The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-13
DON'T LIKE THE SPANIARDS.
PORTO RICANs INSIST ON THEIR
BEING BUSTED FROM OFFICE.

Far as Possible the Govern iiehAui
Institutions. aud Likewise Span
iards viii Continue In Office.
Charges Being Preferred Against
the ola Mcn-PortO Ricans Bent
on Kidding Themselves of All
sembInnce of the spanish Yoke.
Cores ondence Of the Associated Press,
san Juan. Porto Rico. oct. 23.--It is the
purpose Of Gen. Brooke. military governor
of this island. TO retain as Tar as possible
the governmental institutions, both gen
eral and municipal. now existing here and
10 permit these various institutions to reg
ulage The islands affairs in the future as
they have done in The past. To this policy
there are two features. II il TO be dis
tinctly understood that each and every
institution is under the absolute control
OF the American military government, and
that this state of affairs shall continue
until such time as the Congress Of the
United States shall have determined just
what sort Of Housekeeping we shall under
take In Porto Rico. Partisan politics
should not exist under these present cir
cumstances and a strong effort will be
made to eliminate them from the premises
and to allay their disturbing influence.
Just how far this can be done success
fully Is a question open to and receiving
considerable discussion at the present time.
The above outline of policy was visible
in the business-like general orders No. /,
issued from the palace in San Juan on
h. aipa6
therein found its way TO the public mind,
the Porto Rican advocates of the theory
that to the victors belong the spoils sprang
into print, and this discussion may be ex-
peoted TO lead to some stand grafton.
When il comes to a question of spoils the
Porto Rican considers himself the victor.
While he does not for a moment believe
himself in any way party TO the recent
Spanish departure, he counts himself a
victor over the Spaniards insomuch as he
stands on record as having welcomed the
American with open arms, and he conse-
quently does not see why this country
should still hold over him any man who is
a Spaniard or continue any institution TO
remind him of the much-talked-of past
days of oppression and tyranny. That
Rome was not built in a day and other
arguments based upon that irrefutable
statement, do not have the quieting ef
feet which one would wish.
you have" say they come to remove
the odious and hated yoke of Spain. Well
away with IL now, and at once! Every
Spanlard should be removed from Office
for we cannot and will not stand even the
controlled administration of men who op-
pressed us in days gone by, and we want
the Immediate undoing of the form of gov
eminent in all its branche that Spain saw
fit to force upon us. We win accept Por-
20 Rlcans In control, but we win have
nothing more to do with the Spaniards."
And when the Porto Ricans, in the role
of victor calls loudly for the spoils, he
does not seek Office for himself or his
friends as a reward nor for reasons Of
possible gain, but simply TO bring about
The removal of the detested Spaniard and
the substitution OF men whom he Is will
ing TO have over him.
But Gen. Brooke has said that he will
continue as far as possible the old insti-
buttons, and this also means the old men.
This path viii have its difficulties. 1t is
said that charges of various kinds, all
tending to show the unfitness of certain
spaniards 10 longer hold office will be
carefully prepared and set before Gen.
Brooke. In many cases the charges may
be true, in many cases, being prompted by
the fundamental desire of having the men
removed, they may be exaggerated and
misleading or unfair and false. There
may be presented very good reasons why
a certain man should be removed from Of
fee. If this We're done a successor would
have to be appointed, and then what an
opportunity for partisan politics, lobby
ing, influence, etc. with a fair chance
that the most wise appointment possible
under the circumstances would carry as
much local discomfort as the continuance
of the man who was shown TO be unified
for his post.
Then there will also come up the ques-
ton as to whether Spaniards of known in
tegrity honesty and efficacy should be re-
moved simply because they are Spaniards.
There will surely be men to request this
and they will as surely crticise and rant
and declaim in all the wealth of the Cas-
lillian tongue when they learn that the
great republic, that fountain-head of jus
tice, that home of the oppressed, will force
upon the people the detested presence Of a
servant of Spain.
The next few months in Porto Rico will
hear much discussion and complaint, a
large portion of which will grow out of
the conditions outlined above. Gen.
Brooke win find 10 his hand many matters
requiring delicate adjustment. If the peace
and contentment of the islanders are to he
preserved. Gen. Brool1e's course up to the
present time has given ample promise of
his ability to successfully steer his way
through this undertaking. He lets men
see that he is governor general of this isl
and, which is as pleasing to the Porto
Ricans as are the evidences Of the gem
erals fair-mindedness and direct meth
DDS.
To-day the members of the old insular
cabinet, Messrs Munoz, Blanco, Lopez
and Carbonnel, the secretaries, as they
are called. took the oath of allegiance to
the United States. This oath, which is as
follows was administered by Col. Edward
Hunter:
Il, -. do solemnly swear to renounce
forever all allegiance and fidelity to any
foreign prince, potentate, state or SOW
ereignty and particularly to the state and
sovereignty of Spain.
And ! do further swear that I will sup
port and defend the constitution of the
United States against all enemies, foreign
and domestic; that 1 will bear true faith
and allegiance to the same; that I take
this obligation freely, without any mental
reservation or purpose of evasion"