BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-07-26

The functionaries have endeavored
to detract from the import9 Ac., Of tn.
Assembly Of the municipalities.
According to their idea. the reunion
of the municipalities was not for tAe
purpose of formulating remonstran~
Ice, but to express vote of thsnks.
The redemptionists wish to create
the illusion that the extreme courtesy,
which is one of our characteristics II
pow as at ether times, to mark the
suave form in which they have heard
but not needed the complaints of the
colony
The redemptionistS are mistaken.
The letter of couvocation written by
the Mayor of San Juan announcing the
assembly Of the municipalities, clearly
indicated that the motive of reuniting
the represen tat1ves of the people OF
the island on the seventh anniversary
of american invasion, was not for the
purpose of irtoning hymn of thanks
giving.
In that document there was not the
most remote intention of pretending
any exuberance of joy. nor Of 81
mulating a condition of happiness
which at the present time cannot
possibly exist.
And the results of the reunion, the
triumph of the idea, ought to be in
keeping with the energy of that docu-
ment which in itself was resounding
protest against the present regime.
With that understanding. all the
municipalities of the island have. with
rare unanirnity, with laudable patrio-
tism, accepted the proposition of the
Mayor of San Juan.
The people of the colony, on the Sc.
venth anniversary of the american in
vasion, unite in order to remind the
mother country Of its promises, proles-
ting because up to the present time
they have been unfulfilled.
That, as should be plain to the most
ordinary intelligence, has none of the
elements of a song of thanksgiving. .
In vain they hope for an attitude OF
submission and cowardly conde seen
sion. of an impossible abdication, to
which the representatives OF the peo-
pie cannot lend themselves, now that
they are already charged with the
obligation of being true to their trusts.
And it should be enough to know
that the compla ints Of the colony, ex
pressed in the assembly of its munich
palities, have the ring Of truth, with a
resume Of what the 'jnv-dc.S have
here destroyed and deprecated: the
product of superior civilization and
of higher culture, although this may
not be recognized by the contuma
cious substitutors of methods, laws
and systems.
It was told of liberty. even Of
independence it was told. Seven
years ago it was said to the peo-
pie of Porto Rico that the regime
of in niustice was to end and give place
to an epoch of liberty and justice un-
known in the world And while those
words which savored of treason were
lost in distant and dying echos, there
fell uoon the colony the contempt and
insults of an unbearable militarlsm,
which by forbidden and tortuous paths
brought about unheard Of spoiliation.
While liberty was being talked of.
there were being forged at one hard
and distressing blow the chains OF that
tyranny so shameful, and surrounded
by democratic subterfuges which can
never succeed in concealing it, nor
even in Stimulating it.
While the immortal principles of q
constitution which has been profaned
were being invoked, the conquerors
gave themselves to belittling and to
casting aside the unwary who had
opened their arms, believing in words
that have never had the slightest con-
frmstion.