Iron County register., 1898-12-15
AFFAIRS IN PORTO RICO.
The Military Authorities Getting Along
Fairly Well and Good Order Generally
Prevailing - Abuses Corrected.

i Fairly Well and Good Order Generally
Prevailing Abuses Corrected.
Washington, Dec. 10.-Assistant Sec
retary Vanderlip, who is expected to
arrive in the United States, from Porto
Rico, next Monday, has made pre-
liminary and informal report to Sec
retay Gage of his observations in that
island. Under date of the 27th ultimo
he reports that the military authori-
ties are getting along fairly well with
customs collections. Everything re-
! s.eived has been deposited with Defard
& Co., financial agents of the govern
| ment, and the amount now on deposit
aggregates more than 100000. Span
| ish customs officials have been put to
work at the various ports, and this
| system works satisfactorily. The men,
he writes, are honest, and it is thought
| oy prominent military officials the gov
ernment is getting everything it
should.
Pesos and Dollars Equally Received.
The report that customs officers in
| Porto Rico were receiving only pesos
and declining to receive American dol
lars at San Juan is incorrect. That
was the case for a few days, the Span
| ish customs officials interpreting the
instructions to mean that only pesos
should be received. As soon as this
! was discovered, however, dollars or
pesos were ordered to be received with
out prejudice, the rate, of course, be-
ing two pesos against one American
dollar. While the rate does not at all
correspond with the commercial rate
of $1.65, it is a fact that about two
thirds of the customs at San Juan have
been received in dollars, the remain
ing one-third in pesos. The customs
officers are not allowed to exchange
pesos back for dollars.
Reports of Outbreaks without Foundation.
Military officers at San Juan contend
that the reports that have reached the
United States in relation to out
breaks and disturbances of the peace
on the island are without substantial
foundation.
During the evacuation there were
more or less disturbances of rather
personal and private character, but the
situation here now, Mr.. Vanderlip
writes, is as Peaceable as it is in the
United States. Within few days spe-
cial reports have been received from
the mayors of each municipality, and
they all unite in the statement that
the conditions are entirely peaceable
and the people 1awabiding.
Organized Banditti Captured by the Mill
tary.
The military oJIth0rifsac hou
especially active in capturing some
organized bands of bandits, and it is
regarded as an especially good omen
that the natives are rendering their
aid in ferreting out these people. A
number of bandits are confined in
prison, and they will receive civil trial.
Possibly some of these cases may re-
suit in the execution of the offenders,
and, in fact, our military authorities
are inclined to believe that if this sort
Of punishment is ordered at the open
ing trials little more of this kind of
disturbance will occur in the island.
The American troops have, on the
whole, been well behaved, and have,
according to the testimony of COM
manding officers, given practically no
trouble at all.
Tremendous Undertaking.
1t has been a tremendous task get
ting the civil administration of af-
fairs into operation again. Practically
all civil administration was at stand
still after the fall of the island. An
endeavor has been made to put the
Spanish officials, so far as could be
done, back into their places, and have
the civil administration of affairs go
on as nearly as possible in the usual
routine.
At Ponce, where there are, says Mr..
Vanderlip, some specially sharp poll
ticians, they revived an obsolete au-
tonomist scheme of municipal govern
ment, and were all ready to put it in
force. Gen. Brooke, however, found
it of a most rigorous and paternal
character, and declined to permit it's
adoption, whereupon II of the 80 mem
bers of the council resigned. The
commanding general has just COM
pleted the selection of their success
sors, and municipal affairs there will
soon be adjusted.
Withdrawing Guards from Plantations.
The American commanding officers
have been withdrawing guards from
the sugar plantations, and they think
this is going to have good effect.
PeonaGs Worse than Slavery.
The condition of affairs is worse
than slavery at some of these planta-
tions. The work was done by "peons,"
who receive 55 pesetas a day on an
average, and were then subjected to the
very worst type of country store"
These stores give short weights in
sold. Among several hun
dred alleged pound packages of rice
weighed by American officials there
was not one which weighed over
three-fourths of pound. Our officers
made the owners of the plantation
show some sort of fair treatment to |
the poems, refused the request for |
guards and have heard nothing further |
about riots. 1t is thought that the |
of the guards from the |
will work great improve |
ment, and that has now been accom- |
plished practically throughout the ISL
and.
Arrival OF the Pennsylvania mt Manila with |
More TrooDz