New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-10
AFFAIRS IN PORTO RICO.
REPORT FROM ASSISTANT SECRETARY
VANDERBILT
RAPIDLY ADAPTING THEMSELVES no
~HE NEW CONDITIONS

washington Dec e-Assistant Secretary Wander
IN who IS expected to arrive in the United States
from Porto Rico Monday. has made a pre-
Urinary report 10 Secretary Gage OF his observa-
tons in that island. Under date Of November 2
Re reports that the military authorities are getting
along fairly Well with customs collections Every
thing received has been deposited with Deford &
Co financial agents OF the Government and the
amount deposit aggregates more than 500
o. spanish customs officials have been put TO
work Al the various ports. and this system works
satisfactorily The men he writes. honest. and
& i thought by prominent military officials that
The Government is getting everything It should
The report that customs officers IN Porto Rico
receiving only pesos. and We're declining to
receive American dollars az san Juan. IS incorrect
That was the case FOR few days. The Spanish
customs officials interpreting the Instructions 10
near that only pesos should he received As soon
this discovered. however. dollars or pesos
were ordered 10 he received withoJ. prejudice the
rate Of course being TWO pesos FOR one American
dollar. While that rate does not At al correspond
WITH the commercial rate Of 81 Co. il is tact tina,
about tWo-thirds OF The customs II san Juan have
been received IN dollars and the remaining third I'm
pesos The customs officers are not allowed TO
exchange pesos back for dona,s
Military officers az San Juan contend that the
reports that nave reached the United States con-
corning the outbreaks and disturbances Of the
peace in the island without substantial founda.
Iol4 AAllUE Inc evacuation there
Jess disturbances Of rather personal and private
character. but the situation. MI Vandrrlip writes
as peaceable as II is in the United States With
in few days special reports have been received
from ine Mayors Of all the municipalities and they
unite n the statement that he conditions ar. en-
tirely peaceatle and the people law-abidinc The.
mas been some trouble ~ the west END o. the
Island with political a-i;ators mainly among i,,ro,
grants trom Hayu. who are saiG to have q special
facility for fomentne disccri. but at the prsssn;
tine there is nothing serious even i'm thai die
tlct The military authorities have been especially
a'NVe IN capturing some organized bands Of
tahdits and il Is regarded as an especially good
omen that the natives are aiding in ferreting ant
these people. a number Of bandits a re confined f.,
PRISON, and they viii receive civil trials Possibly
some OF these cases may result in the execution Of
The offenders. ana the military authorities are in
clineo 70 believe that ii this sort Of punishment is
ordered at the first trials little more Of this k,s
disturbance will occur in the Island u
Inc American troops. on the whole b.,o
We" ueha'el ana have according 10 tn. ,es,i,,o,,.
OF -Sne commanding officers. given prao,io.nv -
trouble II mas been Tremendous task 70 get tho
Wv. D'i's,ra'ion OF affairs into operation again
SUI after the surrender OF this island An en-
SO far as could IN do, TO put re Spansh officials
nave the civil administration Of affairs 20 on as
whore there arr. says Nj Vandcriip. sone sn.ciai,
~ sharp politicians, they revived an obsolete aI-
were all ready 10 put il into force General Brooke
however found II Of a most rigorous and paternai
character and declined 20 permit ifs abortion.
whereupon seventeen of Tho thirty members Of the
Council resgned The cornmar ding genera b a lust
completed the selection Of their successors. and
municipal affairs soon will be- adjusted
The American commanding officers have been
Withdrawing guards from The sugar plantations,
ID they think this will have a good effect The
condition OF affairs. IL Is stated. is worse than
slavery on some Of these plantauons. The work
was done by poems. who receive - pesefaS day
average. and are subjected 10 the very worst
type Of country store ThcSo stores give short
weights in everything sold Among several mum
dred alleged pound packages OF rice weighed 10y
weighed over three-fourths of pound The
American officers made the owners OF tho planta-
ton show some sort q fair trea ment to the poems
refused the request for guards. and have heard
nothing further about riots II l. thought that
the withdrawal q the guards from the plantations
viii work great Improvement and that has
been accomplished practically throughou; the
island
The report closed by saying Il learr. that there
Is a great demand here for boat FOR the cOasiing
trade around the island. There is only one, small
boat engaged IN the trade and she has freight
from here away beyond her capacity so thai her
owners refuse all shipments except small ones
upon which they can get tho highest rates
small steamer could undoubtedly make good profit
IN NrE ffFar