e to
Porto Rico and ruled by a Spanish
speaking Legislature IN which their in
huence would be Insignificant.
Nor would there be anything sub
stantial gained by consolidation. Pos
sibly one or two salaries of higher Off
Gals might be saved, but at a consider
able sacrifice in efficiency. Governor
Hunt of Porto Rico is already sufh-
GENTLY occupied without burdening hum
with problems of a totally different
character from those confronting him
within his own proper sphere of action.
Possibly if he were exercising sole au-
thority as a military governor his
strength might be equ4l TO the indie
tendent tasks, but he is only the hea0
of the autonomous government of Por-
to Rico, and if that government were
to rule the Danish islands 1t would
have to do it as whole, and we
should have the Porto Rican represent
atives from San Juan and Ponce try
ing to decide what labor laws and
police regulations and local taxes were
suitable for Charlotte Amalie and
Christiansted. Happily the admins
tration at Washington is not ready TO
confirm the diretul predictions OF the
antiimperialists that this government
is incompetent to manage colonies by
any such mistaken arrangement. These
same anti-imperialists doubtless would
like nothing better than 10 see laws
made for community of Spanish des-
cent slapped, regardless OF their appro-
priateness, upon the English speaking
people Of st. Thomas, just as they
wanted to see laws made for this high
ly complex country suddenly put in
sorce In Porto Rico, no matter whether
they imposed impossible taxes on the
people or not.
The first maxim to be rememb cred
in ruling colonies is 10 adapt laws to
the peculiar needs of each, and not be
carried away by passion for logical
uniformity or the lazy temptation to
do something in one place just because
the habit has been acquired of doing
it in another place We shall need
to be especially careful about this in
st. Thomas, St. John and ST. Croix, for
they are small and have not the varied
interests which enable larger COM
munities to adapt themselves to adverse
conditions. Thus st. Thomas is almost
entirely dependent for existence on
the continuance Of It's free port privil-
eges, and reckless extension of our port
regulations or those of Porto Rico
might be absolutely ruinous. st. Thomas
and St. John have entirely different
revenue laws from st. Croix, and this
arrangement, strange as it may seem
and Objectionable as it may be to our
uniform-tariff- CONSTITUTE 51l--follows the
flag phrase makers. is necessary to the
welfare of the inhabitants, inasmuch
as St. Croix is a producing and export
ing island, while the other two raised
almost nothing to send away and live
entirely from commerce. We want St.
Thomas to remain a commercial centre,
and. if possible, regain its old ascen-
dency as the distributing point of the