BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-12-11

1t was SeucIally uuuC1otoou eAoe eAS
President, in his message to congress,
would treat of Porto Rican affairs.
This was affirmed before the contents
of Mr.. Roosevelts message was known
and as consequence the people lived
| in the hope that justice would be done,
and believed they saw signs OF promise
| in the text of that brief announcement.
The Presinent has occupied himself
with Porto Rico, but the hopes
entertained by the people that justice
would be done the colony have
proved deception.
The President has referred to Porto
Rico, but with the same superficial
Indifference as has been shown
towards US by the government up to
this time.
The concern he has manifested for
us is without value, as is the annotn-
cement which has been circulated.
The message of President Roosevelt,
| in so far as it relates to Porto Rico, is
verltable calamity.
Two problems, of infinite gravity,
we have to solve without the help OF
others. They are the political and the
economic problems.
We know the solution of both; we
have analysed, discussed and stated
them innumerable times and given
wise counsel as to their treatment. but
we have not succeeded in making the
President heed us.
Those two important and absorbing
problems remain unsettled. And they
continue unsolved because the Pres1-
dent SAYS that the paramount needs
of Porto Rico are industrial and COM
mercia1 rather than economical and
political
WHY has he said nothing about pro-
lection for our coffee if the needs of
the Island are of an industrial and
commercial nature?
Why has he not spoken of tariff
protection for our principal source OF
commercial wealth.
Has the President not yet learned
that coffee is the bone and sinew of
our industrial life?
The solution of Our economic pro-
blems lies in the granting of tariff
protection for that grain.
The foundation of the solving of
our political problem lies in the re-
form of the Executive Council, IN tta
separation of powers now afsurdly an
monstrousIy linked together.
And the message is absolutely silent
regarding tariff protection for coffee
and utterly ignores the reform of the
Executive Council!
| And this is the way the President
occupies himself with Porto Rico!
The two sole solutions which have
in them the elements of justice, which
the country longs for, which public
|opinion demands, which constitute the
collective ideal-because in them the
country sees it's saliva tion, those two
solutions in which the people have
placed their hopes and belief in i'm
proved con ditions-are treated with
utter disregard and contemptuous in
difference by the First Magistrate
of the dominating country.
One. he not even mentions; in the
mind of Mr.. Roosevelt the welfare and
thought of our coffee has no exist
Ience, it has passed into history like
wealth that has ben thrown Into an
abyss. =,
And the other: the political problem.
The problem to which the Assembly
of the Municipalities drew attention
! in such unmistakable terms. which
makes possible an ignominious cent
ralization of powers. which subjects
the colony to an unbearable and in
supportable feudal tyranny, and rem
ders Justice a matter of whims and
caprices and subject to the pleasure
of anyone, how is it treated1
What is the ground on which the
Pre- sident bases his assertion that the
Executive Council should continue in
its present form?
It is that it commands the confd-
ence and respect of capitalists and
property owners!