BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-08-26
ON ASSESSMENT AGAIN

sented to the Board of Revision, ma
kes it impossible to establish a regu-
lar turn, for the looking up the appeals,
to the satisfaction Of the appealers.
At first sight, this does not appear
lof great consequence, but to an obser-
yer, it means larger number too Of
transfers to the best. bidders Of many
private properties:
1t has been impossible to esta blish
some method and the appeals would
have to be decided, when the appeal
ers themselves would personally come
and urge for decision, but even so,
the Board would not be enable to
attend to their arguments, nor take
their protests in consideration Byfall
means the expenditures are to be
covered, and the only plan that can be
adopted under the circumstances, is to
squeese the pockess of the owners of
urban properties, industria,s and mer-
chants, as there isnothing else in sight
to lay hands upon.
Custom House receipts, have beco-
me very limited. Agriculture, our
chief and only wealth, cannot CONT
nue. to be a factor in producing reve-
nue.. Many are the number of pro-
pertleS uuder attachment and MANY
will follow. And as the expenditures
will not be reduced, but instead, is
tending upwards onand on, it comes
to be the case that proprictors of urban
real estate have to meet the defficien-
cies.
It will be easy to predic and antici-
pate, the ultimate end of the agricul-
ture, the commercial and the indus
trial interests of the island.
1t is certainly pretensior that, that
group OF taX1ayers who arg alrc1dy
deeply suffering from the condition of
matters in the country, should be cal
led, by the increase Of assessment, to-
sustain the opnlent actual administra-
ion, which is speeding all to inevita-
bly, ruin.
Once in while the prudent voice
If reason must be heard.
Men are subject to error, and those
hat have, are the best fit to tell the
.rutl;. When Mr.. Sweet reproached
hose that dissipated the money of the
people, and adviced that only one third
IF the budget for expenditure should
De actually expended, no one secon-
led such wise proposition, although if
NUS be acknowledged that Mr. Sweet
lever used in this particular case his
lnl1red and energetic activity which
le employed in sustaining in passing
lis own bill on the judicature, unfortu--
lately fer the country.
And we proceed on the unhappy
'oad of dissipation, expending what
We not have, and keeping up the large
salaries of the administration, at the
expense OF the people, that have noth-
ng to eat. and the descent to the
lbysm will be SO rapid that we will
ind nothing in the way to stop the
all or hold on.
we are keeping ital away from
he island, because to the small mar
in wiCh we can offer to foreinon
apltal, we have to add the special
onditlons of finance we are laborinq
n, and the capital would 90 elsewhere,
With no hope 1or money to come to
'orto Rico.
1AAAo WAal 11lLlC ID lc1C WILL also
bandon the island in search of better
eldS.
Some days ago, re wrote about the
estrlcted measure of capacity, which
Xlsted in our official circle to decide
ed give some solution to the compli-~
ated problems affecting Our financial
fe, and we toresse that we have still
, lower the scale, believing in the
for the actual adminis-
ration officials to work in behalf of a
ron1pt and definite solution, or it NAV
e that they see that tine country is
cad already and find the mselves
nable to bring il to life again.
We have 20 confess it and it pains
S good deal to say it The Board of
revision cannot cope with the work,
many and SO numerous are the
publications. for appeal.