Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-10-05
'-,'sfIs-ssgs' sNss G.ssgaslisssal, l,,.ssa

 the American commissioners waved aside, pending the decision of the main question, the evacuation. But for sev- eral days they allowed General Ortega to talk on until he and his colleagues were compelled to revert to the main is- sue. The language of the protocol was plain, definite and specific It provided for the immediate evacuation of the island. On it's text our commissioners stood, and to their qualification they found the Spanish commissioners not only acquiescent. but seemingly anxious to retire from the island at tho earliest possible moment. The Spanish authori. ties realized that the entire population had become suddenly hostile to them; that they had been dispossessed by the high court of war, and that they were there no longer by right, but by suffer- ance. They were already strangers among people of their own race, blood and language. Those who had fawnod upon the capta n feperal in the old days no longer came to tne palace. He had no more fav0rs 10 bestow and they re. mained away lest association with the old regime might prejudice them ln the eyes of the new.
 The position of the Spanish authorities was painful one, ami though return to Spain meant heavy reduction in salar ries and the complete loss of rich perqui- sites, the sooner it came to an end the better they would like it This was the tone they assumed.
 It was then that they were confronted with new embarrassment. They had no transports to convoy their troops back to Spain and were powerless to ob- tain them. They were compelled to an nounce this to the American commis. sioners. Until the Madrid government should prepare transportation they could do nothing Our commissioners reali2- ing the force of this argument made no attempt to force them, although 1t oc. cured to them as it did to other AmeFi- cans in San Juan that transports of oth- CT countries could have been chartered for the purpose. Had there been too much delay this view of the situation would have been presented officially But in this our commission preferred to accept the Spanish statements i'll per- feet good faith and i'll due time their course indicated. Waiting the arrival of the first transport the whole scheme for the retirement of the Spanish troops to San Juan was arranged. Both the Spanish and American authorities were being flooded with appeals for proteo- tion. The former was besought by the Spanish residents living between the lines and within the American lines to guard their lives and property from the rapacity of tho native inhabitants who were threatening them with all sorts of prosecutions, and the latter were sub- jects of the import duties of the rioh Porto Ricans within the Spanish lines, who feared that the Spanish soldiers, as last act of cruelty, would despoil their property and perhaps murder them. Some of the appeals were both frantic and hysterical. But steps were imme- diately taken to prevent disorders as far as possible.
 It was then arranged that wherever the Spaniards i'll their concentrating movements evacuated a town or position the lines should overlap That Is, the lower troops should enter the town shortly before the Spanish retired. There was no hiatus and no opportunity given to the lawless element. When ever our troops entered Spanish town or position. by the arrangement of the commissioners the commanding officer of the Spaniards delivered an inventory of oil the Spanish military and govern. mental property to the commanding American officer and took the latter's re- ceipt.
 This inventory is to be turned over to the United States authorities This plan obviates the necessity of sending 6 commission over the island to inventory government property. When the last inventory is made and delivered at San Juan, General Brooke will have com plete inventory of all the government property i'll the island.
 Ever since the American commission CTS arrived at San Juan the native Porto Rlcans have deluged them with stories of the alleged scenes of the Spanish au- thorities to carry off plunder which properly belongs to the island, but the only collision thus far has been in con- nection with some 6-inch seige guns on carriages When the first regiment of troops were embarked on the San Fran cisco Thursday four of these guns were taken to the wharf ready for shipment. Our commissioners protested on the ground that although the guns were moveable, from place to place when in action, they were located in embrasures and fortified and must be defended. In other words, they were not moveable with fighting line. After some discus sion, the Spanish commissioners agreed to this definition of moveable gun which confined it strictly to field artil- lery pieces.
 It is impossible to tell exactly when the last of the Spanish troops will de- part Two transports are due in week,