BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-06-01
MahOmet has come
to the mountain

We AI& &N4C y AAA0AAN~ "4NM
pleasure that we have won over a new
allay 10 the cause for which we are
fighting. The Sun" has at last bold
lv proclaimed in unmistakabie Ian
guape that the products of Porto Rico
are entitled to special protection by
the Dingley OF some other special
tariff especially enacted to cover the
ground and confer upon our decaying
industries full measure of that pros
perity which is our just due. Thit Is
the confession which we knew must
eventually come from our distinguish
ed colleague in newspaperdom after 1t
had tired of beating about the bush.
1t was but reasonable to suppose that
some day the Sun" would desist from
its hemming and having and come to
the fore with the declaration above
outlined. 'Tis but another triumph OF
reason and logic over convinced but
stubborn contemporary The "Sun
saws we are entitled to protection.
The BoLETIN has always said it. So
say we oil of US.
Tariff schedules should be enacted
by the United States Congress giving
full and ample protection to each and
every one of the agricultural products
of Porto Rico. We demand right,
not favor, and if affair minded men
can be convinced, even asInst their
wills, by open, honest reas> Qing we
are determined to leave no stone un-
turned in our endeavors to brig about
a condition of affairs which will once
more place our island upon a plane of
prosperity which shall exceed any
thing we have ever known in the past.
AS we said only few days ago we
hoped that those who listened would
hear and heed, and the fact that the
"Sun" has come around to our way of
thinking indicates that our labors are
productive of the very best of results.
For this reason we deem it absolutely
necessary to place stress upon the fact
that such is the case, and we hope
eventually to see each and every
newspaper and individual in Porto
Rico lined up in one grand chorus for
an inalienable right, demandig that
long deferred justice be meted out to
us BY the powers that be.
It is unnecessary to record that the
course adopted by the "Sun" is due to
our persistent efforts in behalf of our
island. And We feel sure that at no
very distant day we shall witness a
stampede of editorial matter on this
same subject, because. there is not one
newspaper in Porto Rico which is not
fully desirous of assuming share of
the burden of righting the condition
which are now so erroneous and OF
accepting its share of encomiums
from redeemed and grateful people.
For such will be the result.
There can be no question that our
products are entitled to ample protec-
tion. and the simple fact that they are
not SO protected makes the Dingley
tariff and the efforts of all fairminded
men who have striven and are still
strininq for the welfare Of Porto Rico
appear like a farce, to say the least.
This is the sense in which we have
accepted the privilege % of free trade
with the States. The principal agri-
cultural product of Porto Rico. the
great source of our wealth, our, coffee,
is practically prescribed from the
markets of the world by the Dingley
tariff and free trade with the United
States and no reciprocal agreements
with those countries which consume
ur coffee in large quantities. Abso-
teIy nothing whatever has been done
our coffee. And our coffee is to
hat wine is to both France and
what tobacco is 70 Cuba; what
manufacturing industries are
ed States. Our coffee is
lnst be protected. It is |
Ca "a. Of our farming classes.
Ga. cry family in Porto
o me measure, be It
our coffee crop
az same
A. uga% coffee means |
The r. on IS to hun
dreds os wki1a how in |
want and -. ae lnat the
tide Of emf, arrot-s @idly |
taking from la Asses
will be stemme0. e nat the
present crisis IN 3 viii be
remedied sfh~t the abnor
NAL conditions now existing in our
island viii disappear. Our coffee
81 = a..-.-.ts1 n44d :, r,rffea ami l