BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-05-20

In another place Of this paper we
are publishing today the proclamation
OF the governor to the Delegates Of
Porto Rico for their meeting on mon
day 7srd. of this month.
The Official document ends with an
advice which should be needed by
our Legislators and whose importance
we must recognize, as does the go
vernon.
The governor says that the House is
convened in order that the Loan Com
mission, previously appointed, may
inform the delegates OF the results OF
its work in the United States; TO
provide for the transfer OF necessary
credits to begin the construction OF
iails and the reform of some courts;
to amend errors in the Civil and Poll
tical Codes and in other laws, as that
of the Internal Revenue, and IN short,
to consider all matters that can be
submitted to the House of Delegates
and to treat of them with wisdom and
prudence.
That is what we are going to speak
about.
Wisdom and prudence!
The aspiration of our governor is
most modest; he does not ask the
House for great Indicative in framing
wise laws; if they are only wise and
prudent, that is enough.
And he demands that legislators be
prudent because they do not always
possess that virtue; that they be wise
to avoid errors and fatal mistakes.
Wisdom ard prudence!
1t is not little what the governor
requires of the country's representa-
tives. That same advice is being
given, at this time, by the country to
all of them; it is very little what they
demand; we all should have those two
virtues of prudence and wisdom.
Talent, remarkable genious, great
learning, all those attributes can our
counsellors lack, but if they lack
prudence and wisdom we can have no
hope and we must give up for ever
our desire Of wealth and prosperity.
Wisdom is exactly the opposite of
madness, wisdom is asked of US; pru-
dence is the oppositekof recklessness,
prudence is asked of us.
Never was a more need for these
virtues than now, when the House
assemblies to discuss the question of
the loan for agriculture, and to con-
slider other questions Of great impor-
tance not mentioned by The Governor
in his proclamation.
iOh, that our Legislators would have
nothing to do after settling the ques-
ton of the insular loanl
1t would be a good symptom; but
it is impossible; unfortunately the
House cannot limit it's discussions to
that particular matter, although of
overwhelming importance.
The governors proclamation could
have entered more into details, which
however, may have been omitted in
order to give the legislators entire
liberty to amend all errors committed
in tie past sessions of the House.
To facilitate the work of the repre-
sentatives we will publish all existing
laws which demand immediate rev
sion or apnulment.
A suspension of taxes for period
OF at least two years, ought to be de-
creed, as also the separation of the
towns, an enthusiastic campaign hav-
ing been made in the country to that
effect.
Enlarging on the governors idea
we suggest that the Representatives
should provide for the maintenance of
courts as they are now which offer
more guarantees than courts ruled by
one judge only, specifying that SEN
tenceS must accord to the existing
laws, as the omission Of that requisite
gives occasion to wrong interpreta-
tions.
1t is also necessary to curtail the
msrshall's powers, limiting him to fxe
and invariable rules.
And in order that the remedy, in
coming to economical questions, of the
loan for agriculturists be not tem-
poral remedy, it is necessary that thel
Delegates demand that free trade be-
free trade indeed, and not in name
that is shall protect our coffee II
permit Of treaties BY which it can 10
placed in other markets. |
These and others that we will speak |
of to morrow are the main questions /
that must be discussed by the Hose /