BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-04-24
EDITORIAL


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encrretic cCaS@res '<hich inspire CUT
afstcles
Accustomed as are oar people 10
have their homes and their and hou-
ses respected ;hcy cannot conceive
how laws may be enacted which au-
,horize a profani.ion OF their sacred
inviola bility among races governed by
culture and democracy, they do not
know ror is i; explained TO them how
il is that these fos igBers have armed
themselves 20 dispose OF life and pro
pertytand put restraint upon liberty
and a ridiculous cloak on democracy
in order 10 compel them 10 assist at
the sacriligeous funeral rites OF law
and Justice. sacrificed with impunity.
and treacherously.
A different regimen and other Gus
toms more in harmony with the dig
nifty and prestige of citizens were IN
vogue here prior 10 the present time.
Then it was the taxpayers these
that paid their quota OF the taxes, who
knew better than any one else the eco
nomic condition of each and the i'm
portance of the business they tran
Sacted, in order TO make just and
fair distribution Of the public burdens
with perfect equity and legality.
This system, which was abolished
by the feudal barons to make way for
the present "mogrebino" one. had con-
sideration and respect for the tax pa
yers which now are absolutely unk
nown the present functionares acting
towards the merchants as if they
were smugglers and each industrial
proprietor an enemy of the treasury
of the country. ~
This Generalization" found in offi-
cial centres, is reflected lamentably
in the daily life and hard struggles and
injurious violences which are found.
This anarchy, which tries in every
possible way to persecute the indus
trial element, that commits the gra-
vest abuses, because 1t interprets the
laws according 10 It's own pleasure,
controls the agents, issues mogrebino" "
orders; has surrounded itself with re
pulsive laws having the appearance Of
legality; has used for its own benefit
the advantages and resources Ct power
and that official demagogy acts with
inpunity, carrying responsibility to
the last limit Of endurance; 10 an IN
solent challenge; and has no check or
curb save that Of the voice Of the
press, which is not stayed BY the fear
of absurd and ridiculous libel laws,
maintaining its protests in the neces-
sary tcnes of disapproval and with all
possible energy against the abuses and
misuse OF power which are being
practised.
Herculean efforts are being made
in certain quarters to suhe the voice of
protest, but the efforts are vain and |
useless.
Our attitude conforms to neces
sity, obeys a principle Of equity and |
Justice and cannot be affected by any |
illegimate objections, neither by any |
abusive or harsh imposltlons
That which needs to be modified |
and corrected, is not our language,
neither is it the general criticisms and
censures Of the press Of the ignorance
of the heads of the departments, it is
the conduct of those psrtamental
heads which requires improvement
and correction and the reform should
be immediate and the rectl6cation
complete.
And until that condition is realized,
they need not expect US to modify our
attitude which is inspired by the
highest and most elemental principles,
those which spring from the necessity
of adjusting the essential principles OF
justice and right
Those officials who tremble at our
commentaries need not fix their
attention on us, it would be much
wiser for them to study their own acts
which have provoked our strictures;
already they must know that we have
no alternative, no other means TO
employ.
: A casual glance at the history of the
inc,.1ar t1epartmerltS will be sufficient |