BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-06-10
EDITORIAL

NNHA8n<.u tAkt ~ saw NJ AFiAAft~
os cur nights ~ iht absurd anisq1iiy
os tke casoniSl wrimer.
ae - lgnof&n, os ~hss sfsssiNses -
Pore Rico
Aftes rcven wears Il american gov.
eminent. President Roosevelt cOnfcs
SeS tas, ne has neither taken notice
NOT pos,es himself regarding the ire
rslsrss,rs committed by the aQuiilenol
bureaucracy which expansionism has
thrust upon the island.
lie does not know ;hs; the regimen
has been a failure. which though bad
IN itself. has been made worse by the
continental functionaries. and all that
he says. with an indifference which
has for us deep pain and sad siguih
canoe, is TO ask Mr. Lsrrinsgs 10 put
his complaints in writing. He expires
s.s regret that Porto Rico should have
been treated as a country not ready for
self government. in spite of the fact
that the Executive Council annuled all
the acts of the House of Delegates
representing public opinion.
About this, enough has been written
In fact too much.
Mr.. Roosevelt should not ask 10
have put in writing what has been SO
often expressed in the press during its
campaigns, and which was SO clearly
stated in the memorial sent to Con-
sress by the Porto Ricsn House of
Delegates
Those reasons being already Sc we'll
known, the President ought not to
have forgotten them.
And, therefore the asking our
Commissioner to have them put in
writing. can be taken either as
objectionable ignorance, or heartless
mockery
Sufficient time has elapsed for eve
ry one in the nation to be convinced
that the present mogrebino regimen
cannot satisfy cultured people,
which, prior to the inopportune arrival
of General Miles, had perfect regi
men of self government, as well as
sovereign autonomy.
The Commissioner for Porto Rico
has had to ask for greater supervision
over the affairs and government of his
country: as if in response to the well
founded complaints of Mr.. Larrinaga.
hostile fatality, the infamous act of
Mr. Elliot in removing from the De-
partment of the Interior all the porto
ricans, comedies with the demands of
the former.
Thus it is that the promises of Ge-
neral Miles are fulfilled; in such
manner is country redeemed.
Let the ex colonel of the Rough Ri
ders. the intrepid hunter of bears in
the mountains of the west. control his
affection for hunting, his military en-
thusiasm, his fondness for interfering
in International cabals, and consider
that he has been most unfortunate in
asking to have repeated IN writing
what he was told by Mr.. Larrinaga.
What does Mr.. Roosevelt xant2
Is it not sufficient for him 20 hear
a verbal protest.
Well. there are words, such words
and phrases as Mr. Larrinaga will
have to employ. significant and vehe-
ment, if he is compelled again to re-
cite the charges and complaints of the
colonists whom he represents; they
will of truth be enough. and per-
haps more than the President will care
to hear at one time. Our Conmis
sioner should not be obliged to go over
anew the calvary of his country and
to ask for what nc one has the right to
withhold from his people.
The condition which is presented
now is not anything new, it is not a
thing improvised at the moment.
1t is an old debt contracted by the
nation to the colony a. the time when
the commander Of the redemptionistI
invaders came to our shores with the
message of liberty aud with fair pro-
misses which have not been fulfilled.
Therefore President Roosevelt sho-
uld not feign surprise at the protests
of Mr.. Larrinaga. neither ought he
ask to have them put in writing, beca-
use there are some things that cannot
be forgotten, and though problems and
diverse and varied questions claim
the time and attention of a Caesar, |
nothing can be Of greater importance
than the restitution of the stolen rights
of liberty to a people.
1t is eminently appropriate that
when favors and mercieE are asked of
the government for the benefit of some
individual. that they should be en-
bodied in writing.
At L. ..i