The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-09-18

San Juan, Island of Porto Rico, Sept.
6.-The quoting influence of the Amer
lean conquest of Porto Rico was felt
here last at the capital, where the I'M
conquered but morally defeated Span
ish army, with every outpost driven in,
is now being concentrated preparatory
to the final evacuation and relinquish-
ment CT the island.
The natives, who secretly sympa-
thized with the invaders, and who
would have hailed with delight their
deliverance from oppression and mis-.
rule, were overawed by the presence of
the Spanish authority, to which they
have bowed so long. During the three
weeks since they have known that the
terms of peace gave Porto Rico to the
United States, they have not dared to
exhibit their satisfaction. Secretly
many Of them began the study of the
language Of the deliverers, but Eng
lish was a tabooed language. An Eng
lish general who entered the city two
days after the peace protocol was
signed, and who knew no Spanish,
could find no Interpreter. In fact,
could find no one who professed a
knowledge Of English save her males
tvs consul.
But with the arrival -of the Ameri-
can evacuation commissioners, General
Brooke, Admiral Schley and General
Gordon, the whole atmosphere changed.
Every native Porto Rican who under
stood a word of English sought out the
Americans who came in the train of
the commissioners and lavished an.
English word or sentence upon them.
with an air of pride, such as one would
if he were displaying some priceless
l. =, x,E = h
Spanish soldiers in the streets and
Spanish officers in the hotels and cafes
disappear at the sight of the American
uniform. They felt that there already
had been thrown about them the pro-
Jecting aegiS Of the United States, al
though the Spanish flags still flew
from MORO castle and the evidences
of Spanish authority still confronted
them on every hand.
SPANIARDS UNDER RESTRAINT.
It must be said to the credit Of the
SpaniardS that as far as known there
has not been a single instance where
they have undertaken to arrest or pun
ish those displays of pro-American feel
ing. which but few weeks ago would
have instantly sent the offenders to
prison or perhaps to 4 worse fate.
This is the more remarkable, inasmuch
as the city is full of Spanish soldiers,
who show on their faces the deep re
sentiment they feel, and some of the
natives seem TO delight in making their
exhibition as provoking as possible.
But thus far they have held their tenn
pers. The officers and the higher Off
Gals feel their humiliating position
keenly, although they try to deceive
themselves with the boast that Porto
was surrendered, not conquered. and
that their honor is unsulliedJ It is not
strange that they should yield control
of the island with reluctance, for to
the officers of minor rank service here
means double salary. house rent, sub
sistence at the expense of the. prov
ince, and to the high officials, military
and civil, enormous salaries, position
and opportunity, which, in the major
ity of instances. is the equivalent of
wealth.
EXCHANGE OF COURTESIES.
But despite their chagrin, the Span
ish officials have been scrupulously, in
deed punctiliously, polite in their at
titude toward the American officers.
When the New Orleans first entered
the harbor a week ago, salutes and
formal visits were exchanged imme-
diately. When our officers came ashore
they made it a point, when they met
Spanish officers on the street, to salute
them first, even though in many cases /
they knew they outranked those to /
whom. they showed this courtesy, naval !
the world over requiring the /
subordinate officer to first salute him /
who outranks him. 1t was a bit of /
courtesy which took something from
the sting of defeat and relieved the |
tension. That it was appreciated by /
the vanquished was evident by the /
spontaneous heartinesS with which the /
saluteS were returned.
When Admiral Schley reached here |
on the Seneca, and the Spanish gun /
boat Isabel II replied to the admiraTs |
salute as his double-starred pennant |
was raised on the New Orleans, the |
admiral ordered the Spanish flag hauled |
10 the peak and saluted The official !
followed the arrival of the
peace commissioners with almost |
precision. The brigadier
of marine Commodore Vallarino, called !
upon Admiral Schley, as the etiquette
Of the occasion required, Vallarino be-
ing Schley's inferior in rank, and this
visit the American admiral returned
the next morning.
NO DRESS UNIFORMS.
Major General Brooke and Admiral
Schley. as the highest military and ma
val officers, on the afternoon of their
arrival proceeded to the palace, accom-
panied by their respective Stats. and
paid their respects to the captain gen
sral, who is 4 lieutenant general in the
Spanish army. Admiral Schley and his
staff, Lieutenants Sears and
Wells, were arrayed in full uniform
at the hotel, when General Brooke
with General Sheridan, his chief of
staff; Colonel Richards, his adjutant
general; Major Carson, Major Crosby,
Colonel Hunter, Colonel Goethai and
the remainder of his staff drove up to
Join them. Then il was discovered
that Brooke and staff were in fatigue
uniform. Their dress uniforms they
had left behind them when they
started to the field. As it would have
been manifest improperly under the
for the admiral and his
staff TO wear full dress, they donned
atigues.
The party were driven to the palace
lines of people from wall to
:urb. The interview took place in the
grand salon of the palace, under a
massive gold framed portrait of the
queen regent and the youth for the
protection of whose crown this war,
20 disastrous to Spain, had been waged.
rhe call lasted scarcely ten minutes,
most of the time being occupied in in
Admiral Schley, who
peaks Spanish huently, engaged the
aptain general in conversation after
n i,f, /