BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-03-24
EDITORIAL.

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ard logic
The defects IN these l.ws are not
ccTreCed no. even after 'hcy are eA
planned by ihelI sa-cailed interpreters.
The errors give brih 10 uneaSinesS.
which are noi suiilclsnihy explained
by those systems which are always ab
surd ane ignored.
The. revision OF property seemed
fundamentally, measure OF convent
ence
Perhaps with this revision errors
were TO be rectlied or perhaps the
hour had arrived to put an end tothis
apparently decreed course OF ruinlng
us
The property-holders would no long
er have TO fear The payment OF taxes
in the MAJORITY Of cases. on an lmpro-
ductive capital, or apiiciously assessed
1cording fo MT Iqyal knosrhGsf and mn
a<rstandfng OF the agents Of the Trea-
sury Department.
But the indications have not demon
Strated that the revision. OF property
would correct these errors. On the con-
trary, the new assessment would bring
more taxes Due to the increased diff
fculties Of collecting taxes and the
excessive budget the claws of the SO
called administration have buried
themselves into the lands which have
thus far. saved themselves from ruin
with the object Of seeking retaliation,
and a means, at all COSTS OF securing
an equilibrium which cannot last long
The hardships of the tax payers
have begun AGAIN They are repeat
ed every year, only to entertain the
indolent mem bers composing the ad-
miniStration.
The tax payers waits in vain for the
issuance of dispositions by the govern
ment which Will mitigate the abuses
they commit 1t is useless TO ex
pect any change Of attitude on the
part of the ficlals who are unwilling
to make any Notifications,
ni he he
comes every year more critical and en-
barassing, because with the supcrse
ding of the officials whose lncumbency
is sadly remembered. comes new in
terpretations Of the law and an un-
bounded desire 10 make reforms in
the already established systems as
though il we're necessary to inspire in
the people feeling Of discomfort and
sadness.
Everywhere, the taxpayer Is looked
upon as an essential element in the
government of a state; It is an econom-
ical organization and in such lignt it
is held and appreciated. But the
amazing colonizers brought here, by
the American occupation seem 10
consider the property holder, the
merchant and the artisan as public
enemies, who must be cambatted by
all means, resorting to every possible
alternative.
This is the only deduction from the
course initiated by Treasurer Hol-
lander and which has been pursued in
a more prominent and alarming man
ner BY the successors of that banetul
economist.
The Treasury Department has Sue
ceeded in filling property owners with
horror, and creating feeling OF
distrust in the people.
The pe ople realize the fact that all
measures against capital, must neces-
sarily fall upon the consumer as con
sequence Of the law Of economic
equilibrium.
Beside the feeling Of distrust harbor-
ed by the peope there is feeling that
the public Offices will serve as means
of graft to adventurers and who while
in Office. contrive schemes by which
they can enrich themselves at the ex-
pense of the 1eople.
Some officials taking advantage of
the s, stem forced upon the people.
and employing clever schemes, can
take the place Of the most unfortunate
property holders and thus becoming