The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-12-14
BEGAN MANY REFORMS.
Americans I'm Porto Rico Have AL
ready Accomplished Much for the
People OF the Island,

EcOple Oh the AhAanus
Washington, Dec. 10.-Assistant
Secretary Vanderlip, who is expected
to arrive in the United States from
Porto Rico next Monday, has made
preliminary report to Secretary
Gage of his observations in that ISL
and He reports that the military all
,thorities are getting along fairly well
with customs collections. Everything
received has been deposited with the
financial agents of the government
and the amount now on deposit is
more than 100000. Spanish customs
officials have been put to work at the
various ports and this system works
satisfactorily.
The report that customs officers in
Porto Rico were receiving only pesos,
and were declining to receive Ameri-
can dollars at San Juan is incorrect.
That was the case for few days,
the Spanish customs officials in
terpreting the instructions to mean
that only pesos should be received.
AS soon as this was discovered, how
ever, dollars or pesos were ordered
to be received without prejudice, the
rate of course, being two pesos as
against one American dollar. While
that rate does not correspond with the
commercial rate of $1.65, it is fact
that about two-thirds of the customs
at San Juan have been received in dol
lars, the remaining one-third in pesos.
The customs officers are not allowed
to exchange pesos for dollars.
Military officers at San Juan con-
tend that the reports that have reach
ed the United States concerning the
outbreaks and disturbances OF the
peace on the island are without sub
stantial foundation. During the evac-
uation there were more or less dis
turbances of a private character, but
the situation now, Mr.. Vanderlip
writes, is as peaceable as in the Uni
ted States. Within few days special
reports have been received from the
mayors of each municipality, and they
all unite in the statement that the
conditions are entirely peacea,ble and
lut DtOplC 1hClS bo'S
been some troubles on the west end
of the island by political agitators,
mainly among emigrants from Haiti,
who are said to have a special facility
for fomenting discord, but at the pres
ent time there is nothing serious even
in that district.
The military authorities have been
active in capturing some organized
bands of bandits. and it is regarded
as a 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 result in the eXecu-
ton of the offenders, and, in fact, our
military authorities are inclined to
believe that if this sort of punishment
is ordered at the opening trials little
more of this kind of disturbance will
occur in the island.
The American troops have been well
behaved and have given practically
no trouble.
It has been a tremendous task, get
ting the civil administration of affairs
into operation again. Practically all
civil administration was at a standstill
after the fall of the island. An en-
deavor 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
some sharp politicians, they revived
an obsolete autonomist scheme of
municipal government and were all
ready to put it into force. Gen.
Brooke, however. found it of most
rigorous character and declined to
permit its adoption. whereupon II of
the 30 members Of the council resign
ed. The commanding general has just
completed the selection of their sue
cessors.
The American commanding officers
have been withdrawing guards from
| the sugar plantations and they think
this is going to have a good effect.
| The condition of affairs is worse than
slavery at some of these plantations.
The work was done by "peons," whe
receive five pesetas day on an aver
age and were then subjected to the
very worst type of country store"
Those stores give short weights in
everything 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 plantations
show some sort of fair treatment to
the "peons," refused the request for
guards and have heard nothing furth-
| er about riots.