Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-19
AMERICAN FLAG RAISED OVER SAN
JUAN YESTERDAY.
OCCUPATION NOW COMPLETE
YESTERDAYS CEREMONY WAS QUI-
EFT AND DIGNIFIED.
Evacuation Commission Has Com
pIeted Its Work and Its Report Will
BE Forwarded to Washington
TO-morrOw-POIitica Stat
us Of Porto RicnPs.

SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO, Oct. IS
Promptly at noon to-day the American flag
was raised over San Juan. The ceremony
was quiet and diSnitied, unmarried by dis
order of any kind.
The Eleventh regular infantry, with two
batteries of the Fifth artillery, landed this
morning. The latter proceeded to the forts,
while the infantry linedi up on the docks.
Il was a holiday for San Juan, and there
We're many people in the streets. Rear Ad-
miraI Schley and General Gordon, accom-
panied by their staffs, proceeded to the
palace in carriages. The Eleventh infantry
regiment and band, with Troop II. of the
Sixth United States cavalry. then marched
through the streets and formed in the
square opposite the palace. At l7:i0 a. m.
General Brooke, Admiral Schley and Cen
eraI Gordon, the United States evacuation
commissioners, came out of the palace
with many naval officers and formed on
the right side of the square. The streets
behind the soldiers We're thronged with
townspeople, who stood waiting in dead
silence.
At last the city clock struck the hour Of
u, and the crowds. almost breathless and
with eyes fixed upon the fagpole, watched
for developments. At the sound of the
first gun from Fort Moro. Major Dean AMI
Lieutenant Castle. of General Brooke's
stan, hoisted the stars and stripes, while
the band played the Star Spangled Ban
ner." All heads were barred and the crowds
cheered. Fort Morro. Fort San Cristobal
and the United States revenue cutter Man
ming. lying in the harbor, fired twenty
one guns each.
senor Munox Rivera, who was president
of the recent autonomfst council of secra-
taries. and other officials OF the late insu-
lar government, were present at the pro-
ceedings.
Congratulations and handshaking among
the American officers followed. Ensign
King hoisted the stars and stripes on the
lntendencia, but all other flags on the vari-
Gus public buildings were hosted by mil
itary officers. simultaneously with the
raising of the flag over the captain gener-
ais palace, many others were hoisted in
different parts of the city.
The work of the United States evacua-
tion commission is now over and all the
reports will be forwarded to Washington
on Thursday next. The labors of both
parties have terminated with honors for all
concerned. The American commissioners
worked without the least delay and in the
most thorough and effective manner.
WASHINGTON Oct. 1S.-The United
States is now formally in possession of the
Island of Porto Rico as sovereign The
war department has received the follow
ing:
San Juan, Porto Rico, Oct. 1s.-secre-
tary of War, Observation-Disclosures have
been raised on public buildings and forts
in this city and saluted with national sa-
lutes- The occupation of the island is now
complete BROOKE
IN view of the fact that at noon to-day
with the acquisition of Porto Rico bv the
United States, about 10000 inhabitants OF
that island lost their Spanish citizenship
the question as to what shall become of
these people politically becomes of import
ahce. Madrid adyices report that leading
otizens in Porto Rico have already taken
steps 10 become naturalized as United
slates citizens. This is an error, for exist
ing laws provide no way in which This
change of citizenship can be effected by
q the residents of the island There is no
United states court there before which a
declaration or Intention can be fled and
All TACT no machinery at all which can be
p put IN motion to change citizenship.
inquiry into this subject at the state de-
partment dfscloses the fact that it has been
nsual TO provide n bodily transfer of the
ciuzenship or people conditioned as those
IN PORTO hico, in the treaty of peace which
terminates a war. 1t may be prudent for
the commission at Paris to avoid any refer
ence 10 Porto Rico again, in which case
congress Will be called upon by the presi-
dent TO confer citizenship upon the Porto
Ricans in the same act as that which
must be passed to provide a stable form of
government for the island Should either
of these courses be found impracticabIe
however, 1t is said at the department that
international law in its operation would
confer American citizenship upon these
Porto Ricans. the general principle being
that, where a treaty of cession Is silent
upon the subject, citizenship changes with
he soil: in the case OF the acquisition Of
New Mexico, the residents of the terri
tory We're given American citizenship by
specific DrOVisiOn Of tho frcafv