New-York tribune., 1899-07-24
ALGER ORIGINATED PLAN.
HOW UE HAPPENED TO THINK Or
SENDING SPANISH PRlSONEho
TO SPAIN.
vrsrov FIRST THOUGHT OF FOR PLACE
OF CONFINEMENT-REsULT OF
CHANGE IN PROCEDURE


,vosbiogtor JuIv 23-Secretary Ager has always
foIt a pardonab.e pride In the success with which
the war Department met the tremendous pIoo'eN
thrust upon 1t by the necessity with which II was was
suddenly confronted in course OF the war WI"
Spain of suddenly disposlng OF the thousah"s u
spanish prisoners captured IN 30, hee1 fy told
Ihe history OF that time mas 10y todav 10 sup
and IL remained for Secretary Alger to-qay W P
ply the need by the following pit OIL ie"''H
on the night of July g. 1895 the President hssso s,
,,c ,rnnt & is NV Judgment we should do with INC
Spanish prisoners OF Santiago after fterh ac' from the
pres,d@nf and myseli out no definite concIitusloin
mad been reached. then suggested 10 lone o in the
dent that Galveston would be tho pest Pu Zee could
United States in my judgment, where mes, va line
send them; that it was away rom noi,d ,n be plenty
travel: good hJrbor; that theIe W. rs climate
Of room camping them ana Sat tnat of SANTIAGO as
would be as nearly similar to that tod ., 70 meet
we could probably select. Inns Inls5,tnn s, ~ lime OF
his approval az II only queston Ui i'''''' ~
course when their capture would Og an remember.
obomt O'Clock in the m1rning and being TOO tlred
10 sleep lay t a%akG daybTrak 5Gr and my first thought
was concerning the spanish prisoners d d' ,her hack
to Snain?" This thought impressed me so deeply
that / formulated plan and on tne ilo nns dIsct "
"y weht IT, to Se White House and laid the new plan
before the President saying Una, ost grecous act
that to ship the prisoners to Galveston ", Moub o,b m
half the distance that should nave 10 clotne
shelter. guard and feed them there and 10 doH6
have to ship them back to spain IN tne emu. "ta'
stated that believed that it would be great In IN
ducement TO the Spaniards to surrender-wh!.SSn !S
General shafter afterward assured me was the
The President readily approved the plan taI and os on
the same day cabled General Smarter as 1ollo"S
War Department, July 10, lts
General shsfter. Playa Del Este Santiago, Cupa
should the Spanards surrender unCondltohhatiiL IA ~
and wish to return to Spain they VII oe SEN
ment. K. A. AIGER, Secretary of War"
Upon receiving this, or she nth Of July General RAJ
Shafter sent the following communication u the
commander in chief OF the Spanish forces;
"Headquarters of the Fifth Army, Corpssoo
"sir. WIN the largely Increased forces which
have come to me. and the fact that hahe ah lime
seems citing that I should again demand Of Your Your
Exceency the surrender Of Santiago ana Oh tHat Ht
should Your Excellency SO desire the Government
of the United States VIII tfansPoiTI soiI 'ne e"''''
have the honor to be- very PesgeeG;fEEryE; ErER your
obedent servant WliIAM T. 6mmandns.
To which the Spanish commander replied as ioi-
lows: o,, 1.,,, :, 1908
"SIr: have the honor to advise your hlialvnCdY htd
that your communication Of this date IS TeceS,eGG a.
and in reply Gn5TG io also to advise YOU
| have communicated your proposition u 'i'e se"
eral in chief. . rsnoot -
Rci;eratne my sentiments, Gr nm yery TXP fsTpec'
tqy gonT IH Chief Fourth Corps and Military
Governor OF Santiago"
Immediately after the surrender steps were taken
to carry out the pledges Gf aTG ne hnme The quar-
termasters Department advertised for Dds IL, ~
TRANSPORT the prisoners 10 Spdih, VIZ W.
that eight OF the ocean transportation companies
submitted a combined bid which was Tor oticeIs
Si10 and for enlisted men so per capita, steamers
TO be dispatched from Santiago DE CUBA Wi'hln WI nm
forty-elght hours OF their reported aliNd, ot ~
murrlge to be paid at the rate OF 60 cents per
anita per day. same demurrage 70 De palu II
sieamcrs he detained at place Of debarkation by
quarantine other cause. The Spanish Iransas IRA ae5
lantic Company's bid was so per capita Tor oHi
GERS and $50 for enlisted men, with no denurragge AZ
The Spanish companys offer was accepted; ! ne ne
RI lions for the prisoners were Inspected Dy InIci
states Government officials. and this Government
paid for the transportation Of all the prisoners.
S5l3 $50 The same number carried by thc otueI
COMPANIES under their bid would have cost me
Government $l312915. Here was SsOoOO0 saved 10
the United States. and probably as much more IN
dcmurrage. .. - a,,.,raod .ba
President said TO me. as | entered the Cabinet
room: 'Mr Secretary. would you like 20 hear some
I thing favorable to you printed In The NeW-1orK
'Times'?" and went to read the editorial com
mnnt complimentary to the man whose mlhd orig
mated the plan of transporting the Spaniards back
( to Spain.