BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1904-09-30
EDITORIAL.


the tariff for the protection of Puerto
Rican coffee is not the only request OF
this sort. as at first seemed to be the
case. Now the F1lipinos and sthe
ruined planters of Hawaii are raising
their voices in union with ours, and
are carrying the complaints and their
demands for justice to the attention OF
the nation.
They also are asking protection for
their coffee, and are bringing the very
same arguments that we have ad
vanced to support their claims: that the
United States are in bounden duty to
provide for the relief Of the territories
and colonies which lie separated from
the mainland.
Their contention has struck public
opinion like cry of Help, and com
ing from those islands which ike ours
have lost confidence in the fatal
injustice of the present tariff and the
persistent deafness of those who do
not care to hear the despa irine cry of
protest, it means that it has been call
ed forth when ali hopes of voluntary
relief have been given up
To Puerto Rico belongs the credit
of the first steps in pressing these
equita yle demands; true. in neither ef
the two colonies mentioned has the
partiality of the tariff, which aided by
the perversity and ignorance cf the
public taste, abandons the coffee crod
of home po sessions to foreign lnstrus-
ions. been able to do SO much damage
as il Puerto Rico.
In speaking Of the Philippines and
their present condition bordering on
actual ruin, the New York Journal of
Commerce says,
"In the meanwhile, things are
"going from bad to worse, from the
Commercial standpoint. The po-
"pulation of Manila is decreaslng
the customs receipts are falling off;
"while on tie other hand, the i'm
@'portatons of srice to suppy the
demand for food, are increasing
IF the remedy does not come soon,
1T will be of no avail because
there will then be few remaining
<'who will receive any bsneht. The
*'price of provisions is SO high IN
Manila tha. ii startles the new
conner; the business opportunities
80 insignificant that they discourage
the most sanguine resident. What
will Congress d Will the sitaa
''tion be improved as result OF the
rejection!
Il pretty and inspiring picture, ii
,zyc consider our own condition which
Is SO closely related to it. For TO the
Philippines and Hawaii, coffee does
no, mean anything like what il does
70 Us in Puerto klco.
Coffee in Puerto Rico is the staple,
the essen ia1, and the only part of our
agricu tural resources which cannot be
replaced. When we are left without
markets, it imeans as much 10 us as
taking away the air We br@athe.
Puerto Rich has been tortured to
martyrdom; her via crucis' is a
rec ord of hardships and trails such
as few countries have undergone
From her agony the cry ot plJ1est
was raised-but the unhappy colony
was solitary and a!one.
Who produces c,ffee? was tn
answer we received from those self
satisfied citizens and Their hired sup
porters: The who'll crop of Puerto
kiuo would not supply the needs Of
New York State. Here are the pro
ducers of coffee! Hawaii, the Philip
pines and Puerto Rico the three
colonies on the verge Of ruiz
1llough the vaciilation and indlt-
lcrence of The Anl@rc n government.
t.