El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1919-03-05
EDITORIAL VIEWS
By CLAUDIO CARO-.
- :.
THE ALTERNATIVE


suF4 independence could very
nwell lie instituted in Porto Rico, except by going into
debt order to meet budget expenses or else stop
altogether all activities progressive people,
which of course would be unthinkable. No Porto Ri
.eaf really patriotic would consent to it, Remember
that for instance have school p0pula jon OF some
thing like four hundred thousand Children Of which no
more than one third receive any education at all:
member how poorly paid are nearly all our public ser
wants.
But few and poor as our sources of income seem to
be- if they incorporate Porto Rico state to the
American Union, shall lose automatically something
like two millio dollars in custom house and
other federal taxes that left here and il they
make independent republic out OF Porto RICO, our
national expenses will mount to something have
no idea Of Some dreamers may tell you that it won't
happen so, but if you look around WE'LL compare our
with similar ones, and study the question without
any prejudice you will see that it will happen just as we
say.
1t is true that as an independent nation would be
free regulate custom house tariff in any way
saw fit, and in order to raise public expenses
could increase revenue by taxing the imports
much people could stad but remember that
poor people stand NO MORE. In fact, the Porto Ri
can people at large paying already too heavy
tribute to indusriaism.
Under the circumstances, is sincere belief that
all we should do just now is to try to obtain from Con
greSs some definite promise future That body
could promise us either statehood Independence to
be decided by selves, within say ten, fifteen,
twenty years, provided could then fulfill certain
specific requirements, which would constitute the best
guarantee for future.
We could be told, by Congress- more or less as fol
*1Ows "Wthin many years you will be free to decide
'abOut your future status provided your general cul
ture stands satisfactorily test to- be determined by
"the following specific requirement." " We cannot say at
tile present moment what these specific requirements
should be exactly that is not matter to be explain
ed in brief newspaper article but among other things
Porto Rico should by that time be able to show no
than certain low percentage of iliterate people,
normal yearly mortality not certain low per-
centage, which would be fair test of progress in
sanitation; in the ledger balance of wealth, GER
tain sum to favor, to be estimated either by the
total created wealth of the island, by budget
i'm some other way 1t is clear that the object of this
particular requirement would be to test educaton
to thrift and this is just important any other
last analysis live must live sweat.
Iii ne culture should be such that measured by
specific Standards it would pass the test in satsfac
tory
BY specific promise like that, the United States Con
gress could stimulate us tremendously; we would be
given chance to show if really progressive; if
We in deeds we'll in words able to that
liberty we are after either component part OF the
American Union, independent Republic.
Some noisy patriots will find plenty to critisize i'll this
proposition: other peoples have earned their liberty
(Whatever that word may mean without such fOrmali
ties what propose happened before, etc But,
reader remember that human society is nothing else but
compact, business agreed upOn very prOsac tran
SaciOn; and just because mankind does not reflect cOOy
about the terms of that business but compelled by pas
sion to accept them that is exactly why have much
trouble in relations from to 1t should
be clear, to any wellmeanng person. that purpose
isto have things i'll such manner that the happiness
of Porto Rico be guaranteed for the future, just much
tas it is humanity possible.
Thc Sar-Siongcd american Red Cross in tn
of Itays Songs: The strains
of he StarSnge Banner aring plant has been opene b.