BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-01-16
A FURTHER COMMENT
on TuE .sa>SACI

A AAA#M f# !"
~Fths sNsf ust f.,f. as saf.srs 4
eeefe fe fVssnfr .rHuess IA are asp i
1nuess fo>shs fsland
AZ aiansx Il So - scrn ihs' Sc 4
Mar,hfer 3 A @Nais.3 thr stfaasssfs. I
sna his sesuaunend@iaassA arc wase asd
sssaers
The Neeage ss - iis wfi;ef e. "a
a. os9crNAEi aaa iais ieui pah "
servant
fir clearly srsls ne gravity rl ~.
coonumic srusf ior. he chs rNc> ,hc
decrease ~ arc ms era nafcs tho~,
feafufcs ~hach .s,m "a rake ihs ;ui
urc pregnant wiih dang,f
Perhaps hc hs> o. wished - tx
PLAIN fi8.N the causes Il he lsu cn;a
ble condnion II aiisIrS m Porto kico.
hui We tee a. libc'tK - do 80
We make no claim - a new disco
very. we only rcaifirm Mb~, has hev q
repeatedly stated. The cause Il the
falling of 81 Gust, n rsce rs Is a.
attributable 10 the altitude q The Co..
lec;or To avoid slffeTing the cons
iaIt annoganccs 20 which that off isl
SUBJECTS them. importers OF foreign
goods have brought them 10 Porto Ri.
co via the United States. and The Gus
torns revenues there have received .lhe
benefit instead of those Of Porto Rico.
The Mess &c also advocates the eX
tension Of the Civil Service laws 10
Porto Rico. This Is important and
highly desirable.
If appointment to pub,ic office de
pended upon merit shown by Civil
Service examinations. il would de
monstrate TO the public the incompe-
tency of many of the officials who to-
day I'll important positions.
1t would also serve TO tl:minac c q
number of those selfseeking hangers
on" to political parties which Games so
much evil in Porto Rico. 2blc,
1t would also put stop TO the pie
sent BUREAUCRATIC misuse5%of money
and wipe out many inefficient :a7d
irresponsible office holders. Making
vastly less expensive the public ser :
vice.
Governor Winthrop has clearly com
pretended that one of our worst ad
minist-ative evils is this excess of EN- =
ployees, and he has done we'll to in
OlCAbC tuC lCuCOys
The same is true as regards the
municipalities The discrepancy be
tween the size of some of our towns
and the size of their budgets is akin
to that which EXISTS between the
wretched State of our island and the
oriental lavishne,s of our insular D.
propiations.
All this shows that the Governor
has broad, comprehensive view cf
conditions here; that he understands
the true state AMI needs # the island ;
its grave and p rpexing problems.
The recommends ton IT a. law tor
the protection of our coffee from frau
dulent sale is import Mt. Puerto Ri
can coffee is offered for Sale cheaper
in the United States then herel which
clearly proves that inferior products
from other countries are being sold as
genuine Porto Rican coffee. AS our
sales in the States are small, il is all
important that its qualities and me-
rits should be known.
We also wish to say that this Mes
sage has the distinct merit OF moder-
alton. II is a seriously thought out
document, and alt gether unlike those
exuberant deliverances If Mr. Sweet
and others, who would whether or no
americanize Porto Rico if necessary.
at the point of the bayonet
Prudence is needed in this proc IS
of evolution. Laws must nc adapted
to the needs and the conditions Of the
people for whom they are made This
is the tenor of the Governors Mes
sage.
This Of course carries with it les
son unfortunately a very necessary
one-for the impetuous Mr. Sweet. a
reproof for the enigmatical Mr.. Hunt,
and suggestion for many of tn. If
followers.
The island would have been saved
from many a sar and solt and wound
had those charged with the directl II
of it's affairs taken heret fore 20 sane
view of matters of fact and Of policy
Nearly all the legisl tion thus for
inaugurated in Porto Rice has hid
one lamenta BILE def ct: it was throt gn
out enacted for the Ame rican people
rather than for the people OF Porto
Rico. 1t seems natural and reasonable
that in the future our legislation be
suited TO the best interests Of this is
1d an5 &c r,eor1e-th ho1toh If is not