BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-06-03
EDITORIAL.

Thc ittssEN ~Asch &C have sccssvxd
from she Nsrzk ssssihusr 60 err Cr~n.
rnasxsoneF. Nj iArFsssgs. The mot
sio9ny ~t e, seN>4s4 imgFesssen
regarding tae l.... 3esas &itoeaing Tor
- ksco.
lathe nat >. we arc no, sA0rgki -.
Soruc r.. ~ h,.h ffAe aiA ard The |
ma,arssy Il The rcople arr ignorant
even of The existence os the coic1y |
Noshinr u known about nS. and. a.
consequence. wr ksNc nothing 10 kop,
from issi source
cGT SITUATION cOald not b. meTe
anomalous.
Ane in addition 10 the sad condition
o.; abandonment. the moirnful cir
c1nstsEces II isolation Genre 90 aug
men; tie sffiiciion already unbeara-
BILE. there is evidence that The nation
Is not in condition 10 have colonies.
nor even over sea possessions. .nd we
are. as q result, IN the most unreal OF
situations
We are ignored absolutely. the lack
of knowledge of all that relates to us is
complete. Nobody has the time, nor
the inclination TO study the degree OF
INC NAlAGAC Va OAl pSSp4Ss AOOOsy
wishes to appreciate the excellent qua
lities of the natives. nor TO recognize
their rights and attributes When
from time to time officials from the
nation visit Our island, they travel ra-
pidly through the country in automo-
biles, admiring the beauties of our
scenery and the brightness of our
skies; of the real conditions they learn
nothing. absolutely nothing. and they
return to their native land with no
other impression Of our island than
that furnished by souae stone relics of
the indians. Or some cheap souvenir
more or less picturesque.
That is what some" Of the inhabi
tants of the nation know about US.
But the greater part, the vast multitude
do not know that much. they are tota-
lily ignorant even Of our existence;
that there is An island called Porto
Rico.
This produces in the mind feeling
of utter hopelessness. No one is con-
cerned about Us. nobody cares. Our
complaints and just protests are re
ceived in silence, we are absolutely
abandoned.
Occasionally, some paper speaks
about Our coffee, and that is only be-
cause it is recognized as 4 means of
covering deficit of some forty mi
lions Of dollars in the national budget
But of the heavineSs Of the present
regimen, the incompetency of the
functionaries, of the "mogrobino' sys
tenn which is in operation here, Of the
NJ r,oLf.
which is making the country its vic
TINS, Of all that 70 vitality affects and
touches the life Of the colony, no one
speaks, no one is interested.
We are being abandoned to bloc
Eade of silence.
And now President Roosevelt, in
connection with the construction of
the Panama canal. has raised ques
ton which for us is Of paramount i'm
portanCe.
The President docs net wish that
domestic prices be charged on the
material which it is necessary TO uss |
in the construction of the canal. And |
he thrcaters to buy it in Europe il the |
manufacturers insist on applying the
domestic tariff. instead Of charging
the export price.
The issue which is raised is of
transcendent importance. Because
the proposition to import the materials
nece ssary for thc building of the
great intcr.oceanic highway is unjust
to us, for we are obliged to pay do
mestic prices, even on the necessities
of life, meanwhile the chief product Of
cur agriculture is left with no protec-
ton, abandoned and left to the most
com plete ruin.
All but we are unable to adopt
the recourse of President Roosevelt!
We are not in a position to threaten
to import from other markets the
articles we are forced to buy and al
price of exploitation.
Those people who do not know us,
who are ignorant even OF our
geographical position. laugh at our
sufferings, and we have not the com
pensation of buying in other markets
the same fruits that cost us double
price: thanks to the domestic tariff
which is enforced against US.