The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-10

WASHINGTON. Dec. 9-Assistant Sec
retary Vanderlip, who is expected to ar
rive from Porto Rico next Monday, has
made preliminary and Informal report
to Secretary 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 customs
collections. Everything received has been
| deposited with Deferred & Co., financial
| agents OF the government and the amount
now on deposit is more than $l00. 900. Span
| ish customs officers have been put to
work at the various ports, and this sys-
tenn works satisfactorily. The men, he
| adds are honest, and II Is thought by
prominent officers that the government is
getting everything it should.
Military officers at San Juan contend
that the reports that have reached the
United States concerning the outbreaks
and disturbances of the peace on the island
are without substantial foundation.
During the evacuation. there We're more
or less disturbances of IA rather personal
and private character. but the situation
now. Mr.. Vanderlip writes. is as peacea-
bile as ii Is in the United States. Within
few days special reports have been re-
pality and they all unite in the statement
that the conditions are entirely peaceable
and the people law-abiding. There have
been some troubles pn the west end OF the
island. by political agitators. mainly
among the emigrants ftom Hayti, who
are said to have specfaI faculty for
fomenting discord, but at the present time
there is nothing serious even in that dis
trict.
The military authorities have been es-
pecially active in capturing some organized
bands OF bandits and it is regarded as an
especially good omen that the natives are
rendering their aii in ferreting out these
people. A number of bandits are confined
in PRISON and will receive civil trial. Pos
sibly some of these cases may result in the
execution of the offenders and, in fact,
our military authorities are inclined to
believe that If this sort OF punishment is
ordered at the opening tcais little more
| OF this kind OF disturbance will occur in
| the island.
The American troops have on the whole
| been we'll behaved and have. according to
| the testimony of their commanding officers
| given practically no trouble at all.
| Il has been a tremendous task getting
| the civil administration OF affairs into
| operation again. Practically all civil ad-
| mnistration was at a slandstin after the
| fall OF the island. An endeavor has been
made to put the Spanish off;.Sals so far as
| could be done back into their places and
| have the civil administration of affairs go
| on as nearly as possible in the usual
| routine. At Ponce. where there are. says
| Mr.. Vandeslip some specially sharp poll
| ticians they revived an obsolete autonom-
| ist scheme of municipal government and
| were all ready 10 put 1t into force.
| Gen. Brooke however, round IL OF a
mast rigorous and paternal character and
| declined TO permit its adoption, whereupon
| seventeen OF the thirty members of the
| council resigned. The commanding gem
! eral has just completed the selection OF
| their successors and municipal affairs there
| will soon be adjusted The American
| cornmandins officers have oeen withdraw
| ing guards from the sugar Plantations. and
| they think this is going TO have u good
| effect.
| The condition of affairs. IL is said. is
worse than slavery as some OF these plan
| taisons The work was done by poems"
| who received five pesetas day on an aver
| age, and were then sold to the very worst
| tyne OF company stores" Those stores
| give stor: weights in everything sold.
! Among several hundred alleged pound
| packages Of rice weighed by American Of
/ ficials there was not one which weighed
| over three-fnurths Of pound. Our officers
| made the owners OF the plantations show
some sort OF fair treatment 10 the "peons,"
| refused the request for guards and have
| heard nothing further about riots. II IS
| thought thar the withdrawal of the guards
| from the plantations will work a great
| improvements I'd that has been practically
| accomplished throughout the Island.
| General Henry's Orders.
| SAN JUAN DE PORTO RICO, Dec. g.
| Gen Guy Y. Henry. military governor Of
! pcrto Rico. IN a series OF letters 10 the
/ council gives further detail. os the policy
/ which tire mayors are urged to maintain in
| the interest os public health and order. He
| points ont TIA; the responsibilities have Tn
| creased with ,he increase Of their field 0.
| action Nc person is 20 hesnprssonei with
| eat specific charges beng preferred ali
persons naw sn PRISON wi;hou, such charges
| against hem are 10 be freed: customs
| duties and money values must be reg,-
| lated by the United States congress hu,
/ the towns are 20 be improved hy the aier,-
| tsea 81 American standards wi:h q view
/ u educating the people IN patriotism and
1 SSit-reisaCce. reSor, 10 military rsorer ss