BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-09-28

American, since it has been proclaim
led By national party in its platform;
neither is the alternative Of indepen-
Idence anti American since it has been
recognized and accepted IS feasible
for the Philippines by as able man a
Mr.. Parker, who is an eminent Judge
and iurist of repute. And if within
the Democratic party of the United
States, there are those who support
such extreme propositions in the case
of the Filipinos, who support their
to liberty by force of arms, we can
not understand how it is possible that
there are those who resign themselves
to starvation, who acquiesce in their
financial ruin and political usurpation,
and accept the baselesS assertion that
it is not the American practice to con-
cede autonomy to her colonies. When
before, pray have United States held
colonies7 When previous to the pre-
sent time has the anglo saxon repu-
bile entered into the policy of expan-
sion, or been forced to mould its plans
to the demands of the Filipinos or the
suggestions of the Puerto Ricans. Be-
fore the laws of necessity the theories
of government must give ground.
Puerto Rico has its civilization
which must be taken into considera-
tion by the new master and this stand
ard of civilization is entitled to a great
deal of considera ton.
1t is the duty of the stronger races,
of the great and powerful nations, to
explore those countries burdcned with
the weight of barbarism, to carryk thu
blessings Of civilization to savage tri-
5es. to reach into the depths Of Africa
and to the inmost rece sses of Ocean1a
but it is not just that the civilization of
arace, founded by the efforts of that
race should be destroyed and over
thrown and supplanted by another
civilization by the mere fact of
conquest and the abuse of power.
From the mouthpicCe of American
democracy, which strikes at the heart
of the evil that holds the nation in it's
grasp, there comes to us an invitation
to speak frankly, to speak the truth
and to shout it aloud as the message
of people should be proclaimed.
There they say that imperialism has
a demoralizing effect on the people of
a democracy; here it may well be said
that imperialism is creating mighty
discomfort, disaffection toward the
home country of great proportions,
and that the time has come for reform
and a bettering of conditions.
The Puerto Rican Democratic party
does right inproclaiming the origin
of autonomy. AS one of those many
peoples unable to assimjlate the man
ners and customs of the Anglo Saxon.
Puerto Rico must re-eStabljsh her
own individuality, which has wrong
fully been taken from her AS coun-
try fully trained in the school of civil
lization and of the latin race, Puerto
Rico, by means OF autonomy, should
cast aside the fereign legislation which
has been esta blished by intimidation
and force; she can no longer consent
to accept the ridiculous and absurd
OF incompetent executives;
she must shake off all the Anglo Sa-
xon tolls with which succession of
naughty masters has fettered her.
Puerto GO can and must govern
herself, without waiting for that certi--
icate of proficiency in the art of sell
government which the bureaucracy of
Interested only in drawing
their salaries, never expects to give.
The Puerto Ricans do well to demand
earnestly and persistently that which
is their due, and to notify the Ameri
can people that we are in no need of
instructors Or masters, in order to
govern. ourselves.