Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-02-25
GENERAL FITz HUGH LEE.

4
| and the consul general has been COM
posed and that there is no longer dan
ger of rupture 1t is now known that
| there has been some friction growing
out of the cases of Americans arrested
| in Cuba, but the officials refuse to admit
| CT deny this. From a reliable official
source, however. the facts appear to
| be as follows:
Fitzhugh Had Political Scheme.
The consul general while in Washing
| ton last autumn did not conceal his be-
| lief that much credit might be gained
| for the administration about to conclude
| its term by making a bold stroke for
Cuban freedom, at least going to the
| length of recognizing the belligerency
o. tie insurgents. He did not take issue
openly with the administration in it's
policy, hut it was realized here that his
sympathy was strongly with the Gu
bans. Possibly feeling that he was I'M
der suspicion of lack of sympathy with
the departments policy General Lee, upon
his return tot his post, was particular
to stick closely to instructions and to
| insist in every case concerning Amer
| lean captives upon explicit orders from
the department..
Made a Stick of Himself.
This finally led to friction with the
department-almost serious in the Ruiz
case. The consul general knew of Ruiz's
capture and reported it to the depart
| ment, but. it is intimated, that he
stopped at that and waited for further in
| structions. The department felt that the
general instructions in the consular
regulations imposing upon a consular
ofhcer the duty of moving promptly for
the relief of an American citizen in such
| cases should have been sufficient to
guide General Lee to proper course.
However, without losing time the de-
partment, upon being informed of the
| facts. promptly referred the case to the
| attention Of the authorities at Madrid.
Ultimatum Not Justified.
1t can scarcely be regarded as a case
justifying an ultimatum at this point
| at least, the opinion being held that
| there is a reasonable doubt whether
or not Ruiz lost his American CITIZEN
| ship by voluntarily staying in Cuba
| for sixteen years in the pursuit Of his
business, and not keeping up his registra-
| tion regularly. OF course the depart
| ment has not yet conceded this point,
| but the fact that such a contention has
been made is sufficient to show that it
is case requiring deliberate treatment.
Another Lee Recommendation.
Following the death of Ruiz in Jail
General Lee recommended that demand
be made upon the Spanish authorities
for the release of all American prisoners
| held in Cuban prisons. This, it was
felt, is step too radical to be taken
| out of hand. The safety of the pris-
| oners assumed to be the object of such
| a demand in many cases would be
| jeopardized by the very means taken
| to secure their release. Our demanS
would haSe~.c oe put IN tie fJ1rr-,,. 81
ie for an immediate trial of the pris-
oners or their immediate release.
Taken with Arms in Their Hands.
In case the Spanish officials elected to
adopt the first-named course some of
the prisoners would perhaps lose their
lives. for they were taken with arms
In hand and SO are subject to the ex-
IRENE penalty that may be imposed by
military court martial. For such pris-
oners the hope of their lives lies in the
oeiay OF trial as long as possible, tax.
ing the chance that meantime general
amnesty will be proclaimed and they
thereby be saved.