The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-05
CONDITIONS At SAN JUAN
The Spanish Leaders Anxious fol
Speedy Evacuation.
THEY FINALLY TUMBLED
The American Commissioners Have
Displayed Great Tact and Firm
ness-The Porto Ricans Learn
f., ing Our Customs.
Copyright 1895 by Associated Press.

Copyright 1898 by Associated Press.
a Juan. Porto Rico. Sept. 26.-The
American commissioners to arrange for
b evacuation of Porte Rico have been
eminently successful in their dealings
with the Spanish commissioners and IL
10 believed that within three weeks at
III farthest the last Of the Spanish
troops will have sailed for home and
the Stars and Stripes will be unfurled
over San Juan. Their mission has been
accomplished without friction. More or
less trouble was anticipated at the out
set, but the commissioners have been
greatly surprised at the frankness and
candor the Spanish commissioner have
displayed.
While General Macias and General
Ortega, the second in command in the
island, and one OF the Spanish COM
missioners. in their conversation with
O commissioners have acknowledged
the fact that the loss of Cervera's fleet
cut all hope Of success from Spain, they
Sill maintain that the American army
had a tremendous task before IL could
nave succeeded in crossing the noun
Gains. n Macias contends that the
~ iaNo tHt kdttS
OF San Juan without the loss of 10, 900
men. The little skirmishes on the south
coast. General Macias refuses to call re-
verses because he claims his troops re-
tired by his orders to the stronger po-
sitions in the mountain passes.
AS a matter of fact the only action
OF i-mportance-the bombardment of
MORO Castle by Admiral SIMPSONS
fleet early in May-Macias insists was
a distinct Spanish victory. Simpsons
guns pounded away for three hours.
They wrecked several buildings in the
city, but in their effect on the 3O-foot
walls of that medieval fortress. the
eight. 10 and 12-inch projectiles from
the American warships might just as
well have been paper wads. Not a gun
was dismounted. not a man killed. Az
ter the fleet retired. 'repulsed' is the
vword the ~Spaniards used. the "vic-
tory" was celebrated throughout the
city. All the military bands paraded
the streets playing martial music, a
grand concert was given in the Plaza
M the cafes that night echoed with
the cries of Viva Espana." "Abajo los
Americanos."
So IL was that the military c~hieftains
who met our commissioners met them
not as defeated oldiers to deliver up
property lost in battle. but rather as
soldiers martyred by the orders of 9TH
W - Nio III tntN cllll tldllI-
ed they have been able to successfully
defend. General Brooke, Commodore
Schley and General Gordon were ex-
ceedingly careful to dispel their delus-
o in this respect and to their extreme
tactfulness is due the easy
result with which the nego-
a~iatlons were finally concluded
Thew decided before the 6rs, moating
70 stick 10 tha main ,ss,,a ,.,inh 10
the inmedi.to ayac,a,ton a. aa,asa
ana 70 he genero,s 80 ,hn no n"an
nan,nni,v a. nnn"as poin. oL mag
Thn honseh.iaI matters.
Sp1I.sh coIhnlissioners especially
or'esa' were at hfst disincIlneu
No uLscuss the main question. They
raised a myriad or minor matters, few
OF which mad anything to do with the
business on hand All these questions
the American commissioners waived
aside pending the settlement of the main
question, the evacuation. But for sever
al days they allowed General Ortega to
talk on and his colIeapnes yvere corn
PEELED to revert 10 the main issue The
-ianruase ~ tho nrotocoI yas nIa,n aaa
p,to ara ,nac,ec 10 nra,Isaa -
tnomediata ayanuauon 70 - 1
de- ~, 60 nommtn aI ~
g. 49, - Iessioners s,oou; anu
,.uie sIa.inca.ron tney Iouhu tne
Spanish commissioners not only acqui-
esceht, OUT seemingly ANXIOUS 10 retire
irom the Island at the earliest possible
moment.
The Spanish authorities realized that
the entire population had become sud
denly hostile to them, that they had
been dispossessed by the high court of
war and that they were there nc long
er py right. but by sufferance. They
were as strangers among people of their
own race. blood and language. Those
VINO had fawned upon the captain gen.
eral IN the old days no longer came to
tne palace. ne a no more favors to
bestow and they remained away lest
associations with the old regime might
prejudice them in the eyes of the new.
The position OF the Spanish authorities
was a painful one, and though TO re-
turn 10 spain meant heavy reduction