The herald., 1896-06-23
LEES REPORT FROM CUBA
Is Still Expected at the State
Department
LITTLE CHANGE OF POLICY
Is Likely to Be Caused by This Official
Document
At Present the Department Is Busy Seeking
Snsure Protection Of American In.
terests In Cub,
Associated Press Special Wire.

! port which Consul General Lee is said
to have forwarded Saturday can reach
| the state department. 1t is not clear
| whether the report will come by mail or
| whether General Lee will avail himself
| of the services of Internal Revenue Col
lector Ryan as a messenger, as has been
| intimated might be the case AS there
has been much speculation as to what
has called forth this particular report
| from the consul-general, it can be stated
that aside from some brief cablegrams
announcing his arrival and the receipt
! of instructions, nothing has yet been
heard officially from the new consul
general, so that report from him in the
ordinary course of consular routine is
fully due. While it is true that consular
! officers under their general instructions
are expected to report to the state de-
partment any event that might be of in
tereSt to our government, it cannot be
learned that General Lee was under any
instructions to make a report upon the
policy to be pursued toward Cuba. For
such information respecting the military
situation as he could gather while pent
up in Havana and at a distance from the
hghting line, the state department
would be grateful, and it would carry
weight in view of the military exper-
ience of the consul-general, but after all
his report will be of value in exact ac-
cordance with the facts contained and
it is hardly to beSsupposed that the
consul general will go beyond such a
statement.
1t is not supposed in official circles
that he will attempt to shape the policy
of the state department as to recogni-
tion of belligerency or of independence,
which must be decided in Washington
after contemplation of a field broader
than is open to the perception of an Off
cial stationed in Cuba. At present the
state department is giving more atten-
tion to the grievances of American cti-
Zens than to the other subject of the
propriety of interference in the strife
between the Spaniards and the Cubans.
and to this end has been pushing a Wig
orous correspondence with Mr.. Hannis
Taylor, our minister at Madrid. The
purpose is to prevent, so far as possible
depredations on the property OF Ameri-
cans in Cuba and especially the recur-
renee of such affairs as the ill treatment
of the Delagos, father and son, and their
servants.
Some nice questions of diplomacy are
involved in the adjustment of these mat
ters, as for instance in the Delgado case
is in issue the whole question of how long
an American resident in Cuba can pre-
serve his American citizenship where
he has practically given up his allegi-
30 1t,
and has concentrated all his material
interests in the island. The treatment
of such matters is sufficient to engage
the attention of the state department
just now. 1t is regarded as improbable
that there will be any immediate change
of policy pursued toward the genera!
subject of relations with Spain, partic-
ularly as the prevalence of the rainv
season in Cuba has operated to restrict
| military operations there.
The department adopted it's present
line of policy respecting the Cuban re-
volt after obtaining the best evidence in
its reach, and there is no reason to ap-
prehend that events have occurred on
the island recently of sufficient import
ance to warrant radical departure.
General Lee has been in Cuba only
twenty days, and even with his military
training it is believed that he can scarce
ly have arrived at conclusion as to the
status of the revolt upon which to risk
his reputation; but, however this may
be, it is certain that the state depart
ment will not make change in it's pol
icy without mature consideration. and
does not expect to receive any report
| from General Lee that would reuure it It
this time to make an issue.
A FILIBUSTER KILLED.
KINGSTON, Jamaica, June 22-Ad-
vices brought here by messenger from
the island of Cuba report the death of
General William Wilson, the leader of
an American expedition which landed in
Cuba on December 8, in order to assist
the insurgents Gen. Wilson is said to
have been killed in battle near Guam
tanamo.
Gen. Wilson, with about eighteen men.
four of whom were graduates of West
Point, landed in Cuba early in December
last with two hundred rifles, 5000 rounds
Oh ammunition, supply of dynamite
etc. The expedition was fitted out at
New York by Americans who are inter-
ested in Cuba. Gen. Wilson had seen
service in Central and South America
and was with Garza on the Mexican bor-
der some years ago.
MORE DISCUSSION.
MADRID, June 22.-The senate has
ordered renewed it's discussion of the AL
lianca affair. Senator Comas moved an
| amendment to the royal address, de-
| manding that the protocol of 1877 with
the United States should be denounc-
ed, in view of the inequality of rights OF
| Spanish and American subjects under
the present conditions.
RAISING MONEY.
LONDON, June 22.-The Madrid cor
! respondent of the Standard says:
| The Spanish government has no Off
| cial confirmation of Consul-general
Lees alleged report to President Cleve.
land. If it is true his stay in Havana
| will be difficult one.
The minister Of the colonies today