BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-05-09
EDITORIAL


~cn : nsw ere irevoAys p''''ssi ere
aisguss @noUA ssc vieiams - nc y
cent uunieip.l msnaa'c
% ~ x.asaoa has Tax brtn less
,u1sfea. whsch - ccn;TsTy a. the laN,
~hsch 49, established io provide icu
narsrv revenues "a The municipalities.
/, i ng ihe municipal order whioh
occupies n. Taken N open Icbsllion
81 the laws nov ia force. !; canno; by
any means prevail. u Is not possible
that il should pass the Office Of the Sc
creisry of norio Rico. who should veto
the resolution Of The pre;ors. wko most
likely have no, give attention 10 II. h.
No. %. 20 provide temporary revenue
for the munich al districts OF Porto
Rico. the authority 20 impose special
local taxes. 10 cover DEFICIENCIES in
their respective budgets. solely IN the
manner clearly stipulated in the law.
10 make good descit which !, has
been known and proves exists
And how have our city fathers arri
we'd at this knowledge If the estimates
for 1905 and 1900 have not yet been
made mp. neither is II known whether
the present budget will show surplus
or dehcit'
Great an6 marvellous as afe the ia
lepts Of our ediles we cannot accord
them the gift of prophecy, even if in
the present instance they have done
no more than graphically repeat the
we'll known proverbs don't apply the
remedy before the appearance OF the
disease
And what bitter reflections Are
produced by the resolution OF the mu-
nicipality of San Juan.
There are no means of correcting
certain institutions the present NUM-
cipal council evidently does not care
to reetify the lamcntable history that
casts distrust and fear over the NUM-
cjpa'ity.
Is it that the atmosphere of extra
vag n has penetrated the house of
tie ople. and that neither the loan,
nor the prompt payment Of the taxes
are enough tor the municipality and
that it is Obliged TO annoy and harass
the merchants and industria! instltu-
tions by new tributes?
And just when the municipal ad-
ministratlon appeared to be purged of
it's inconsiderate extravagances, of
the attack on public interests, 1t is
painful for us to have to register
new case of extraordinary prodigality
which proclaims The impenitence and
obstinacy of the occupants of The ce
rules, as if The institution were de-
cayed, diseased in the middle, fatal the
atmosphere Of the municipio, without
it being of importance to renew the
men that change the persons and the
characters, if the essential elements
remain uncha. ged.
1t is t asy in the extreme for US, for
the Chamber of Commerce. and for
the retail houses TO obtain the annul-
ment Of the resolution or the munich
palty by applying to the Secretary of
Porto Rico or to the tribunals of JUS
tice.
But it is not the sylnptc ms which
disturb us which causes our Dispute
tude and increases the disgust produ-
ced always by calamities, It is the
recognition that conditions remain
unchanged in the SO called house of
the people, that are the same as they
were in those dark days the very
thought of which causes Sadness
when the public interests were in
trusted to those who worried and
concerned themselves very little in
defending and adm nisteripg well the
public charges.
This is what is at the fundation of
Our sad complaint
The measure of the council is the
least. BY casting aside it as illegal,
settles that affair. But that which
comes to the relief is very grave, they
are very great evils, which can be
averted by the simple veto Of the Sc
cretary of Porto Rico, or by an appe al
to the tribunals of justice.
xx
In addit ton to the extraordinary |
resolution of the municipal council |
which produced SO great disgust, we
.aave to record another singular no
lice.
In the United States, news has
oeen disseminated by some of the sen
,ational journals which thrive on scan-
lal, or by some enemy of Porto Rico.
hat there exists here a condition OF
Wild anarchy ond profound disturbance.
This lie clearly exempli6ed in the
fo1lowino cablegraphic despatch re-