BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-06-13
EDITORIAL

er&FNF
Thg ae~sfaveg men ~he asae sn-
on.Yses -rrarafnr 'hc nvwN ~vse de-
uica all sntosm@sson.
The s~suA u skc mccsing between
the amp1ntgrablc mcmbxrk q. she
continental oouac.l. who kesp the
sccrc, With absolute reserve. remains
In datkneSs.
NosRlug is known.
In order 10 make inviolzble the mys
terry planned behind the back Of OPP
nien. IN The session 10 which xe are
referring, the continental councillors
were The only ones present. the native
members no; having been notified.
Possibly the subject under discus
sion was of such nature that the
func,ionaries wanted no witnesses. so
that no one could bring forth from
the camera obscura in which our inef
fable miracle workers held their con
fabulations. 10 the sane currents of
public opinion the slightest clue as 10
what was being perpetrsted.
For frank declarations there have
been substituted conjectures distrust
ful hypothesis and natural suspicious.
Those men in star chamber session
can have been doing nothing for the
public good The mystery, the secre
cy, the isolation create an atmospheric
peculiarly suitable to all kinds of alb
normaljties. aud if in full public view
they do wrong and transgress the
law, united thus in gloomy slcove to
which the healthy currents of publicity
have no access. it naturally follows
that something sinister is to be feared
What are these Heads of Depart
ments doing, how are they occupying
their timer. Public opinion, Justly
alarmed, is determined to find out.
And this secret meeting. coinciding
with topic upon which we have com
mented in lengthy articles, gives rise
to certain conJec,ures which are
doubtless we'll founded.
The relation has been sought bet
ween two things, the wish Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, as expressed to Mr..
Larrinaga, to be informed in writing
of the causes of complaint in the col
ony, and the mysterious and secret
conference between the Heads of De
partments.
This is the evident connection.
The functionaries. fearful trem-
bling. stupefed and overcome with
unconquerable fear. brought about,
perhaps, by command Of the Presi-
dent, on the eve of the trip to the
United States of Governor Winthrop,
that he be informed and given strict
account Of their colonial misdeeds.
have united, as in the supreme peril
and the dangers Of the sea the officers
of ship gather together on some occa-
sions to determine to scuttle the ship
in order that it may sink quickly.
If, instead OF adopting this tragic
recourse. the frightened brood Of in
suIar officials were to be moved to
contrition. recognizing their own stu
pidities and lnexperience. We could
lessen the shock received, by the jo-
yous hope Of contemplating the depar
ture of this coterie before that of the
Governor, if such thing be possible.
And that, besides being advanta-
geous for us would not be less SO for
the redemptionists of expansionisn
who could be sent as consular clerks
to European countries, and there, be-
fore the spectacle of that splendid cul
ture and dazzling civilization, they
would be able to understand an appre.
ciate the heights of culture attained
by the Porto Ricans, and then they |
might come to realization of the res
pact which people deserves when it
treasures among its various elements
the degree of highest culture, found
ia the foremost latin peoples of Euro
pc. which are the first races of the
world.
Instead of holding meetings obscu-
rely, mysteriouSly and in isola ton,
in order to inspire nneasiness and just
misgivings, that gloomy coterie ought
to separate, scattering themselves, in
order Skilfully to avoid notice among
the fnnctionarjes of superior rank who
have learned of other methods
of procedure in their dealings and
with civilized peoples and
diverse races in different lands, and
know that American ciyiliza-
ton is not the only civilization, and
that progress, culture, science and
modern advancement has no. been
n.onopolized by the great Republic OF
the north, as is believed by some
gideons of expansionism.