Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-16
LEE IN WASHINGTON
Fx-Consu| General Confers
With the President.
HIS OPINIONS AS TO CUBA
He Will Probably Head the Military COM
mission Which VIII Adjust Its AT.
fairs and May he Governor
OF the Island. ...I
lRY Telegraph,

WASHINGTON. Aug. 15.-Major
General fitzhugh Lee. in command of
Vile. Fla. was in conference today with
The President and War Department au-
thorities. He came here on a special
Geographic summons from Secretary
Alger and 1t was with the latter he
conferred for an hour with the Presi-
dent. General Lees experience az con-
sui general at Havana has given him
an intimate knowledge OF Cuban condi-
tions. which will be awaited by the ad-
| ADMINISTRATION.
! 1t is generally expected he will head
the military commission which will ad-
just the affairs In Cuba. He has been
| strongly urged also for the governor
ship of that island after the functions
of that commission cease. On both OF
these points. however. General Lee as
serts he knows nothing. He would not
speak of the subjects discussed as the
result OF his hasty trip here beyond
saying he has been talking over mat
ters in Cuba generally. Then he adj
| ded:
The first work which will have to
be done in Cuba will be to make arr
ranEements by which all the munich
pal machinery can be put In operation
in all the towns. and governmental ma
chinery throughout the island for each
| district. There will have to be mill
tary control. l suppose. until such q
time rs the people interested can or
ganize and put into operation a gov
ernment which should be stable and
strong enough to impartially protect
the interests Of the Spaniards. Ameri-
cans. Cubans and the people OF oil other
nationalities now on the island. or who
| may hereafter go there"
| rs there a probability of Spanish in-
terets suffering drought the Cubans?"
THE Spanish property holders, mer-
| chants and all other classes OF Span
iards. naturally would unite with all
he rest of the conservative inhabitants
for the preservation of the interests Of
| all the citizens, and I think they will
maintain strong. safe government
This would be natural. because no
eIass Ct people would III 4, =
and all other rights. The most diff
cult problem to solve in the first organ
ization of a preliminary form Of
government. as later the island will be
very rapidly Americanized. and all
such questions will take care OF them
selves. AS to the probabilities of tho
| Cubans attaining n stable government.
| presume that, as soon as possible. q
proclamation will be issued setting q.
date for the holding Of a general cleo
| ton for a chief executive OF the Island
an for q legislative body. to which all
! matters affecting the future Of the
! island will be referred. This legisla-
! tive body probably will adopt a consti-
| tuition and make the proper laws to
l
government. AS to the army of oc-
| cupation which will be necessary to
maintain our position with respect to
Cuba. 10000 men will be ample to garri-
son the whole island. OF this number,
possibly $4,000 would be stationed in
| and about Havana. MaranZaS would
be the next most important point for a
garrison. Cher points should be regard
| ed by the probabilities Of disorder
that might take place there, and the
number of troops at the various points
will naturally be governed by circum-
| stances.
Properly directed. Cuba will have 4
great commercial future. Its unboun-
| ded and great resources will be very
rapidly developed by American push.
vigor and capital"
General Lee says he has no plans be-
yond going to Jacksonville to resume
command of the seventh army corps.
| He will leave for that point Wednes-
| day. ~.