BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-06-23
THE REMOVAL
90 srgE
Spanish cannon

Issue a. > morning paper which en-
tones amid dirgcs rcvesltng lttie en-
ahu siassn for the future Of spain
snournfnl strain over the death Of
Spanish power in Anerics.
The passaje OF the teams through
our streets drawn by The pstien oxen
Transporting the cannon 10 the Mari
na from the walls Of the Notifications
where they were emplaced suggests
10 our colleague series Of fearful me
citations.
A most unusual founi Of inspiration
has il discovered; so We ought not TO
consider it strange that il says what It
says and sustains its position with the
arguments il employ.
The patient oxen could not inspire
better reflections.
Therefor following a paragraph In
praise of the oxen il occurs TO the
American shut TO say: Spain who dis
covered America: the former owner
of the Antilles, does not hold to day
not of lard in the Western Hemis-
phere'"
And the sheet in question is sorry
for this1
We will not say that the disposses-
sion which it laments could have been
avoided, but surely the declaration it
makes calls for comment expressing
unconSciously. as it does. not sincere
regret but the beginning of rectifca-
ton.
And how false is the conclusion that
our colleague draws how inconsistent
when one gives the matter moments
thought, without any necessity of fix
ing its attention on the oxen drawing
the cannon.
"Spain, who discovered America.
the former owner of the Antilles, does
not hold to day foot of land in the
Western Hemisphere
Spain has in America something
that is worth more than foot of land
or even an entire continent for that
matter. because she is the nation thai
made the discovery the soul of Anne
rica, the great soul that no violence of
invasion has been able to drive out
from American countries.
A foot of land or continont is a
small thing, very small, for such a
nation as Spain. A foot Of land-why
should she want it1 Does Rome, for
instance does perhaps Greece have
need Of foot of land in France in
Spain in the civilized world in order to
live on the heights of mpral greatness
of the artistic greatn ssof hose remow
ned countries7 A foot of land is noth-
ing, is even less than nothing-let our
American colleague Understand this
well, when the soul that animates the
colony is not in harmony with the
spirit of the Government, when the
disparity Of traits that are essential
for the perfect understanding bet Seen
two countries makes impossible, or at
least difficult and delays the rsppro-
element of two antagonistic charac-
tiers.
A foot of land is not much; but is
much less; is nothing when the people
Oh this same foot of land are famish-
ing ike 4 band of unfortunates who
have been shiprorecked, and scenes of
sadness and pain.
How little the pride to be felt in the
possession of SO great poverty and
unhappines! And while they are in
convulsion of agony, those unfortu
mates, huddled together on their foot
of land as if it were their only bed,
the great sould floats above as if re-
aching out arms in the sublimiy of
its compassion to succor and rescue
those victims Of despair.
Let our colleague forget the oxen
drawing the heavy cars and inform
itself, free from bias it in Porto Rico
the feelings of the people are indica
tive of love or hostility toward Spain
Let it gain its information by making
the most searching inquiries getting
the honest opinion of the masses in all
parts of the island and it AN be con-
vinced from the sighs D. the people
when thinking Of the past that no
body would hesitate to accept . radical
chance in our situation, restoring the
state Of affairs that existed few years
ago.
The American nations, as all coun-
tries have ever been friends Of berty,
but circumstances have contributed
not exactly to the triumph of demo
cratic principles in America. but
rather to the success Of those whose
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