BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-09-19

the road to learn SOmetR1nG OF tneSe
truths when he says that individuals
which compose municipality have
right to associate themst ives, DIT how
lis it if the individuals of munlcipa-
| lity have this right it is not possessed
by the ayunts tsmiento which is the le-
gal representative Of the municipality?
Can it be conceived that anyone CO.
uld accept such an sbsurdity even if is
Mr.. Dillon who sustains it and more
modest authorities who repeat it? :.
Municipalities are juridical persons.
their representatives, the ayuntamien-
tos, are the same; how then, are they
to be denied the right to form Lea
que, society for mutual defence and
for legitimate purposes?
| But it is necessary for the Attorney
General to look for that right OF the
municipalities in the laws which treat
of juridical persons, end of associa-
tions, and not in a municipal law Who'll
| llyiinappropriate.
1t is certain that he cannot find it
in such place. Municipal laws, as
rule, conGne themselves to defining
the organization an2 the functions of
the municipality, without repeating or
modifying in any way the general
laws which recognize, as an inaliena-
BILE right, the legality of persons and
| iuridical entities to form associations
among themselves.
How can a municipal law correct
the Organic or Constitutional law of a
country3
Has the Attorney General either
seen or heard Of such law7
There are mistakes, there are errors
which on account of their enormity
cannot be excused and which appear
to be perpetrated knowingly,
To this category belongs the one
committed by the substitute Oracle OF
the congregation, based on the mea-
gre authority of Mr.. Dillon.
How can it occur to a man at learn
ing, no matter how great may be his
affection for the gideonic theories OF
| Judge Dillon to look in work Ell
municipal law for the acknowledge
! ent of the right of association, and
how can he cite provisions Of that
same law which does not repeat nor
lsanction what is inherent in all citi-
zens and all corporations considered
as juridical persons?
The testimony of the Attorney Ge
neral absolutely lacks authority legal
weight and convincing logic.
1t may be that he aspires to produ-
ce an impression with the poor argu-
ment based on the text of thc muni-
cipal law and on the woruout lucubra-
tions Of Mr.. Dillon, it may be that he
has succeeded in frightening some f
the Ayuntamien and leading them
to desist from their Legitimate efforts
for necessary defence; but the doc
uinents which have been published
over the name Of the Head CT the
Department Of Justice ought not 20
produce even the most tranSltory IN
pressions, neither reflect the interested
nppositions of the government. unless
they are able TO convince by their SOL
id arguments, their logical interpret:-
ton Of the laws and BY the incontes-
BILE force OF legitimate authority con-
secrated by public opinion.
If they lack those indispensable
requisites they may leave in the
public mind deep grief and despair,
deceptive impression; but they will
not obtain the approval nor the res
pect of peoples mat have n admirable
intuition for disco rning the judgn-
ent which merits that which is impos-
ed by justice and that which is lmpo-