The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-06-25
THAT REPORT FROM GEN. LEE.
Most Probably Only Routine Consular
Report After All.

Washington, June pa day or two
at least must elapse before the report
which Consul General Lee is said to have
forwarded Saturday can reach the depart
ment of state. 1t is not clear whether
the report will come by mail or whether
Gen. Lee will avail himself of the SER
vices of Internal Revenue Collector
Ryan as messenger, as might be the
case. As there has been some specu-
lation as to what has called for this par
tcular report from the consul general
it can be stated that aside from some
brief cablegrams announcing his arrival
and receipt of instructions, nothing has
yet been heard officially from the new
consul general, so that a report from him
III the ordinary course of the consular
routine is fully due. While it is true
that consular officers under their general
instructions are expected to report to the
state department any events that might
be of interest to our government, it can
not be learned that Gen. Lee was under
special instructions to make a report upon
the policy to be pursued towards Cuba.
For such information respecting the mil
ltary situation as he could have gathered
while in Havana and at distance from
the fighting line the state department
would be grateful and it would carry
weight, in view of the military experience
of the consul general, but after all his
report will be of value in exact accord
ance with the facts contained and it is
hardly to be supposed that Gen. Lee 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 recognition of belliger-
ency or independence, which must be de-
cided in Washington after contemplation
of q field broader than is open to the per-
ception Of an official station in Cuba. At
present the department is giving more
attention to the redress of grievances of
American citizens than to the other sub
Ject of the propriety of interference in
the strife between the Spaniards and the
Cubans and to this end has been push
ing vigorous correspondence with Mr..
Hannis Taylor, our minister at Madrid.
The purpose is to prevent as far as pos
sible depredations upon the property of
Americans in Cuba and especially the
recurrence of such affairs as the ill
treatment of the Delgados, father and
son, and their servants.
Some nice questions of diplomacy are
involved in the adjustment of these mat
tiers, as, for instance in the Delgado case,
is in issue the whole question of how
long an American resident in Cuba can
preserve his American citizenship when
he has practically given his allegiance to
his native or adopted country and has
all of his material interests
in the island. The treatment of such
matters is sufficient to engage the atten-
ton of the state department just now.
1t must be regarded as improbable that
there will be any immediate change in
the policy pursued towards the general
subject of relations with Spain, particu-
larly as the prevalence of the rainy sea-
son in Cuba has operated largely to re-
strict military operations there.
Gen. Lee has been in Cuba only twenty
days, and even with his military train
ing it is believed that he can scarcely
have arrived at conclusion as to the
status of the revolt upon which he is