El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1919-02-14
!. Z.
WHY WE LACK
INDUSTRIES

a saa---- 81 ment Of the many artisans and
"a laborers of all kinds who at all
bos Of tbe day stand on the street of towns
doing nothing because there is nothing at all for them
to do Vicente Ortiz is of the few Porto Rcans who
pay attention vital economic problems, ana y the
various statements OF his that we nave koWleS2 Of IL
can be easily perceived that he takes real ntereston this
subject whose Importance is Of course Of the first class
Mr. Ortiz points that although many uIelhploy
ed workers are found everywhere, millions OF dollars
worth of manufactured goods imported in the country
every wear All that, Ortiz thinks naturally enough,
could be- made here and afford the unemployed the OPP
portunitv to work In conclusion the writer says that,
since we are people without initiative and enterprise the
government should take the matter in hand
Yes Mr. Ortiz. YOU right and you read regularly
this page Of Ell IMPARCIA you will have noticed thar,
time again. we have been preaching about the suject
Indeed not only could Porto Rico become manufacture
ing and produce good many Of the articles that we
are at present importing from the United States such
furniture Shoes glassware, ready made cohes etc.
but we could become exporting country We have
tried show that though there serious obstacles on
the way to accomplish the thing because of the lack Of
coal andiron in soil all the difficulties could be over
come if we only went about in the proper way. II the
thing has been done somewhere else under the very same
circumstances, there is absolutely no reason why The
thing could not be done here just as WE'LL
The Government could help yes The official element
should lead the way since lack vision, njatVel to
give children the practical education that we, the
present generation at large have not and that is exactly
why there is practically manufacturing done in the
country, of the kinds suggested We lack in Porto Rico
many industrial schools, and twenty at least should be
Immediately established. We lack special establishments
where certain articles that produced here at present.
like straw hats, could be made in saaDe FORM to
meet the requirements Of the foreign markets, such as
peculiar taste and demand The Government could even
establish certain manufacturing establishments some
thing on the order OF the tobelneS and Ses government
f;etolies in France but for those special articles for
Which have the raw materials here and the peculiar
bent OF people.
But the main thing, Mr. Ortiz no government could do
it is the people themselves who have to do it. We must
cultivate in youth the practical spirit nsti into
young people the idea Of the useful Every year
sending to the United States thousands Of youngmes and
women study subjects not at all intended for IN
dustrial emancipation for economic Independence,
people People go north to study the language En-
gsh) and then the Law business; and by the latter
word Is meant merely the study OF little housekeeping
and little less of senography and after these young
folks through they less fitted to be either
pettyfoggers Office clerks and nothing else They know
nothing about the real things that could be PAT to III
atler country, to the advantage of both, the individual
and the community.
The little industries have in Porto Rico good
bakeries for example are in the hands foregners
they know their business they know how to stick to their
business and certainly wish them plenty OF success,
since do not know ourselves how to make Of thes
many opportunities there are here We fill secondary
positions and remain dependents all of lives lack
inc do the knowledge and the real spirit Of enter
prise. IF we have boy when send him to the States
study the Law Medicine business something
of that sort 1t makes difference what the boy should
be- for hardly take into consideration his natural gall
ing; simply wish to make out of him prominent per-
(pcrsond dsfiaguida) and nothing else-you know
the rest
We know of very rich men here who have several
children three of which will to the United States next
Spring What for? One will be merchant he goes to
Peughkeespse another to Baltimore o>sudy Medicine
and the third wesdont know, but srnise that some day
he will be brilliant lawyer, damned fool Can we
honestly blame the Government, If lack industries
and for the tremendous loss that meanso the country
e every year?
~