Platform Adopted by the General Convention of the Unionist Party of Porto Rico (1920)

PLATFOR/W fldopted by the

OE^ERAL CONVENTION OF THE

UNIORIST PIRTY OF PORTO RICO

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PLATFORM fidopted by the _

GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE

UNIONiST PARTir OF PORTO RICO

SEPTEMBER II, 1920.

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íl PLATFORM ADOPTED SEPTEM-

BEE 11, 1920, BY THE GEN ERAL CONVENTION ■ OF THE UNIONIST PARTY OF POR TO RICO

The Uiiioniat Party of Porto Ri co, niet in sovereign conventioii on

. September 11. 1920, declares Political Problem

Pirst.—That confirming its faitb- •

in the principies that were ahvays

the basis of its supremo aspiration^ and in the spirit of rectitude and

justice of the People of the United States,. imder whose proteetion it looks forward to and desires the .so-^ lution óf the problems affecting the life ánd liberty of Porto Rico, it .jatifies the declaration of princi pies contained in the platform of

1913 as the same was confirnied by the convention of 1915.

Seeondi^Its efforts for the present will be directed to obtaining •a more liberal ápplication and development of the provisions of the

Organio Act in forcé, and the ampr 3

lification of the same until we se

care a promulgation oí a complete system óf self-govcrnmeiit emanat-

ing from popular sovereignty, with poVer to elect or appoint all officers antl to rule, all local affairs

through the Legislature.

Third—Its piirposes as rogareis all

other problems of public interest are expressed as follows: Social

At the eonvention held in Mayaguez in 1912 the TJnionist Party

inserted the following píank in itsí platform:

"The Unionist Party will

notl

support anarchistie doctrines nor^ systems disturbing the common lifo'^ and harmony of the different social elements, but it does declare that the proletariat more than any other elass needs the help and solidarity of the eountry.

Porto

Eican laborera should reeeive higher wages, own their own homes, have sufficient food and clothing and decent footwear, and their

labor

should be linrited to eight hours a

day, with the enjoyment, in their sad condition, of all the moral and

physical pleasure thát life affords.

We also (leiiiand laws^which, without wliimful limitationa, will establisli eompensation for labor accidents, cooperativo soeieties, sliop liygieiie, prcniiums for perseverance and iutolligence iu manual labor,

pensions for labor invalida^ regulation and protection of woman and chillé labor, and loans enabling la borera to aequire homes at lorv priccs payable on long terina, We desire, without vain formulas, but by tangible acta, tp strengtlien each day the social broFlierliood that obliges the leaders of the people to feel the sorrows of the people and to remedy , them insofar as power to do so is givon them, thus reudoring forvent homage tO the new world era through the sentimont ofhuman fraternity." (1) Wheii

Mr. Barrceló

started

to

road tilia paragrapli, vritteii by oiir belovod and uuforgettable -Luis Muñoz Rivera, the eonvontion rose tb its feet and listened with great

devotion, this graeeful aet constituting a noble homage to the nieniory of onr great patriot.

What tlie Unionist Party has aceomplished in the Legislatura

■ speaks more eloquently than ean be J stated here of the extent to which our purposes have been fulfilled.

Our laws speak for theinselves and

it is not neccssary to enumérate j thosc introdueed ñor those approved and put in forcé, guaranteeing the firm decisión of the phrty to fulfill its solemn promisca

According to the finality pursued by the Unionist Party it is

the party's pol^ more efficientq ly to prepare the people moiallVj politically and economically for the exercise of the rights and Juties of free citizens capable of handling their own affairs, and it will

not hesitate in solving the problema

affecting human Ufe which are condensed in demoeraey's august trin~ ity: Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. And in this effort it will ; not yield the position which it holds • in the conception and execution óf ideas compatible with conditions of human nature.

V^Ire Unionist Party, therefore, upholds the imineiple of liberty

1

wliieh consecrates

nian's

inalien

able right to tlie free expression o£ thought and to thé organization of all elasses for the purpose of estab-

lishing tlieir jiist claims for social and finaiieial improvemont. It al-

so iipliolds tliat principie of equalityi,whicli is based on the acknow-

ledginent of the innato privilege of caeh individual, as increased by the fruit of his labor, study, volition

and abncgation, and

the

princi

pie of fraternity which does away with prejudiees of race, religión and social standing in the interest of greater harmony in the eoramunity. ' The social problem, it niight bo

said, is the solo and fundamental problem. All others aro inherent theroin because they converge tow-

ards the organization of the indi%'idual for his relations with other

beings in the forination of communities that inake up a people and a nation. Thiis the politieal próblein~ is inherent in the social" so far as it tends to establish the constitu-

tional formula or system of govdrnment serving as a rule for human initiative and activities.

And so

also is the financial problem which establishes the means necessary fo^ the (levelopment of the eommunity along all Hnes.

l

Lawa proteeting rights anct regu- i

lating duty, justice^ public educa-,

tion, health, eharity, finance, agri- \ culture, comiiierco, industries, tj^nks, means of transportation, publie works and serviees and, in short, everything representing life

and progresa sho^uld be looked after with the parpóse of raising to the highest possible degree the mo-v

ral and material levol of the peo-

XSinee the year 1905, when the Uniouist Party^ through its majority began to act in the Legislature, it ha^ directed its effort and

all its diligence to the satifaetory solution of these problema of pub lie character in conformity with the powers granted by the Oganic Act

and the resourees at its eommandí) Public Edncatíou

The appropriations made for thia braneh of the publie seryice when the Unionist Party obtained a ma-

jority in the House of Represen8

fí'- ifi rtli'Mti

J

tatives in tlic year 1905, amouuted to $602,695.

Each sueccccUng fiscal year tlie

Unionist Party increased tho school

appropiations until this last year tliey reached the sum of $2,878,814.75.

In 1904 school buildings existed

to the approximate valué of $390,000 while at the prcsent time thite are buildings "whose valué cxceeds $4,500,000, and appropriations for buildings to be constructed amounting to $926,300. _ And it has all been acconiplish-

ed by the Unionist Party, notwithstanding the great diffioulties en-

countered, by eourageously meeting the task of levying taxes for the

progressivc and rapid decrease of illiteracy.

*

Tho Licenee Tax Act famous in

the history of our country, did not find—^we must say so frankly— certain classes of the people ready to make sniall sacrifices" in favor of the education of their cliildren.

By heading their protests with prominent headlines and encouraging the selfishness of certain persons

favored by forfune, the opposition

press awakened the people's ire, and the latter, led by an erroneous propaganda, obstructed our decisiorj.

and defeated the effeots

of

the

■ - law.

Our oppoueuta are rcsponsible fot■

the failure of the said law because

fhey initiated the said unjustifiecl nioveinent, and we make this state-

- h%nt here because the

Unionisfc

Party must defend itself againsfc the unfounded charges niade bythose responsible fqr its momentary -delay on its glorious road.

The effeets of prohibition, whiclx diiuinished public receipts, were

• ter the cause of the inability of the

Unionist Party to aceomplish all it desired. ,But the truth is, that coiiquering all sorts of difficulties,

worked st^dily for the complete eradication of illiteracy, seekingand finding wayg and means for the realization of this lofty and inost iniportant purpose.

^

Considering the sources of incomo created by the Unionist Party, the appropriations for public instruetion may be doubled in the next

budget, and these

appropriations,

together with such greater sunis as

X

_

10

the-muiiiciijalities may appropiate in wiev of the grcater sources of ineoiiic provided for them by our Logislature, -n-ill. placo the country iu a position to croata as niany schools as niay be necessary so that in Por to Eieo the bcnefits of education will be availablc to all.

The Unionist Party favors

the

teachjng of English as a subject <n our sehools

niaking it as exteu-

sive as may be necessary, but it is -opppsed to the use of any ianguage other than that of the country as a means for the trasinission of know-

ledge.

^

Our 1913 platform contained the folloiving plank:

^System of Public Education— A University for the teaching of all liberal professionsj with

the

firm resolution to inake of it a cen

tre of Pan American

civilization

and fraternity; four normal schools, one each in the northen, southern, eastern and western section of the

island; seven. high schools, seven

colleges of agriculure and meehanie arts, and as many urban and rural primary schools, —preferably for elemenary education in the coun11 I

SOquont laws of our Legislature.

Education iu the Univeraity and the Mayaguez Agrieultural College should be extended so as to iiiclude

speeial courses for the professions

of engineering, architecture, survoying, and medicine, thus affording greater oi3i)ortunitiea to our young people.

Personnel for juaster and over-

seers of pnblie works and buildings, for inspectora of agrieultnrc. and health, for typewriters and telegraphers, and, in general, all the technieal personnel reqiiired by our executive dopartnients, should also

be trained in the Mayaguez sehool.

- The 'Unionist Party declíS-os that publie education is the basis which all properly understood

on deinocracy stands. Sehool is the train-

ihg ground of futuro generationa to substituto the present in the direetion of publie probleins, and it is noeessary-to provide equal opportunities for all

ei'tizens

without

privilegos, offering to the poorer classes the meaus of learning and of obtaiuing an education coniniensu-

rate with their capabilities.

This

is a task that pertains exel.usively 13

to tlic publie power. It ií? from the bottom, from the eiivironmont where move the beiiigs who suffer aiicl struggle, that come the souls teinpered aiid ^prepared by sufferiiig eonscientiously to_direet, with Tce-

titude and fai^ess, the interests of the commuuity. lu modern democracies the poorest and most obseure eitizens have almost aUvaya

been the ones to reach the higli publie posts, aild the great geniuses of history have eome from the

anonymous numbcrs of the unhappy masses. The XJnionist Party renders tribute to and aeknowledges thia unquestionable truth.

Health and Charity

The Department of Health

has

aceomplished a great task iu Porto Eico, having given consideration to

all matters indispensable to publie health. Uneinariasis, paludism and tuberculosis, the threq gr.eat factors of mortality in Porto Eico, have been fought by the department

with powerful energy. Large sumá" of money have been provided in the island's appropriation acts for the extinction of the two first 14

i:

üüniefl fliseáse^, aiid a inOdcrii Sfiua'-

toriiim, which iiroiiiises to be tlio best iu tlio Antilles, is under cons-

truction in tlie vicinity of San Juan, wliile otlier adequate idaeos are bcing prepared tliroughout the islaiid effieioiitly to corabat the ef-

. feots of tÁe terrible plague.

The action of the numieipalities, v.-ith the funds tliey contribute from their own resources and with

the autonohiy grauted them within their respective localities, is of valuable assistaiiee to the Departm-

cnt of Health^ and there is no doubt that with a perfect understanding and mutual aid of the'two organi-

zations in the purposes

of

their

high inission, our''country will take its place on the lofty plano of pro gresa now oecupied by our sister antille, the island of

Cuba, rvhose

death rate is almost fifty per cenf

loss than that of Porto Sico

for

the fiscal year 1919-1920' which exeeeded 23 in a thousand. This enor-

mus mortality is certainly due, for the greator part, to the density of

our iioi^ulation, which uiakes it diffioult to

Uve

hygienically

and

eomfortably, and to the high in, 15

fantile mortaUty wliich koeps piXi-e Tivith the excessive birth rate whieli in our island is double that of other • countries, sueli as Franee and ~the TJnited State's.

Our Department of Health dees

everytliing possible to

avert

every means these alniost

by

inevit

able evils, and w-ith municipal eooperation it looks after the improvement of dwellings in the towns,

the iustalation of aqueduct and sevr erage systenis, the inspeetion of the-

main articles of food, the drainago and sanitation of' damp and swainpy places, and the maintenanee of ■ hospitals arid charitable institutions

equipped with such advantages as science recommends.

And on this

point we must'state, in justiee to ourselves, that due to the intensive action of our insular and muni

cipal organizations, Porto' Rico is today one of the countries

whcre

aqueduct, sewerage and hosixital servioes are most extensively em-

ployed. This is true to the extexit that it may be said that'almost all

our municipalities^ oven those having the smallest ineome,' already enjoy these elements of progress so 16

ímportaiit to public liygíene Iiealtli.

The construction of an

insular

asylum for tlie insane is one of our urgent and indispensable neods, as the prescnt aayluin is out of date and inadequate. The proceecjs which would bo derived from the sale of

the present building to the Federal Governinent for niilitary purposes

feasible plan since the building stands within the zone of the anny

barracks—together with sueli other funds as the Legislature inay ap-

propriate, will easily solve this problein, and the TJnionist Party has liad this in mind for some time

proinising not to rcst until it has obtained the means for the croetibn, on a beautiful located

and

ade-

quate traet of arable land, an asy lum rvhich will próvida for the in sane according to modern scientifie methods.

The asylum for lepers is alao a

great human need which has aire ad bcen provided for by the Legis latura and which will soon become

a beautiful reality.

Homes for the aged, for the in-

valid poor, for sick ehildren, for 17

helplcss or incurable blind, iii sbort for all who eonstitute a social burdon, slioiild also be constructecl and

maiutaiued at appropriate place on tbo island so as to reniove as far as possible the spectaele of niisorv and poverty on the roads, streets and public plazas.

The asyluni for orphan and destitute childron now inaintained froin

insular funds should be extended so as to be able to continué to talie-

care of the nuniberless army of un-

happy bcings who^ without family and home, roam the streets of the

cities and the countryside, failing to attend school and early giving theinselves up to the vices so easily acf|uired due to their lack of experienee.

No matter what sacrifice

the people of Porto Eico may

be

called upoa to make for the eorrec-

tion of this sérious social ovil, it

should be made^ for the truth is that whatever work is now left nn-

done in order to avoid a, present burden, will later devolvc upon tlio people when these beings becoino crimináis filling our jails and prisons, or else become miserable degenerates whom it will be necessary 18

to enrc for in Our liospitals.

Agriculturé, Industry & Commerce Agrk'iilture, industry

and

com-

nieroej the fundamental bases óf the country's finaneial prospority,, deniaud in tliis island more thai\ elíiev.liore an assiduos proteetion favoring the develoijment of our

wealth and

prevontiug

nionopoly

and the high cost of articles neees-

sary to lifc. The establishnient of modern scientfic mensures to obtain

products that will meet the noeds of the country and compete with those of foreign origin, as well as

the dcvelopmcnt of industries affording an outlot for those products and furnishing work for laborers,

is as necessary, it might be said, as education, bocaus|! if ono rcpresefets the moral, the otlier repre-

sents the material part of Ufe", each being the eomidement of the other in tlieir finality, and neither being able to exist without the other.

Henee the agrieultural and indus trial schools, in eonnection with the developnient and promotion of those sonrces of wealth in our island, go

hand in hand in' such manner that 19

the Depai'tment o£ Agricultuíe fliul the Bepartnient o£ Eduoation thus understanding the matter, liave mutiially assisted each

other

and

have eooperated in tho task of cre• atiug in Porto Bico an industrious nnd literata people.

The Uiiionist Party ia disposed to continua ivorking for thia importaiit braneh of the publie serviee and will not rfest until our isiand

reaehes the greatest degree of eul.

ture and effieiencj' along these ele mental linea. '

The People'a Bank, already on ■

oui statute booka and awaiting eat-

ablishinent by the exeeutivc power, shoiild be opened at the

earliest

, possible date, as an indispensable

factor for the development of pub lie, V.ealth, in sueh inanner as to offer facilities to agriculturiats a^d industriáis in need of funds, at a modérate rate of interest and on

convenient terina, thus allowing them to discharge eontraeted obli-

gations without burdensoine proc.eedings such as unfortunately have prevailed in the country to the prejudiee of small á^griculturists who lack the necessary influenee to obt20

já

flin loaus beeause they do not as a

wholc offcr the handsome profits tliat are offered by the big financial institutions.

Commerce sliould also be regulated so as to make difficult all un-

reasonable speeulation tending to

raise the cost of living and whieh filis the coffers of a few, while the

peoplc, represented by the middle "elass and the proletariat, squirm in. misery and despair. Cooperatlve soeieties niay be a simple remedy for this evil and we already have on our statute books a law allow-

ing and protecting them, but it niay be necessary to iutervene in a more

effective

manner

in

order

to

avoid the serious threats that sor-

did selfishness always maintains in the life of the coniniunity.

The obstacle offered by consti-

tutional

presoriptions

frequently

make it difficult for our legislaturo

to adopt radical measures to prevent this grave evil ,which coneerns

not only Porto Eieo but the whole word. However we must continué

to study and to seek the remedy in wise and prudent legislation whieh without curtailing the scope of le21

gitiniaíe ancl necessary mercautile transa ctions, will make it impossible for nicmopoly ancT usury to thrive thereunclcr.

Justice

Our judicial organization fúuc-

tions ordcrly and rights of citizcns evildoors are tried ly punislied; there

correetly. The are ijrotected; and and properis the right of

appeal from decisions of the lower

courts. It is all a question of exoreising due caro' in the selection of officers for tho adminisrtation

of justice. The Unionist Party bclieves it necessary to have such selection niade by the Executive Power with the advice and consent of the Senate, ivitliout considering any cireumstance other than high moral and eapaeity in the person

who is to discharge the difficult of fice of judge.

The Reform Sehool at Mayaguez is quite offieiently fulfilling the' purpose for which it was created.

Delinquent boys cominitted .thereto, now numbering 232, reeive instruc-

tion and are taught a manual trade which will enable thein to lead an 22

honest ¡lud efficiout Ufo iii tlie bosom oí society wlien they return to it 011 roachiiig tlieir inajority.

Wc cannot say as much for our

Poiiitoiitióry wliicli for souie time has beeii erying aloud for funda mental reforms. And it is not be-

glccted this

important

problem.

Our statute" books eontaiii au act directing the construction of a modern penitentiary at some place suitable for the teaohing of agriculture and industries to prisoners^

the puposo beihg to return them to that society which they left as cri mináis, restored to sound, and honest manhood.

strong

But the se

rio us finaneial troubles met by the Insular Treasury during the grave

^ crises ivhich have s'haken it have hindered the executiye power in the realization of thls important work.

The sale of the present penitentia

ry and of the lots alocg tío» "Pa seo de la Princesa"' ivill sutcly produce enough for Ihe conofruc-

tion and equipmeat of

-i

iiodol

penitentiary which wi"l ranic wtth the best of its class in América.

And if sueh proceeds should prove insufficient the TJnionist Party will 23

not hcsitate, through its representa

tivos in the Logislature, to próvida the necessary means witli which to carry out this iniportant

scrvico

^hich representa a duty that caiinot be put off.

Our district jails shoulcl also be refonned and sonie of thoin recbn-

strueted. Wg have nb right to confino delinquents in jioor sorroundings, for they already suffer enough froni the overwlielming neight of their crime and deprivation of liberty^ As a complemcnt of our efforts

for social reforms, a revisión of our

eodes becomes necessary in order to niake them harnionize

with

our

good oustoms and with the progresa bf other peopl'es in the new conception of right and daty considered as a probiem of life, which is abovo all selfish interests.

Publlc Works and Services

The public works realizad while

the Unionist Party has acted through its majorities in the Legislature constitnte a brilliant record

for our party bécause of the initiative and labor carried out for the 24

material progress o£ Porto

Eioo.

Tlie island is a network of

roads,

and thíjre is not a single town not

easily aecessible by automobile. The last plan adopted by our Legislative Assembly eovers and comI)letes

all the projects introdnced and ap-

proved on different dates, and its execution depends on a loan alrea-

dv agreed upon whieh it will be neeessary to increase by doubling the tax levied for the parpóse, in order that the plan niay be carried out in the shortest time possible.

And although at first sight it would scem that we are sponding money

without otlier compensation

than

the benefit of transportation facilities, the truth is that the regions traversed by the new roads will

open iip new centres of produotiíni whiph will send their produets to tlie coast and cause a reduction in the cost of living and at the samo

time impart greater valué to the lands so favorecí, thus providing greater revenue, through taxes, for the publio treasury.

It is fair to aeknowledge that the Department of the Interior has carried out a great task, thus comp-,

25

lying vrith thie wishes of the Legislature. The publie works reprcsented by sehool buildings^» hoapitals, laborera' districta, and others

j of a municipal nature auch -as aqucdiicta, inarket placea and parks, as well as the constructiom and repair of roads, all tppped by a splendid ■ construction of bridges, aro worthy of the highest praise. *

tVarious works of muuiciiml eharaeter have been held up because - of the difficultios encountered in contraetiug loans, the rate of in-

terest eharged by the banks exceed-

ing the liinit fixed by the laws for making loans, and the periods of timo fixed by the financial institutions for repayment of the loans being too short.

ÍChis ovil must be remedied. Our treasury can and should bccome a

Icnder to municipalities by disi:)OSing of its deposita lying idle in tliC banks. These deposita may be exclianp:ed for paper' of the debtor niunieipalitiea which, by jeeeiving loans in exehange for their bonds - would in turn facilitate the means

to the insular treasury of raising fimds when necessary.

26

This problom is precisely <níe of those warranting the creation of The Peeple's Bank undor control of the Department of Finanee.

Another diffleulty. encountered in coutracting loans is the limitation of our credit by the Organic Act to ■ an aniount that can not exeeed se-

ven per cent. A bilí has been introduced in Congress by our intelligent and active Commissianer, Fé lix Cóidova Dávila, providing for the increase of this rate to twelve

per cent, but this was rcduced by the Comniittee on Insular Affairs

to ten per cent. The bilí is pending approval by Congress, A .water inspection service has become necessary, with ,an appro-

priatiou suffieient to carry out a

survey of all existing concessions in Pqrto Eico, and to gauge the flow of the rivers for the purpose of deterniining available surplus water.

In this way it will be detormined where it is feasible to establislt new

irrigation services, aqueduets and hydro-electric plants, thus solving at

, the same time the problem of provid ing light and power whieh are the ereators of new industries.

27

Tlio irrigatioil service establish-

Pcl on the- southern coast has givcii ancl continues to. give magnifieoiLt results, having aavecl that fcitile

región^ which Iras suffered so miicli

from long drouglits, froni inevitable ruin. The Dcpartment of the Inte

rior is increasiug the capacity of this systein as well as of the hydroolectric i)lant at Carite, whieh is a V. oik that will bring exeellent res-

ults. fhe new irrigation system adoptad for the northen coast by the last Legislature wáll also- be extraordinarily beneficia! to that dis-

trict. Por its consumation there is O'ily pending the sale of bonds issued for the pnrpose.

It woiild be advisable to appropiiate fiinds for the survey and div isión of lands belonging to The People of Porto Pico and

avail-

able for the establishment of farms

and the construetion of honiesteads, and for the aequisition of

fertile

lands to be sold on long terina to honcst agrieiiltural laborera.

It is urgently necessary to ereate a new source of ineome

for

the

construetion of laborera' dwelling districts in all the cities of the is28

laiid as has becn recently done in

San Juan by the Unionist Party.

Tho great work being carried out and abnost conipleted at the so--

called Camp Las Cassas, ,quite ncar to the city, presents to all wlio visit it strong evidence of tho valué

of our promises in favor of the poorcr classes.

Eailroads, transportátion facilities, light and water serviees, tolephones, banks, and everything representing the powerful and essentlal elements of life along Unes of human activities should be transferred to the insular govcrment when ciroumstances require, in be-

nefit of publie interest and to eli. niinate all exaggerated speculation which may entail difficulty and

prejudiee to the coiumunity in its free and neeessary aetion.

Labor

Tho Burean .of Labor of the De-

partment of Agriculture has been operating satisfactorily in the discharge of its duty of looking out for and defending laborera in their

just demanda. The Unionist Party believes that the material welfare 29

aiid the rapid devolpment^of mora-

lity and intelléctual power in the laboring classes; párticularly of ru ral ■n-orkmen, is of great importancó.

Tl^erefore, it

will

devota

ra uch of its effort to the attain-

ment of nieasures leading to the improvemcnt of conditions amoug laborera along all Unes.

Wages and salarios should be

suffieicnt to furnish rcasonablp and decout subsistence for laborers, eonsideratíon being had

^

of

stances of time , and/place.

eircuni-

T)ie legal working-day should be

cigbt hours.

Labor

of

childreu

of seliool age should be prohibited, remedy for the difficiilty prevent.» ing complete attaiment of this finality to be first provided. Woniandabor should' be regulated in aecordanee

with

sex

conditions-

Those who beeome aged ur who are injured at work should be Irelpcd in their physical disability. A teehnical^ industrial and agricultural education should be povided for laborers. The excessos of capital as well as of labor shdúld be combat-

ted. Pactories for the production of articles of prime necessity should 30

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be favored- by. the insular goveriiinent.

The Arbitration Act should

be

put iiito effect in such nianner as

to provide the beneficial effects sought by the Legislature, amendments being inade thereto i£ neces-

sary. And the Workmen's Compensation Act itself, already quite per-

fected, should continué to inerit the attention of our legislators so as to

correct- any diffieulty that.practice may point «ut.

The Bureau of Labor, because of

its present extraordinary iiuportauee in our social problem, should beconie a dopartnient independent

of the Department of Agriculture.

Public Finance

Our directr and indireet tax sys-

tems^—the .one based on the valué -

of prbperty and oh income, as well as thafestablishing excise faxes on

eertain pro'duets and

businesses—

should be revised and amended until the rovcnue neeessary to meet all

the problems uiider our consideration shall have beon provided.

The Unionist Party purposes to show that it holds the supreme in31

terest of tho life of the people abové" all other interests, while

it

in-

cludes in its general eoneeption of the term people all those who tnake up tho eomniunity no matter what

their social or financia! standing niay be. As coinpensation for tho

lack of balance established by na tura to the prcjudice of the absol uto equality that should exist amonx

all beings, we shall enaet laws protecting property, but we shall im pose on property the duty of con-

tributing suffieiently towards pubHc expenses as represented by the seryiees which property's own security implica, such laws also to reinedy the needs of the loss fortún ate.

With these declarations and purposes the Unionist Party of Porto Ezco appeals to the heart and will of the people, and offers all the fer vor of its patriotie impulse and its

frrmest abnegation in the next politieal campaign, which more than a

struggle with other parties, will be a battie against the enemies of the

liberty, right and dignity of Porto Bico.

32

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