El Imparcial. (San Juan, P.R.) 1918-197?, 1919-04-23
''ssaOPINIONS ON MY OWN
Rv Claldio Cap6.
AT THE PUBLIC
HEARING
BY Claudio Cap6.

~ fa ;xc Commission visiting u.s. none
"g9 % has or will have the Importance
" Of the public hearings at the Legislature Hall. All day
yesterday went to that business in businesske way
and indications that the thing will happen to-day
~ Commenting upon what we saw and heard yesterday
ny afternoon must say that if the Commission has been
voraby impressed with the show the country has made
the purely social point Of view, it must feel equally
Well impressed with the clear manner in which our think
ing working elements explain the different problems Por
to Rico has to solve.
The Coffee Growers Association Of MayagUez, through
Mess Domnguez and Maran presented their case, that
is say the Coffee situation in manner clear and
intelligent could have been done by any experts Mr.
Eomnguez spoke in forceful English and the Congress
men must have been delighted to hear him, not in the
Capitol Washington but in the Legislature Hall Of
Spanish speaking country When technical points were
raised, Mr. Jacr Maran came forward and showed him
se1f the stastcian he is, furnishing promptly without
hesitation, any information demanded.
% With characteristic frankness must say that
did not like the answer given Judge Cannon when he
inquired as to the approximate cost OF the roads the
Coffee Association asking In joking mood Uncle
Zoe told that the question should be put to an engi
leer; and to this Mr. Cannon might very we'll have
ed that was the petitioners duty have figured
or less the cost Of those thirteen hundred ometers Of
foad in order to satisfy the just cuosty of those who
come here to find out what Porto Rico needs and what
the cost will be- Mr. Cannon business and all
explanations should be furnished to him to any of
tsthe Commission in blsness-ke way If we remember
sEigh second thought it figured that the average
cost is ten thousand dollars per mile (or per kOmeer
we don't remember exactly which, and by multiplying
that figure by the number of needed miles or klometer
the could have been given. Furthermore: the
Coffee Association should have prepared to
give idea to where those roads should be built,
showing for the purpose the corresponding map. No
exact figures figures required at this time but the
qdge remarked Congress always like to know if the
Ioney to be voted ten million dollars the thousand
dollars or ten cents.
Santiago Iglesas heard with keen attention by1
everybody but most particularly by the congressman,
who put to him some thirty questions All were
answered by the socialist leader in that shows
the knowledge he has of every part of his ground Before
he began speak found necessary to beg of the
Hearers absenton from demonstrations of any kind and
lat shows how well the feelings of the Porto Rcan
people has been gauged by those higher up In the corner
where we standing everyone for lglesiaS
and inclined to suspect that the the case
at any other part Of the Hail. where the people scrambled
for little bit of space to hear the gallego" The next
elections will tell if we guessed right. Mind you,
reader that crowd representatives nearly all the
hearers spoke understood English, and although all
Wore shirts and shoes, belonged to the working class.
@ Igesias did not speak about Cicero of the Peopo
nesian War; but certainly he knows how to his En-
gsh, broken it s and his time too; not second
lost in idle rhetoric but every argument pushed home
With the might behind the carpenters hand If you think
exaggerae go and ask any of the Congressman
oWe the Federal congressman don't you know? Our
insuar congressman probably would have reflected for
dlong time before giving the chance to explain his
oweWs, and we make that statement because WE HAVE
lie many times.
Among many other interesting things the socialist
eader said that Labor in Porto Rico out and for
emercanization and that all independence talk with the
,orkershas sympathy that General Nc ntyre seems
fthe trusts here and that Judge Cannon is to whom
Porto Rico gratitude for the truths he said in such
sFa cordial manner, the other night.
~ What do you think Of all that, reader?
rYoUR BUSINESS AND OURS THE STANDARD DIARIES