Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-10

Assistant Secretary Vanderlip, who
is expected to arrive in the United
States from Porto Rico, next Monday,
has made preliminary report to Sec
rotary Gage of his observations in that
island. Under date of the 9th ult.
he reports that the military authorities
are getting along fairly well with GUS
toms collections. Everything received
had been deposited with Deford & Co.
financial agents of the government ana
the amount now on deposit aggregates
more Nthan 100000. Spanish customs
officials have been put to work at the
various ports and this system works
satisfactorily. The men, he writes. are
honest, and it is thought by prominent
military officials that the government
IS getting everything it should.
The report that customs officers in
Porto Rico were receiving only pesos
and were declining to receive Ameri-
can dollars at San Juan, is incorrect.
That was the case for few days, thu
Spanish customs officials Interpreting
the instructions to mean that only pc
SOS should be received. As soon as this
was discovered however, dollars o.
pesos were ordered to be received with
out prejudice. the rate being two pesos
as against one American dollar. While
that rate does not correspond with tbs
commercial rate of 81 Los, it is a fact
s. that about two thirds of the customs
at San Juan have been received in dol
lars. The customs officers are not al
lowed to exchange pesos for dollars.
Military officers at San Juan contend
that the reports that have reached the
United States concerning the outbreaks
and disturbances of the peace of the
island are without substantial founda-
ton. During the evacuation there
were more or less disturbances of
rather personal and private character.
but the situation now, Mr.. Vanderlip
writes, is as peaceable as it is in the
United States. There have been some
troubles on the west end of the island
by political agitators, mainly among
emlgrantS from Hayti, who are said to
have special faculty for fomentins
discord, but at present there is moth
ing serious even in that district. The
military authorities have been especi-
ally active in capturing some organized
bands of bandits and the natives are
rendering aid in ferreting out these
people. A number of bandits are con-
fined in prison and they will receive
civil trial. Possibly some of these
cases may result in the execution OF
the offenders.
The American troops have on the
whole, been we'll behaved and have
given practically not trouble. 1t has
been tremendous task again getting
the civil administration of affairs into
operation. An endeavor has been made
to put the Spanish officials SO far a.
could be done. back into their places.
AT Ponce, where there are. says Nj.
Fanderlip, some specially sharp poll
ticians, they revived an obsolete auto
nomist scheme of municipal govern
ment. Gen. Brooke however, found il
OF most rigorous and paternal charac-
ter and declined to permit it's adoption
whereupon II of the 80 members of the
council resigned. The commandine
general has just selected their success
sors
The American commanding Officers
nave been Withdrawing guards fron
the sugar plantations, and they thint
this is going to have a good effect
Inc condition of affairs, it is stated
was worse than slavery at some o.
these plantations. The work was done
by poems, who received So pesetas 9
Jay on am average, and We're then sub
9ected to the very worst type of ..coun.
Try stores" These stores gave shor
weights in everything sold Our off
|. eers made the owners of the plantatio:
s,iow some sort of fair treatment
e peons." refused requests 70
uarus' and have heard nothing furtha
Hbout riots.
ne report closes by saying: Il lear.
mere is great demand here 70
Tor the customs trade arouni
iand. There is only one sma'
sased in the trade and she ha
I'D from here beyond here ava
ow capacity so much that he
M use shipments except sne
eich they can ger the his,,
n small steamer could nm