New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-24

for several reasons. not the least In Importance
being the emphatic denial given out at the close
of the Cabinet meeting this afternoon by Private
Secretary Thurber, who said that the denial
could be repeated upon my responsibility" De-
spite the denals which have been made publicly
the opinion is prevalent that General Lee has
sent his resignation with or without conditions.
Whether the resignation will be accepted Is
another matter. The Administration has only
eight days more of official life, and neither the
President nor Secretary Olney is seeking embar-
rassment or unpleasant notoriety. They would
naturally go pretty far to induce General Lee
not to insist upon his resignation being accepted.
It would be a serious black eye to the Admins
tration to have the onsul-Genera at Havana
leave office at this time upon the ground that his
demands in behalf of Americans in trouble In
Cuba were not supported by the Washington
thorities To the country at large 1t would APP
pear that the Administration was weak. and that
its directions to General Lee to do all in his power
for distressed Americans in Cuba were not meant
to be taken seriously by the Consul-General.
HIS DEMANDS IGNORED By WEYLER.
General Lee it would seem, in that event
took Secretary Olney at his word. and made
certain vigorous demands upon Captain-General
Weycr These Weyer ignored Then General
Lee appealed to Washington for support. But
Mr. Olney did not support him. One reason for
thinking the current reports more or less
trustworthy Is the emphasis put upon the de-
mails. a Senator remarked this afternoons
when this Administration INDUCES in positive
denials II is time to look up some details, for
we may suppose that the general fact exists
In a case OF this kind 1t is always difficult to
get at the facts. Whatever has been heard
from General Lee is securely under lock and key
at the State Department Sitting out the i'm
probability and taking into account only that
which is generally believed to be the facts. the
story in the case of General Lee is about as
follows
In the course of the last two or three months
the Consul General has reported to the State
Department several instances where Americans
have been unfairly and sometimes cruelty
treated by the Spaniards. In some cases he has
been directed by the State Department to make
careful Investigations and report the facts. In
a few instances he has, pursuant to specific in
structions lodged demands with General Weyler
for redress. His demands have. rule been
ignored or neglected and the State Department
has been so advised.
Recently General Lees patience has been sore
~ tried. A few days ago he Suggested" that
two warships be sent to Havana to give a moral
force to his complaints. III Is said that the 'Sug
gestion' was teegraphed here last Friday. In
the denials given out to-day the word "sugges-
ton" is carefully avoided. Officials say that
General Lee has not 'requested' or recommend
ed" that -of-war be sent to Havana. Ac-
cordng to what is heard to-day, Secretary Olney
Informed General Lee that vessels would be
dispatched to Cuban waters This message was
sent by wire on Saturday. On receiving it Cen
eral Lee wrote out his resignation and mailed It,
The officials who have been jealous in saying
there Is no truth in the reports concerning Cen
cral Lee say that that officers resignation has
not been received" and that "he has not re-
signed"
TECHNICAL AND CAUTIOUS DENIALs.
II the Consul General has resigned. the resig-
nation has not reached Washington Even II 1t
had it would have to be accepted before General
Lee would be out OF Office A point against all
the denials made to-day is that they are striking
~ technical and over-cautiously worded.
II is said here tonight that Secretary Olney
has telegraphed General Lee to recall his resigna-
tion saving that IL would be unfortunate for
every reason II he insisted upon leaving Havana.
General Lees friends are OF the opinion that he
hos asked 10 be relieved from his duties. They
COW that he must have been seriously provoked
40 take such action. They refer 10 his deep in
terest I'm his duties. and speak or his remarks
when here I'm November TO the erect that he
hoped to he Of much service 10 American inter
osts i'm cuba They are inclined To the belief that
,ha state Department has not supported the
Consul General, and that General Lee, feeling
,bat ne WAS of no use to the country under such
circumstances would insist upon coming home.
~ r. no secret that General Lee has for months
urged the President and Secretary OF State 70