BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-12-14
EDITORIAL

VIC AdNC OCCA hlSAiJ RiNooSNt w ~
serve that quite recently the Amer1-
can newspapers have been devotlng
considerable time and space to the
economic crisis which affects us at the
present time. The most influential
and important papers of the United
States have been seriously discussing
this question and have been earnestly
endeavoring to find some means of
ameliorating the existing condition of
affairs. This is but a beginning in
our behalf. The American people
have at least begun to awaken to
realizing sense of the fact that there
really exists some foundation in fact
for the repeated assertion to the effect
that Porto Rico is in a most miserable
plight owing to the decadence of her
coffee industry.
1t is true that as yet the powers
which can aid us most materially have
as yet given no sign of life in that di-
rection, bat we know that the press in
America is the real guiding hand
which leads those powers in the paths
of right and duty And knowing this
we cannot but feel that the day is not
far distant when action will be taken
of such a nature as to at least give us
greater advantages for the marketing
of our coffee crop than are today pos
sessed by US. We know that through
these efforts of the press Washington
must eventually take cognizance of
the situation and accord us that which
of right belongs to US.
Despite the fact that certain officials
had given the President to unders
tand. that we were in prosperous
condition, Mr.. Gompers did not hesi-
tate to tell the truth regarding the mi
serable condition in which he found
our coffee planters and those depen-
ding upon them for livelihood. And
now once more be comes to the fore
with the same truth upon his lips, ur-
ging upon the American people the
necessity for prompt action if they
would be instrumental in saving US
from total ruination. Mr.. GomperS is
a man of action and disCernment. He
does not acquire his knowledge from
comparative statements of trade. He
does not consider the dissimulationS of
tables of statistics. He goes to the
core. He sees the actual condition for
himself, and no hearsay or statistical
record can cause him to acknowledge
that which he knows to be untrue, for
seeing is believing.
In land where the coffee industry
is paramount it is absolutely essential
that the coffee growers should be pro.
tected, and that they should be given
the best market available for their
product. After this has been done, if
Mr.. Gompers will return to our island,
he will be greeted by different scenes.
There will be no more starvation. All
will be happiness and contentment.
He will hear in the hut of the country.
man engaged in the coffee plantations
the sounds which suggest happy
home. He will find that the people in
those regions where he found anemiato
prevail 10 so frighttul an extent have
entirely recovered their normal con-
dition, owing to the fact that they
have been allowed the right of secur-
ing, by the sweat of their brows, that
pure wholesome food, so necessary to
sustain life.
The transformation which will be
affected in Porto Rico through a mar
ket for all of our coffee will be beyond
belief, and those who today insist that
coffee is not the principle source of
our economic wealth will learn how
greatly they have erred in maintaining
so false position, and will feel justly
ashamed of ever having expressed
contempt for the opinions of those
who rnaitained that coffee was the
only hope of the country people, and
of having made little of an industry
the possibilities of which they had ne
yer dreamed. He will then be convi- |
need that the coffee industry and the !
prosperity of Porto Rico are bound
together by inseparable ties.
Governor Winthrop is now in the |
United States, and by giving COM
plete recital of the conditions actually |
existing in Porte Rico he can do more
good for the Island than through any
other action. Let him but repeat the
words of Mr.. Gompers, which are
absolutely true in evert respect, and
he can do no more. Although we feel
that it is not even necessary that he
do this, since he is an observing man
and is undoubtedly thoroughly famil-