Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-09-17
PORTO RICANS FEEL RELIEF.
They New Dare 10 Speak he language Of
Americans.
srsniards Functions Ia Their rolitsncss 10
Americans -rudeavor to Conceal
disappointment aud Chagrln.

san Juan. Island Of Porto Rico Sept,
ie.-(cupyrlEHted. 1895. by the Assoc
,clased Prcssl-'rh qule.lng influence OF
the American conquest OF por.n Rico
WIS felt here last at the capital.
where The unconauercd but morally
fs'eated spanish army. with every out
post driven In. Ia now being conccn-
unied preparatory 10 the finai svacua-
ilon ana REIMBURSEMENT OF the island.
Tho natives. who secretly rympaih-
lied with thc invaders and VINO would
have hailed with dollrh, their deliver
anee from oppression and misrulc. were
pNeraWcd by the presence Of the span.
lHh authority 20 which they have bowed
10 long. During the three weeks since
nfy have known that the terms Of
peace gave Porto Rico 10 the United
states they have not dared 20 eNhhi,
ihelr Hatisfacti0n. Secretly many 0f
them began the study ~ the Language
OF the present dclyercrH. but English
was a iaboood language. An English
general who entered thr city two DAYS
after the peace protocol was signed nd
who Know no spanish. could IND no In
lernrcter Tn fact. could ind no one who
pfoiss.,d : kn1wledge Of English save
her majeaty'H consul.
bui with the arrival of the American
evacuation commissioners, General.
brooke. Admiral schloy and Gen. dor.
ION, the whole atmosphere CHANGED
Every native Porto Rican who under.
stood u word OF English. sought out Inc
AMERICANS who came IN the train OF the
commissioners, and iavished an English
word or sentence upon them win nm
air OF pride such az one would N he
were displaying some priceless heritage.
Their FEAR ana drcad Of thu Spanish
soldiers IN the streets and Spanish ON
GERS IN the hotels and cafes dlaippearsd
~ the sight ~ the American uniform,
Ih'y felt mat there already had been
thrown about them the protecting
lrgls % the United States. although the
spanish nag stu ilcw from Morro Cas-
We ana the evidences ~ Spanish an.
hand
II must DO said 10 the credit Of the
sranlaris THAI, AZ far NJ known there
has not been single Instance where
thcy have undertaken 10 arrest or nun.
In those displays 81 on. Amerlser
feeling which but few weeks nFo
would have Instantly sent the Offend
rrs 10 prison or perhaps 20 a worse
fAfe' THIS u the more remarkable. In
afmueh A. the city N full of Spanish
soldiers who show on their faces tho
deep resentment they fcc. and some II
the natlvua seem 10 delight In making
their exhibition ~ provoking a. paasi-
bic. Hut thus Tar they have held their
temnefs, The officers and the higher
officials feel their humlilntlng position
keenly, although they try q deceive
themselves with the boast that Porto
Rico was SURRENDERED, not captured
and that their honor Il unsullied 1,
y not strange that they should Yield
control ~ the island with reluctance.
for 10 the officers NJ minor rank ser.
vice here means double salary, house
rent, suluisicnce At the expense of Tho
province, ana 10 the high ofii-
clals, military and civil, en0r-
nous salaries, position and oppor.
tunity which In the majority ~ In
stances i the equivalent Of wealth.
nut despite their chhgfln the spanish
officials have been fcrupulnusly. lndaeI
nuncillounly polite IN their attitude
toward The American ollcern. Whom IN.
New orleans FIRST entered the harbor
week ago salutes ana formal visits
were exchanged Immediately. when
our officers came ashore they made n
point when they met Spanish officer.
on the street 10 SALUTE them first even
thoush In many eases they know thoy
outrnnked those 20 whom they showed
this courtesy, naval etiquette the world
over recurring the rubordlnnte ofiieer
% nrst salute him who outranks him,
" was BIZ ~ courtesy which took
something from the sting Of defeat and
relieved the tension. tina; II was np-
nreclatcd by the vanqmfihoi was evil
dent by the spontaneous hrnrtlness
with which the salutcs were returned.
when Admiral schley reached hero
on The Seneca, and the Spanish gun-
boat Isabella II replied 10 the admiral's
salute ~ his double starred pennant
was raised on the New orleans, the
admiral ordered the Spanish nag
hauled 10 the peak ana snluted. The
Official exchange followed the arrival
OF ne peace commissioners with almost
mathematical precision. The brlgndler
Of marine, Commodore Vallarino.
called upon Admiral Schlcy na tho
etiquette NJ the occasion required,
Nnllerlnn being Sehley'a inferior In
rank, and this visit the American ad-
mIral returned the next morning.
Major General Brooke and Admiral
schley, as the highest military and
naval officers. on the afternoon Of their
arrival. proceeded 10 the palace, nc-
companied by their respective ftnffs.
and paid their respects TO the captain
general who " . liewiGnent general
In the Spanish army.
first spanish steamer from Havana.