Evening star., 1896-06-22
GENERAL LEES REPORT
Not Known at the State Department Of
What It Will Treat.
No Likelihood Tint 1t Will Attempt
to Change Executive Policy
What is Being Done.

A day or two at least must elapse before
the report which Consul General Lee Is
said to have forwarded Saturday from Ha-
vana can reach the Department OF State.
1t is not clear whether the report will come
by mail or whether Gen. Lee win avail
himself of the services of Collector Ryan
as a messenger, as has been intmated
might be the case AS there has been some
speculation as to what has called forth this
rtrticular report from the consul general.
it might be interesting to learn that aside
f1om some brief cablegrams announcing
his arrival and the receipt of instructions.
nothing has yet been heard officially from
the new consul general, so that it is high
time that he should report in the ordinary
course of the consular routine.
No Special Instructions.
While it is true that consular officers are
under their general instructions expected
to report to the State Department any
events that might be of Interest to our
government. it 1canpot be learned that Gen.
Lee was under any Special instructions TO
make a report uron the policy to be pur-
sued toward Cuba. OF course. Cor such in
formation respecting the military situation
as he could have gathered while being
pent up in Havana, and at a distance from
would be grateful, and 1t would carry
weight in view of the military experience
of the consul general. But after all his
report will be of value In exact accordance
with the facts contained, and it Is hardly
to be supposed that the consul general will
go beyond such a statement and attempt
to shape the policy of the State Depart
ment as to recognition OF. helligerency or
even of independence. which must be de-
cided in. Washington after contemplation
of field broader than Is open to the per-
ception of an official stationed in Cuba.
The Redress of Grievances.
AT present the State Department is CIV
ing more attention to the redress Of
grievances of American citizens than to
the other subject of the propriety of in
reference in the strife between the Span
| iards and the Cubans, and to this end
has been pushing a vigorous correspond
erce with Mr.. Hannis Taylor, our minister
at Madrid. The purpose Is to prevent, so
! far possible, depredations upon the
property of Americans in Cuba, and espe-
c:ally the recurrence Of such affairs as
| the ill-treatment of the Delgados, father
and son, and their servants. Some nice
adjustment of these matters, as for in
stance in the Delgado case the whole
question of how long an American resi-
dent of Cuba can preserve his American
citizenship, when he has practically given
up his allegiance to his native or adopted
country and has concentrated all of his
ma terial interests in the island. The
treatment of such matters is sufficient to
engage the attention of the State Depart
ment just now, and SO it appears imDrob-
able that there will be any immediate
change in the policy pursued toward the
general subject of relations with Srain
particularly the prevalence of the rajny
season in Cuba has operated to largely
restrict military operations there.