BoletiÌn mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.) 18??-1918, 1905-01-23
EDITORIAL.


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49, invited the ueffcr dealers 81.
"a American hs his honi So ie,i 'h.
failure oi the Gni,va states a. = oela
ui1ine naileu. - Governor iv ~
Lament hcin. 'ht head II a government
suffering a cemplc.S cfisi>. suc -
man of high -ud elevated sentiments.
ne - sure - become S-ddened bv
misfortune which he canno; completely
ignore. that IS the misfortune winch
weighs upon the island
But the meeting for consultation Al
the Palace has not been called il order
10 chant a mournful ,legy Il the
lost wealth nor 10 dsafen the ears Of
the people with new slluring pro-
misses.
Somc;king practical is sought there.
Something which is indispensable and
which cannot be set aside, a remedy
for the crisis. in harmony with the
plan which already is wholly and alb
solutely approved by pubic opinion.
In The frs, place, what we can do,
if the Governor viii help US, is 70
secure lean.
= A loan for agricultural purposes,
for the coffee interests, SO that the
plantations NAV be built up and pitt IN
condition to await the hour of justice,
whether it be in the form of project
i've tariff or in the shape Of freedom
TO look where we will for our coffee
markets.
In:order to ask for protective tariff,
it is essential that all the energies of
she island be guided in that direction,
inasmuch as in justice and by all right;
there is no other means by which the
United States can ,Compy with her
duty toward Us.
In protective tariff or in absolute
free trade. lies the salvation Of our
principal product. This undoubtedly
must have been impaired by this time
10 the Governor by those who were in
vited to confer on the agricultural pro.
blem.
The loan is a recourse in order 10
await the protection, which is but
Justice, and TO put the coffee lands in
a productive state. But this is not a
definite solution, tits simply incidental
yet still indispensable in the cicum-
stances of the moment.
Over our. fields there has passed
killing blast of ruin; nearly all the
coffee crop has been lost.
Through what causes3
The rains contributed to the disast-
e. but also, the agriculturlsCS lack OF
credit; as we'll as discouragement,
hopelessness and pessimisjnl.
1t is hardly VIC rth while cul:ivating
coffee trees.
And it is on account of the variety
OF dcceiving circumstances; IL is due to
these combined fatalities that the
harvest will not reach even forty per-
cent of laStyear crop.
At this pace. the disappearance Of
our coffee industry is near at hand.
No economical plan, as the one al
ready set forth, can resist the severest
reverses Of ardent followers and the
criminal neglect Of those who establish
the success of just claim upon the
support and alliance Of right and
strength.
The question is presented in terms
both grand and complete in their
clcarness.
There is no other solution nor other
settlement then that Of protective
tariff.
By any other road. it would be
going to what is doubtful lmproba
Bile and perhaps to the failure OF the
good name and just fame OF our coffee;
and it wonld be leaving established
precedent Of submission and weakness,
which by no means, should We show
in these present moments, so MS
torical and of such cruel test.
Have we right to protectlon'
Who doubts it.
And who has not thought upon
the slow agony eff justice, subjected
to cruel martyrdom and to insupport-
able humilliat;ons, when she sees dis
appearing, rapidly, with velocity OF
an automovil, source of wealth which
is being wrested from us and which
dies in the midst of desperation and OF
i