BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-12-26

Today we are going f' make our last
com mentary on the Ii assagse OF the
President.
For two whole weeks we have been
speaking of that portion of the presid-
entail document which refers 20 us; we
have analysed the disadvantages Of a
lcitizenshjp which is offered us in ex
change for our lands, and we have
pointed out the dangers to which we
would be exposed by such an ex-
change.
With characteristic frankness we
have stat d the truth; we have voiced
| the general sentiment, the miStrust
naturally epgendered by the success
sive deceptions suffered by the colo
nists, the energetic mandates of pu-
bile opinion, and we have exposed all
these things with patriotic interest
which cannot be qualified as submis-
sive by those who are disposed to ma
ke an auction of our wealth.
Nothing remains for us now but to
make final investigation and COM
|ment.
After discharging this duty we will
be silent, content with the certainty
that we have done all that lies in our
power to save the Island from the
great ignominy with which it is mena-
|ced, the infinite danger that hovers
lover it.
1t is necessary that the country sho-
uld hear us. No matter how pes
simistic our words may appear, they
should be believed; notwi thstanding
their alarming note, they should be
respected, inspired as they are by pru-
dence most just and in the most sacred
love for the interests and welfare of
our Island.
Absorption threatens us on all sides,
the insidious perfdy is apparent. it
stands ready to strike with hidden
arms, it pursues us with ambitious te-
nacity.
Absorption is the spectre of impe
rialism which bowers above us. For
some time the American newspa pers
have been publishing articles and pa
|ragra phs with this touching motif JUS
tsc< for Porto Ric0.
Within the last few weeks the ms
piring tones have increased in volume.
The last mail from the United Sta
tes brought us many articles of the
above nature.
Justice for Porto Rico is the key no
te of all, because the forgotten Island
has been made tn victim of la
mentable error on nc p~f Of the Ma
tional Congress which it is necessary
to rectify in order that it may not be
said-with iustice-that the most i'm
penitent contumacy is enthroned IN
the National Capitol.
Justice! All what glorious word!
Tney we're to do the justice to the
forgotten Island which it was natural
10 expect, because it was demanded
by the most powerful voice in the
Republic, it was demanded with rare
and surprising unani1nity by a voice
to which the government does not da-
re to lend a deaf ear, neither the as
semblies nor the politicians nor the
high dignitaries Of the Republic; the
press demanded it.
Justice for Porto Raco,.
What a beautiful demonstration of
respect for democracy, to political
honesty, to Republican principles on
the part of people who have seen
their errors and mistakes and wish to
correct them!
But, if only those paragraphs and
articles invoking justice were someth-
ing more than traps which hide the
pit; if they were not the grass that
conceals the mouth of the abyss!
The text of ali those articles is an
unwor thy copy, most vulgar repltl-
tion and tiresone reproduc ton.