BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-10-17
EDITORIAL

Wn1Cn is meaningless Cou 'CHtloA"i
expression, but with sincere and ap-
preciative satisfaction, that we publish
to-day a contribution in our paper
from the famous American writer. Mr..
B. Park, whose first letter has for us
transcendental importance.
We have always steadfastly maint
aimed, that the American people.
lovers, as they are, of liberty and
democratic principles, were ignorant
of the unhappy condition thrust upon
the unfortunate ''colony" and her peo-
pie, the treatment of her citizens like
serfs bound to the soil to be battered
with the territory which became a
possession of the United States, by
swing of the pendulum of fate, in an
unfortunate resort to arms.
But the people who commenced
their existence by placking the finest
fruits of the then existing democracy,
who promulgated a constitution res
plendent with the recognition of the
rights of man, enumerating one by
one the sacred and una alienable rights
of free-born citizens, or of associa tons
whether in territories or states, cannot,
must not forget in the first steps of
militarism, all of the noble and
humane traditions which have been
the guiding star for SO long time,
Mr.. Bark declares earnestly and since
rely for the principles and traditions
of the Great Republic, and is moved
to protest in the strongest terms
against the pititul spectacle of peo
pie trampled, enslaved and deprived
of their rights by the abuse and
misuse of the unlimited power, which
however artfully concealed, is an
attack on the most essential privileges
of free people
Be energetio, be persevering, be
steadfaast, says Mr.. Park. The
wrongs which you are suffering, and
which are so clearly seen to be abuses
and despotisms, cannot continue, if
you are determined to uphold the
moral and supremecause for the main
tenance of your rights by patriotic
effort.
How beautiful, how encoura ging it
is to hear these words from the lips of
an American citizen, who cannot lend
himself to the breaking away from
the traditions of the nation and cannot
conceive of the right of the United
States to hold colonies, and to hold
them, moreover, nnder arbitrary, des-
potic feudal system, which denies and
voids every right and every principle
to which men of a civilized race are
entitled.
Il have examined the Foraker Law,
says Mr.. Park, ''and unbiased by po-
litical prejudices, I can affirm that it is
a glaring violationg of the fundamen-
tai principles underlying our constitu-
ton; law which should be immedia-
tely repealed. before the unfortunate
colony shall repeat to us those words
which our illustrious fore-fathers
hurled al the vanquished English as
they left their American colonies. "
And it is great truth, a beautiful
-whelming truth. which Mr.. Park
writed us, when we have here a
numerous body of American citizens
leagued to this baneful colonial system,
who call these truths ''anti.Ameri-
canism" when there are here Ameri-
can citizens who treat the subject of
the rights of the Puerto Rican people
with derision; when there seems to be
a sort Of league of American officials
whose sole aim is to remain forever in
the capacity of tutors to conquered
nations.
AS Mr.. Park has outlined, SO should
the American government act.
In accordance with his ideas the
black clouds of disaffection and hste
might be dispelled, and the little Or
phan become firmly and gratefully at
tached to the mighty nation. This is
the policy which the national political
parties should follow, for it is in line
with strictest justice, and most bene-
fetal to the interests of the home coun-
try, and perhaps even to the program
of American expansion.
1t is recognition on the part of
our people of that which they must |
demand and insist upon with the stead |
fast energy of one who claims his own;
and the rights and powers of every |
people, and upon which the enduring
cornerstone of the great American |
republic is founded, is found in the
right which belongs to every man, in
the sacred rights which our fore fat
L. 1. III