BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-05-30
To the American people


terest than the present economic cr1sis,
lts causes and consequences, aad the
inevitable condition 20 which II must
bring US If some radical action is not
taken tending TO abruptly terminate
the insupportable condition of affairs
In which the agricultural interests Of
the island are now situated.
The press but complies with sa-
cred duty when il endeavors honestly
and determineoly to terminate such
condition as at present dominate US
and threaten to engulf our entire peo-
pie in a maelsiorm of misery and
hunger, the inevitable results of which
are crime and rapine. We repeat
again that no duty could be more
sacred; no task more dignihed, and
no desire or occupation more merit
orius than the campaign upon which
we have embarked end which we shall
continue to the bitter end.
Our efforts up to the presen have
not been entirely devoid Of good re-
suits since we hear on every side
comments most favorable to most
laudable undertaking. Our efforts
have not been confined to our island
alone but we have gone to the Ame-
rican people direct because it is from
them we must of necessity secure
that which is our due through explain
ing fully the true condition of our is
land at present and pointing out just
what it will be in the very near future
unless some determined, heroic action
is taken Immediately.
We have gone to the fountain head
of the American people by addressing
ourselves to the representatives OF the
nation of their own tongue. We have
distributed hundreds of copies of the
BoLETIN printed in both languages,
Spanish and English to the highest
officials of the land in Washington as
well as to the representatives. in Con-
gress.
And we shall continue to insist and
labor in this, our just cause, until the
present conditions existing in our lit-
tie island are completely eradlcated
and we become once more a proSpe-
rons and contented people. To this
end we have directed all of our efforts
laboring for the happiness of Porto
Rico and the credit and dignity of the
United States. as the one depends en-
tirely upon the other.
We fell that our efforts have been
understood and appreciated by the
powers that be in Washington. We
feel that our appeals in behalf OF our
island are read and we sincerely hope
that they may be understood in their
proper light and that proper action
may be taken as result thereof. We
are in the fight to stay and our efforts
shall not cease nor our energies dlmi-
nish until we have obtained that which
we have set out to obtain, and no fear
of an unfavorable solution shall cause
us to hesitate in our endeavOrS. Our
remedy must come from Washington
and we are determined that Congre IS
shall take the action necessary 10 give
us same. For this reason we address
ourselves to that august body today.
From the very FIRST moments OF the
American invasion of Porto Rico up
to the present time the island has been
IN a state of disorder economically and
the clouds which lie low upon the ho-
rizon as yet show no silver lining. Our
cities and towns have, in the past five
years felt scourge which was pre-
vious1y unknown to them-hunger!
Hunger, as results of the general
ruin wrought in the agricultural in
dustries of the country by the change
of sovereignty with its attendant ms
titutions.
AS an instance we viii quote the
condition of our coffee market. Owing
to lack of buyers the most exquisite
coffee in the world has b. "a practically
put out of the markets, and this con-
dition is due to no defect in the grain
itself, no lack of desire upon the part
of an appreciative public, but rather
due to the just international reprisals
which were necessary and which have
brought about our undoing and ourI
ril;rl. The markets of the world are
closed to our coffee and the United !
States in endeavoring to make good
for having deprived US Of the princi
nal source of our industrial wealth
Dives us the right Of free trade with
he States. as thoush this would in
anv the slightest measure compensate
1<xea-