BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-09-15
CRITICISMS

the United States, presided over by
an illustrious son of the metropolis,
continues to realize the benefits of it's
good work in this island.
The success that the members of
this league of patriots have Fright
to hope for on account the sarCtity
of its purpose crowns the fruitful
labor of those men, and produces
in the heart of the sovereign nat
ion the constant claim and yearly
protest that the people of America
listen to and understand because, with
the exception of few officials inter
ested in the colonial business, no one
remains who thinks of the colonies or
shares the criticisms we have borne,
comedies with the plan that main
talns the league Of patriots, or publish
es for a propitious public to read,
when, in the name of democracy and
liberty as might be said, notwithstand-
ing public opinion we'll advised, does
not sustain the regime that tends to
annhilate Porto Rico.
The doctrine that guards the good
name Of the nation in the colonies is
not anti-American nor is the voice
that denounces the gathering dangers
an anemy, t is the grave prejudice
that we suffer.
If it was anti American this ssso-
citation would not have an American
president, nor would it be permitted
to work in the metropolis. It is not
to encourage a constant enemy to the
American race that one sustalns the
theory of real government under spe
cial condition; under form of admi-
nistrative and political autonomy there
is not room to expedite and favor
the real interests with the absorption
that today has placed us in relations
that are especially economical.
If separating one people from an
other will control them; if engendering
.antipathy and derision; if making i'm
possible the union decreed by circur.
stances, there would be no more suita-
Bile place for that class Of work than
the metropolis; the island would have
to be the place selected for that cam
paign. on the supposition that does
not carry to the metropolis the eternal,
infinite gratitude of the colony libero-
ted from the servitude that is'the most
painful because full Of misery.
The following, though in our favor,
are not our words, they are President
Roosevelts:
'.The man who follows blndly his
party, with or without reason, esta-
blishng himself in the faith he should
guard and who does not try to bet
ter that party, comlts crime against
his country.
So understands the illustrious Pre-
sGent of the United States of Ameri
.ca, and so does the league Of Porto
Rican patriots when preparing to-
combat the colonial rule that IS being
sustained against us. Patriots and po-
liticians are under the same obligation
but some talk to the chief t. the assem-
blies and their party, while others
speak to their native land and ad-
dress themselves to the people direc
lily and exclusively.
S NE OcCupy themselves in defense
of the increase and constant eVolutl02S
of the politicians; and the others pro-
tect and defend the good name Of
their native land, its prestige III the
world and its honor in history that
anay be ruined by a covetous act.
Fidelity is not silence, as President
Roosevelt has already said to all who
care to hear it, Fidelity does rot con-
sist in guarding an ignorant mutism
kull Or criminal leading astray The
1nultitudes, the heads to an aggrega
tion, in some cases neither Of whom
are Of com mplete nation
The citizen who becomes lndltler-
,ent, knowing the error, percieVlng the
contumely and does net denounce, |
criticisc, nor condemn them Commits 4
crime against his country.
President Roosevelt said lt-"Com- |
7nits crime against his country, he
who disscnble S, grows dumb in order
to guard false and infamous cause.
Mr. Mitchell is not criminal ac
cordlng to The distinction drawn by
the Chief Justice of New York; nor !
are we because We speak the truth
NOT to one political party, not to Off |
Gials, but To the country, to the Sover
cign natlof-tlc people of the United |
States and Of Por;o Rico. If we dis
semble as other 90, We commit
eor,r1p Faithful is he who Oh lCt, |