Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-08-16
GENERAL LEE TALKS OF THINGS
THAT MUST BE DONE.
ARMY OF $4,000 MEN NEEDED
PROBABILITY IS THAT AN ELECTION
WILL BE CALLED.
General Lee VIII Undoubtedly Head
the Cuban Military Comnfssion
and He Is Being Urged for
Governsrship of the
Inland.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 15-Major General
Fitzhugh Lee. in commanded the Seventh
army corps at jacksonville was in ~onfer-
ence to-day with the president AM the
war department. He came here on Secial
telegraphic summons from SecretaryAlger,
and IL was with the latter that fe corr
ferred for an hour with the president Gtn-
oral Lees experience as consul general at
Havana has given him an intimate knoyl-
.dga of Cuban conditions which will be
ayaiIed of by the administration. 1t rs en-
araIIv expected that he will head the r.ili-
,arv Commission which will adjust affsrs
- Cuba. and he has also been strongly
urged for the governorship of that island
AFTER the functions of that commission
cease. On both of these points, however,
General Lee asserts he knows nothing
he would not speak of the subjects dis
cussed as the result of his hasty trip
mere, beyond saying he has been talking
over matters in Cuba generally. Then he
added:
The first work which will have to be
zone IN Cuba will be TO make arrange
nehts by which all the municipal machin-
cry can be put in operation in all the towns
ana governmental machinery throughout
the Island districts There will have TO he
military control, I suppose until such n
Time as the people interested can organize
ana put into operation a government which
sha!i De stable and strong enough to i'm
pdi,iany protect the interests of Span
iafos, Americans, Cubans and the people Of
all other nationalities now on the island
or who may hereafter go there"
is there a probability Of Spanish inter-
ests suffering through the Cubans?',
ne spanish property holders. merchants
ana all other classes of Spaniards natural
iy "ouid unite with all the rest of the
conservative inhabitants for the pressrva-
ZION OF the interests OF all the citizens
and i think they will help the natives and
Inc Americans TO maintain a strong, safe
government. This would be natural, be-
cause 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 nrst 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
10 the proba bility of the Cubans attaining
a stable government, 1 presume that as
soon as possible proclamation will be
issued setting apart date for the holding
OF general election for a chief executive |
of the island and for a legislative body to
which all matters affecting the future of |
the Island will be referred. This executive |
BODY probably Will adept a constitution |
snc make the proper laws 20 put into op- /
Grafton the political form o. government,
As to the army OF occupation which will
be necessary % nlainta.l our position
s--ss respect 70 r-ha, sa.s--- men win be
ample to sas1ilso. toe whole island. OF this
number, possibly 800 would be stationed
In and about Havana. Matsnzas would be
the next most important point for garri-
son. Other points should be regulated by
the possibilities of disorder that might take
place there, ana the number of troops at
the various points will naturally be gov
erned by circumstances.
Properly directed. Cuba will have a
. great commercial future Its unbounded
resources VIII be. very rapidly developed
by American push. vigor and capital =
. General Lee says he has no plans be.
yond going back to Jacksonville to resume
command of the Seventh army CO -ps. He
will leave for that poipt Wednesday.