The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-07-27
TO GOVERN SANTIAGO.
Some Orders for the Guidance Of Gen.
eraI shafser.

paper containing Instructions 70 Osen-
eral Shafter for the government Of the
captured province Of Santiago, Cuba,
IN the course OF which he says:
1t will be the dlty Of the commander
Of the army OF occupation to announce
and proclaim in the most public man
ner that we come not to make war upon
the inhabitants Of Cuba, nor upon any
party or faction among them, but to
protect them in their homes, in their
employments, and in their personal
and religious rights. All persons who
cooperate with the United States in its
efforts to give effect to this beneficent
purpose will receive the reward Of its
support and protection. Our occupa-
ton should he as free from severity as
possible.
Though the powers Of the military
occupant are absolute and supreme and
Immediately operate on the political
condition Of the inhabitants, the mu-
nicipal laws Of the conquered territory
such as affect private rights Of person
and property and provide for the pun
ishment Of crime, are considered as
continuing In force 50 far as they are
compatibIe with the new order of
things, until they are suspended or SUI
perseded by the occupying belligeFents,
and in practice they are not usually alb
rogated, but are allowed to remain in
force and 10 be administered by the or
binary tribunals, substantially as they
were befJre occupation. This enlight-
ened practice is, so far as possible, to be
adhered to on the present occasion.
The Judges aud the other officials con-
nected with the administration Of JUS
tice may, II they accept the supremacy
of the United States, continue to ad-
minister the ordinary law Of the land,
and as between man and man, under
the supervision of the American COM
mander-in-chief The native constab-
ulary will, so far as may be practicable,
be preserved. The freedom of the peo-
pie to pursue their accustomed Oecupa-
tinns will be abridged only when it
may be necessary to do 50.
While the rule Of conduct Of the
American cOmmander-in-ebief will be
such as has been defined, it will be his
duty to adopt measures Of different
kind, if, unfortunately, the course of the
people should render such measures in
dispensable to the maintenance Of law
and order. He will then possess the
power to replace or expel the native Of
fieials in part or altogether, to substi-
tute new courts of his own constitution
for those that now exist, or to create
such new or supplementary tribunals
as may be necessary.
One Of the most important and most
practical problems with which It will
be necessary to deal is that of the treat
ment Of the property and the collection
aud administration of the revenues. 1t
is conceded that all public funds aud
securities belonging to the government
Of the country in its own right, and all
arms and supplies and other movable
property OF such government, may be
seized by the military occupant and
converted to his own use. The real
property Of the state he may hold and
administer, at the same time enjoying
the revenues thereof, but he IS not to
destroy it save in the ease of military
necessity. All public means of trans
pOrtation, such as telegraph lines, ca
bles, railways and boats, belonging to
the state, may be appropriated to his
use, but unless in esse of military ne
cessity they are not to be destroyed.
All churches and buildings devoted TO
religious worship and TO the arts aud
sciences, all sehOoInouses, are, so far as
possible, to be protected, and all des-
truetiOn or Intentional defacement OF
such places, of historical monuments
or archives or of works of science OF
art, is prohibited, save when required
by urgent military necessity.
Private property, where belonging
to individuals or corporations, is to be
respected, and can be eOntiscated only
as hereafter indicated. Means of trans
portation, such as telegraph lines and
cables, railways and boats, although
they belong to private individuals oI
corporations, may be seized by the mil
itary occupant, but unless destroyed
under military necessity, are not to be
retained.
While it is held to be the right of the
couqueror to levy contributions upon
the enemy in their seapOrts, towns or
provinces, which may be in his mill
tary possession by conquest, and to ap-
ply the proceeds to defray the expenses
of the war, this right is to be exercised
within such limitations that it may not
SAVIOR Of cOnfiseation. As the result Of
military occupation, the taxes and du-
ties payable by the Inhabitants to the
former government become payable to
the military occupant, unless he sees
fit to substitute for them other rates or
modes Of contribution to the expenses
Of the government. The moneys SO
collected are to be used for the purpose
of paying the expenses of government
under the military occupation, such as
the salaries Of judges and the police,
aud for the payment Of the expenses OF
the army. Private property taken for
the use of the army is to be paid for
when possible in cash at a fair valua-
ton, and when payment in cash is not
possible, receipts are to be given. All
ports and places in Cuba which may be
in the actual possession Of our land and
naval forces will be opened to the COM
merce of all neutral nations, as well a.
our own, in articles not contraband OF
war, upon payment Of the prescribed
rates Of duty which may be in force at
the time Of the Importation.
Exposed His Hand.