The San Francisco call., 1898-11-07
WADE WILL HAVE
 COMMAND IN CUBA A New Military Depart ment to Be Formed. CHOICE OF THE PRESIDENT LEE TO COMMAND THE DISTRICT
 OF HAVANA.
CHOICE OF THE PRESIDENT
General Gomez Does Not Apprehend That the Island will Be An nexed to the United
 States.
speoial pigpateh to The call.


 ernment of Cuba has given the admin istration much concern and it's form is not yet definitely determined upon. Since issuing the order designating the troops to go to Cuba there has been considerable talk at the War Depart ment about the probable commander of troops in Cuba and the organization of q government, civil and military. The probabilities now are that Cuba will be designated as one department and nlaced under the command of one officer. The general impression seems to be that the officer will be Major Gen. eral Wade. now chairman of the Cuban Military Commission, whose duties as a member of this commission has ntted him for the office.
 The President and Secretary Alger have great confidence in General Wade and believe he combines the military and civil qualities necessary for the supreme command of Cuba when our occupation is complete.
 There has been an inttTnatlon that General Brooke, who has been III colll- mand in Porto Rico. might De selected for command in Cuba, but such IS not the present intention. General Brooke' who ranks all the major generals 1n the volunteer service, commands only about 5000 troops in Porto Klco, less than some brigadier generals Who are in command of divisions, and much less than several generals in command oi corps It is generally understood that General Brooke does not care to remain any longer in Porto Rico than the de- partment actually thinks his services are required. There has been some Sug- gestion that General Merritt might re- turn and take command in Cuba, but the administration thinks the selection of General Wade would be better.
 General Wade ranks all the volunteer major generals now in service, except Brooke. and would rank General Lee Tn command of the Seventh Corps, al- though the latter would be In actual command of the district of Havana
 Ii Is possible that the department or Cuba will be divided into districts. some of greater and some of less importance The districts would be Havana. Santl- ago and Cienfuegos. It is possible that each province will be deslgnated as district The command of the second Corps is still unsettled. General Law ion was at one time selected for the place but it was found that two ofh- cers at least ranked him, and this prov ed rather unsatisfactory.
 Following is an extract from letter received by SenOr Quesada from Gen eral Gomez written October 70:
 q have full confidence in the solemn promises made by the Congress or Washington, and for that reason do not have any fear as to the lndepend- ence of Cuba. Some time must elapse before our ideal will be realized, but after so many struggles and prlVatlons we can wait little longer.
 The military occupation by the United States is to a certain extent necessary to prepare and hurry the evacuation of the Spanish and to bring about harmony among the different rae lions in Cuban politics. During this military occupation the republican government will be organized. It's de- cisions will be finally accepted by all; order will reign everywhere
 'sThose who speak of annexation try to satisfy, above all, their spite propa-- gating unfounded fears as to personal security and private property
 "The final success Of our struggle has reur1Ired necessary destruction of prop erty which the enemy used to its ad- vantage but we have never attacked individuals. The struggle against Spain is now ended; we commence now more delicate and difficult task-name- Iy, to make our republican political system triumph and to reconstruct the country. It is not an easy labor, and all men who love their country should contribute to it. For that reason l cannot retire now, notwithstanding my 
 Most of the officers and soldiers went into the field obeying my orders; l can not abandon them until their future is assured They have lost everything they had, they have right to some compe nsation, and. above all, to their salaries; the new government must Se- cure them Their abandonment can- not occur until the Spaniards have evacuated; my men cannot be aban- doned without bread or work to the mercy of their enemies. A solution could be found, perhaps, in the plan which the American Government is said to have of creating a native civil guard formed in the majority of Cu- ban soldiers. This organization would offer the advantage of not exposing the American troops to the deadly climate of the island and at the same time the United States would have people " ho knew the country thoroughly. In the meanwhile and until the evacuation oc- CUTS food must be provided for my sol diers.
 "The evacuation should be as rapid as possible and afterward everything will be arranged, for the American GCv- ernment will fulfill its moral pledges to us Some people have tried to make us suspicious, so as to bring about trouble but before doubting the good faith of the American people we must wait for acts which shall give the lie to their solemn pledges"