BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-10-14
EDITORIAL

campaign and occupies the foremost
place in the discussions carried on in
the newspapers conducted by both
parties in the speeches made by the
partisan orators and in the party plat
forms and policies, over all the other
Important questions which are before
the public. We commend this tend
ency on the part of the political
leaders, which shows that the princi
pies and ideals of partisan politics are
advancing in the right direction, when
the greatest consideration is shown for
the alieviation of the financial distress
of the country, and the adoption of
plans for the advancement OF it's mate
rial welfare, which are SO badly
needed. The financial question is the
vital one at the present.
No political meeting, convention or
assemblage of men interested in pol
itics is complete without some new
plan or solution of the fnantial crisis
being presented. AS a telling blow
at the Unionists, prominent repub
lican daily of the Capital stated yes
terday that this party has agreed to
work in the coming Legislature
against the project of an agricultural
loan. We cannot approve of the meth
DDS of the republican organ, but we
can see, however, pralseworthy
method concealed in the attack which
bears out much that we have said
heretofore. To the Puerto Rcan peo-
pie the one vitality important thing,
the one thing upon which all can unite,
is some way of averting the lnpend-
ing financial crisis and relieving the
country from the dreadful state of
hard times and distress which is press
ing so heavily upon it And when a
country has SO unanimously agreed in
recognizing what it needs, and in its
Willingness to set aside everything
else to obtain this one object, it has
taken a great stride forward and
placed itself in an impregnable posi-
ton to battle for the granting Of its
demands. So far SO good. Everyone
is agreed that something must be done
to relieve the distress which is found
on every hand, and that much in the
midst of the calamities which we are
passing through, is an encouraging
sign of unanimity when fighting for
common cause. This much good has
come from the ills that the county
has suffered
But aside from the important point
which is disclosed in the article of the
republican paper referred to, and the
way in which it is presented, it is to
be hoped that the assertions will not
be repeated, and that the public will
not be lead to believe that they are to
he again grievously disappointed in the
realization Of their hopes. 1t is stated
that the Unionists are opposed to the
loan. Who is it then that has caused
them to agree in opposing it2 Is it
because they wish to oppose the Re
publicans who have agreed to defend
it, but are willing to unite with The
them in their attitude toward the pro-
iect for the construction of roads and
SchoolhouseS, made in the same form
and manner as proposed by Messrs.
Hunt and Elliott? For in the light
that the republican organ presents the
question the explanation of the entnu-
siasm shown by Republican orators
and newspapers, hlch presents itself
to us is hardly feasible.
The Republicans have trimmed
their sails to the wind of popular opin
ion which is blowing all toward the
1oan not as final and definite sola-
tion of the financial question, but as
measure that viii! relieve the pre-
Sc distress. The UniOnlsts can scare
ly have found The support of public
opinion in their opposition to the
agricultural loan. On what then do
they base their opposition 1t is party
policy to fight the measured It surely
cannot be this, because the Unlonist
speakers in their rallies have defended
the doctrine of the party as its stand
on current issue, that a loan should
be f1oated to aid our agriculture, in
line with the prime pie that demand
should be made for the inclusion of
our coffee among the other commodi-
ties protected by the Dingley tariff,
or that complete commercial auto
nomy should be granted the Island
in order to enable it to arrange reci-'
procal agreements for the expectation
of our coffee. For our part We have
always maintained that the loan by
itself, would avail nothing and helpI
nobody