The record-union., 1898-07-31
SKATERS
Treatment
OF GARCIA
Was in Line With All
PreCedentS
Established and Lived Up TO
by Americans.
The InSurgent Commander Invited
Into Santiago,
But Declined the Invitation on the Ground
That the Spanish Civil Officers
We're Left In Power in
the Cuban City.
The Insurgent Commander Invited
Into Santiago,

WASHINGTON, July 3O.-The War
Department has received the following.
Santiago de Cuba, July 29th. Hon. T.
A. Alger. Secretary Of War, Washing
ton: Have the Sun of Saturday, July
I'D, in which comments are made as
to my treatment of General Garcia L
desire to say that General Garcia was
invited by me personally TO go into the
city Of Santiago at the time ] entered
1t, but he declined upon the ground that
the Spanish civil officers were left in
power; it was fully explained TO him
that those officers were continued in
power until it was convenient to change
them for others. General Garcia's as
sistance to me had been purely volun-
tary on his part, and he was told at the
beginning that | did not exercise any
control over him, except as he chose
70 give. The trouble with General
Garcia was that he expected to be
placed in command at this place; in
other words, that we would turn this
city over to him. / explained to him
fully that we We're at war with Spain
and that the question of Cuban inde-
pendence could not be considered by
me. Another grievance was that find
ing that several thousand men marched
in without opposition from General
front of him and closed up the gap as
l saw that l had to depend upon my
own men for any effective investment
Of this place. SHAFTER"
A feature of the situation here is the
constant stream of native residents who
are presenting claims to the authorities
here against the United States Govern
ment for losses sustained at the hands
of Cuban troops, damage to property,
robbery and plunder during the last
three years. These claims are prompt-
ly returned with an expression of regret.
The daily passes issued through the
lines exceed 3Oo. To-day it was dis
covered that they are being used to
take rum and tobacco to the Spanish,
with whom a good traffic is kept up.
Future bearers of passes will be
searched
Among the passengers on the Ward
line steamer Philadelphia on her return
trip to New York Will be Don Aldoon,
the new Collector of the Port at San
tiago. The full capacity has been en-
gagged. She Will probably take a cargo
of iron ore, the first since the war broke
out.
All foreign orders for goods have
been countermanded. There is a dis
tinct sentiment here for continuation Of
the occupation and the definite estab-
Local merchants, Spanish, foreign and
native, are drawing up a petition, re-
questing the establishment of a bonded
warehouse at Santiago so that in case
they desire to reshp goods to Porto
Rico they may be saved the payment of
double duties. Under the Spanish re-
gime the entry of goods in bond here
was unknown. Merchandise imported
and reshipped to Porto Rico. another
Spanish colony, paid duties twice. Sc
nor Enrique Trujillo, the editor of the
'Porvenci" of New York, the organ Of
the Cuban insurgents, arrived here yes
terday on board the Philadelphia, and
applied to General Wood for a license
to establish a Cuban paper here. But
the character of the proposed publica-
ton was not considered desirable by the
General at present and permission to
publish it was absolutely refused
General Shafter has had some cable
correspondence with Adjutant General
Corbin tending to allay the fear among
Spanish and foreign merchants here
that the American troops are TO be
from Santiago and the city
given over to the custody of the Cuban
soldiers. Representations had been
made to General Shafter of the alleged
of a resumption of the
business unless assurances We're given
by the United States Government that
enough American troops will remain to
maintain order and that a stable gov
ernment would be established Gen.
eral Shafter cabled to Adjutant General
Corbin requesting authority to give the
desired assurance in the name of the
President General Shafter says the
four immune regiments from Alabama
and Mississippi in all 5000 men. half
of whom are expected to-day, will re-
main to garrison the city. He has rec
the withdrawal of the cav
airy and their return north as soon as
their state of health will permit. 1t is
that the rest Of the Fifth
Army Corps will go to Montauk Point,
L. T., and there is great rejoicing among
tho froopS.