BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-12-30
EDITORIAL

the action OF the KepuOl1Can Assembly
which is being held'in San Juan at the
present time we will be called upon
to witness the rare spectacle Of a
government in Porto Rico with no
opposition to combat its projects. The
election of the new president of the
Republican party in Porto Rico makes
all the more certain this most unusual
condition in governmental circles,
since it is stated with absolute GER
tainty that Mr.. Sanchez Morales will
be elected to the position of presi-
dent.
That he will lead the Republican
party in Porto Rico from this time
forward urtil a successor is chosen to
replace him. This action on the part
of the Republican party is a strange
one indeed, since we are of the opinion
that the recent appointment of Mr.
Sanchez Morales to the position of
member of the Executive Council
would lhave been looked upon by his
party as sufficient recognition.
This, however, has not been the
case. On the contrary Mr.. Sanchez
Morales, in the light of his new appo-
intment by the government. looms up
more prominently than ever in the
vision tof his fellow republicans and
they wish show him this new mark of
their respect and confidence, to which
he is fully entitled.
1t may be that the republicans who
constitute this assembly in session at
this time in San Juan are of the OPT
nion that they are taking an action
which gives them great prominence
politically by publicly: demonstrating
that they wish to lend their support to
the government under the present
circumstances.
If this should prove to be the'case
we shall respectfully refrain from
censuring this action on the part of the
Republican assembly, but we feel that
we are in duty bound to comment on
certain phases of the matter since it is
one of the most unusual of proceed
ingssof transcendental importance to
the island since it practically leaves
the government with no opposition,
thus creating new and novel condi
tion in the island to which we cannot
hope to become accustomed
We can easily picture some of our
readers repeating. There is no op-
position to the Government" What
does this mean2 But nevertheless we
should like somebody to tell us how
any opposition to the government can
exist when an assembly elects as its
president member of the Executive
Council who has recently been ap-
pointed by the government, complete
ly ignoring the wishes of the Repu-
blican party in the matter and consult
ing its leaders on no point whatever
with regard to their desires?
This is exactly what has happened,
since Mr.. Sanchez Morales has been
appointed by the government upon its
own recommendations, regardless of
his party. Therefore it can be readily
perceived thvt since Mr.. Sanchez Mo-
rales has tus been favored by the go
vernment previous to the time when
his party took it upon themse Ives to
extend recognition for his party servi-
ceS, and thathe cannot consistently
plead any causse of his party before the
government after it has once been
turned down. Further still if it is ar
gued that the party may accept instruc-
tions from its head, as it has done in
times past, it can be easily seen that
these instructions will emanate chiefly
and directly from the government ex-
clusively. Consequently it needs no
words from us to aprise the public of
the great menace to public interests
which this state of affairs naturally
brings about. Every one of us must
realize that in every country there
must of necessity exist a sound, heal
thy opposition to government measures
at times, not abecause any class of its
citizens regard their government as
an enemy but for the sake of preven-
ting those actions which are originated
in the tendency of the government to
centralize certain powers and as the
interests of the government are nothing
more than the interests of the general
public it is absolutely necessary to ha-
We some moderating power. some isc-
alizing force, some regulating authori
ty, and this power is always to be found
in the opposition.
This step which is so currently
spoken of if it should be taken by the
Republican party, would undoubtedly