The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-16
GREAT FUTURE FOR CUBA
General Lee Talks About the
Possibilities of the Island.
MAY BE MADE GOVERNOR
The First Work VIII Be to Put the
Municipal Machinery Into Opera
tion-The Island Will Be Rap
idly Americanized.

Washington, Aug. 15.-Major General
Fitzhugh Lee. In command Of n sew
enth army corps at Jacksonville, was in
conference to-day with the president
and the war department He came here
on a special telegraphic summons from
Secretary Alger. and it was with the
latter that he conferred for an hour
with the president IL is generally ex-
pected that General Lee will lei the
military commission which will adjust
affairs in Cuba and also he has been
strongly urged for the go~vernorship OF
that island after the functions of that
commission ceases. on both OF these
points. however. General Lee asserts he
knows nothing. He admitted, however.
that he had been talking over matters
in Cuba generally.
Then he added: The first work which
will have to be done In Cuba Will be TO
make arrangements by which all the
municipal machinery can be put In ope-
ration in all the towns and governmental
machinery throughout the island. There
will have to be a military control, l
until such a time as the people
interested can %organiZe and put into ope-
ration a government which should be
stable and strong enough TO impartially
protect the interests of Spaniards, Amer
leans, Cubans n the people of all other
nationalities now on the island or who
may hereafter go there"
rs there a probability of Spanish in
terests suffering there through the Gu
bans?"
The Spanish property holders, MGR
chants and all other classes of Spaniards
naturally would unite with all the rest
of the conservative inhabitants for the
preservation of the interests of all the
citizens, and / think they will help the
natives and Americans to MAINTAIN a
strong. safe government.
This would be natural. for no class
of people would be more Interested than
they are in maintaining property and
all other rights. The most difficult
problem to solve Is the first organization
of a preliminary form OF government,
as later the island will be very rapidly
Americanized and all such questions
will take care of themselves. AS to the
probability of the Cubans attaining a
stable government, / presume that at
soon as possible a proclamation VIII be
issued setting apart a date for the hold
ing of a general election for a chief eN-
eoutive of the island and for a legisla-
tive body to which all matters affecting
the future of the island Will be re-
ferred. This executive BODY probably
will adopt a constitution and make the
proper laws to put into operation tbs
present form Of government. As to th'
army of occupation which will be neoes.
sary TO maintain our position with re
spect 10 Cuba. $4,000 men will be ample
20 garrison the whole island. OF TIN
number possibly $4,000 would be sta
toned in and about Havana. Matan2ai
would be the next important point fol
a garrison. other points should be reg.
ulated by the possibilities of disorder
that might take place there. and tbs
number of troops at the various points
will naturally be governed by circum'
anc
Properly directed, Cuba will have 3
great commercial future. Its unbound
ed and great will be very
rapidly developed by American push
vigor and capital"
General Lee says he has no plan,
beyond going back to Jacksonville I,
resume command of the 7th army corps
He will leave for that point Wednes
day.