BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-09-16
CRITICISMS


tine public. We are not going haphaz-
ards, as is the case with those who
pretend to go against us. The trst
voices of approval of our conduct will
be heard even among their partisans,
our conduct will be approved and pro-
cedings will be adopted which will tes-
tifv as to the opportAness and thegood
sense to be found in all our complaints
AS in many other questions, the
question of the granting of franchise
bv the Executive Council to an Amer
lean merchant for the purpose of
constructing a hotel in Puerta de Tie
ira, and on lands which sare the object
of litigation between the municipality
of San Juan and The People of Porto
Rico, of our conduct has been ap-
proved by a resolution adopted last
evening at meeting held by the
municipal council.
Our praetors have not had even
phrase of eulogy for us, but they find
that the mayor filed protest against
the action of the Executive Council
for granting the hotel franchise, and
the mayor, while claiming in behalf of
the municipality the right to the pro-
perty so graciously granted, protested
against the purposes for which the
land was intended to be used, since
he laid no claim in behalf of the mum
icipa1 corpora tion to the insignificant
sum fixed by the gentlemen of the
Council: but did claim the lands which
the highest of our legislative bodies
took upon itself to dispose of as it
saw fit.
Under such conditions how is it that
the Executive Council dared to grant
this franchise for hotel? The mayor
of San Juan demands before the courts
that the right of the municipality to
use these lands, which are its property,
in works of public utility and of public
necessity, be acknowledged.
Now then, since litigation between
the two corporations has been institu-
ted we do not know why the Execute
We Council has impaired the rights of
the people of San Juan; has not taken
cognizance of the protests filed by the
the mayor, and has granted the fran
chise with a haste so uncomon and
strange that anybody might think that
on the construction of that hotel for
tourists depends the termination of
the crisis which is now agitating and
shaking the very foundations of our
community.
If the lands of the islet were truly
the property of the lnsular govern
ment, they nevertheless would have
wrongly granted for private business;
that is, that portion Of land comprised
1,o 1111t+
cation about the lands which belong
to the municipality and not to the Is
land this session presuppOses some
thing more grave, and is subject to
more criticism than appears at first
sight.
The municipality of San Juan claims
the lands which have been disposed
of for fifty years by the Councilmen,
interpreting in any sort of way the
powers which is theirs by law for
granting franchises, but with most
delicious lack of respect, for the
property of other parties. Now it is
evident, in view of the energetic at
titude of those who are charged with
The defense as to the legality of rights
which have been impaired, that the
action of the Council will be the OBJ
ject of a revision and that it will be
Absolutely repealed This hotel bus
mess might now be considered a
failure by making opposition in due
time; but there is still greater pro-
blem if it is not possible to consider
it as problem involving a greater
moral responsibility.
And that is the conflict of the sub.
urb known as the North Pole. The
servile press strives to hide, by ma
king great jumps, from the principal
question of this important mater.
Where will all those people go who
have been thrown out from the
''North Pole by the military autho-
rites? Should there be no litigation
between the Insular government and
the people of San Juan, the lands
which are now justly claimed by the
municipality should be used as place
of refuge for the pocr, unfortunate
people who are living in the marshes3
These lands which have a conside-
rable value, and which, during the pc
riod of fifty wears (the life of the fran |