The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-11-29
VIEWS OF


Washington. Nov. 2G.-General NJ. c.
Butler. of South Carolina, Il member of
the Cuban evacuation commission. ar
rived here today direct from Havana in
response to Il Geographic summons from
President Mckinley. and he had 4 two
hours consultation with the President ut
the White House this afternoon. He
made IN extended report of negotiations
for the evacuation and Of the terms upon
which the Spanish had agreed to com
plete it by January LIST. General Butler
gave it as his opinion that ali the Span
iards have met the American commits
sioners with reasonable fairness and that
there has been little friction. Some Of
the claims they have made for compen-
sation for Spanish property have been
ridiculous and they will. of course. be
abandoned in the end. General Butler
denied all the reports of dlSSanSinns
among the members Of the American
commission. In addition to his report
upon the actual work of the joint com
mission, General Butler gave the Presi-
lent much valuable information as to
the ability of the Cubans for self-gov-
eminent. the sanitary condition of Ha-
wanna and generally the results of his
observations during his stay there. Gen
e I'll lbUlltl Is u lilt DlDIllIOll jluD Illt
military government of the island must
be continued for some time. but that it
should only be as rigorous as may be
necessary to preserve order. He thinks
the Cubans are ambitious for self-gov.
and anxious to avoid friction
with the American authorities. If mill
tary control is exercised With discretion
he believes there will be little trouble.
One Of the most troublesome features
Of the situation is the criminal class and
the difficulty of determining in the case
Of prisoners who are incarceratcd for
political offenseS. and who for crime.
There has existed in Havana i'll the past
an oath-bound organization on the order
of the Italian Malta known as the Mani
90. which was Il SQUIRE of terror 10 the
inhabitants. One Of the few commend
able acts Of the Wal was deportation Of
about 700 of the members Of this oreani-
cation to the penal colony Of Ceuta. But
fears are expressed hat these criminals
may return or that the order may be
revived by some of those who were not
deportcd.
Another feature Of the situation in
which the authorities here are especially
interested just now is the sanitary con-
dition of Havana. The shipment of
'iD'l' ii'N t'N ~ iH' lIN Il
ence of yellow fever in Havana all tie
year round makes it absolutely necessary
that the city should be placed in thor
ough sanitary condition. General Butler
Describes the city now ITS Il pest hole.
filled with unmentionablc filth. squalor
and restitution. The Spanish authorizes
have. however. agreed to ~inaG-uTaie the
work of putting the city i'll sanitary con-
dltion with the aid Of the American au-
thoritieS, and work to this end is to be-
Gin at once. General Butler paints Il
dark picture Of thc destitution among
the poorer classes. and says it will prob
ably be necessary for rs TO furnish some
aud to the starving wretches.
General Butler paid Il high tribute TO
the discipline and accomplishing suffer
ing of the Spanish troops. They endured
caused American soldiers to revolt. As
an illustration of the admirable discipline
of the Spanish soldiery. h. said that at
one time there We're $4,000 Spanish sol
diers in Havana, yet he never SAW o.
heard Of an act Of violence. nor did he
hear or see a single Spanish soldier in
toXicated.
General Butler will aemain here sew
eral days and probably have another in
terview with the President. He will
then so to his home III South Carolina.
whence he Will return in about ten DAYS
to Havana. His Wife and daughter will
accompany him on his return. This
fact leads to the belief that he NAV hc
destined for military service in Cuba. As
his present mission expires with the
completion Of the evacuation.