The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-30
Arrangements for Moving Troops Dis
cussed at n Conference in the
White House Yesterday.
WORK ON THE LANDING STAGE
AT MARIANA BEACH, NEAR HAVANA,
ALREADY UNDER WAY.
Cubans Employed at $I.2o a Day by
American Engineer in Charge
Expulsion of Beggars.

WASHINGTON. Oct 29-The President
Secretary Alger and Adjutant General
Corbin had an extended conference to-day.
the principal topic under consideration be-
ing the occupation of Cuba. There is no dis
position to change the date, Jan. l. fixed
for the assumption Of control by the United
States The questions discussed to-day re-
lated mainly to transportation, ships, equip
men.s, landings and corps. The report of
the Conan military commission and of the
army hoard sent to investigate and locate
sites were considered. General Lawton. who
has been for some TIME past the military
governor of Santiago province, was present
during portion of the conference and gave
the President some information concerning
conditions in Cuba. The reports of the
board to select sites gave a list of articles
which would be Immediately necessary and
the department has directed the issue of
advertisements for them. Colonel Hecker
and Colonel Lee, quartermaster with the
board, have been ordered to Washington to
report more in detail and to assist I'M the
preparations for the embarkation of troops
to Cuba
During his conversation with Gen. Lawton
the President expressed his qualification at
the victorious conclusion of the campaign
IN Santiago province and at the manner in
which the officers and men conducted them
selves. General Lawton declined to discuss
the recommendations which he will make
to Secretary Alger respecting future opera
tons Of the army and the government
generally in Cuba. 1t has not been definitely
determined whether General Lawton will re-
turn to the command at Santiago but the
general expressed the opinion that he prob
ably would not. The command Of the de-
partment of Santiago is now under General
Wood. It is yet too early, said General
Iawton, in response to questions on the SUBJ
ject, to express an opinion as TO the time
It will be necessary for this government
to maintain military supervision of the ISL
and of Cuba. This will have to be determ-
ined entirely by the course of future events
The Cubans are, generally speaking, Gen.
Iawton added, quiet, tractable people. He
did not think there would be any trouble in
managing them far as this might be
necessary pending the formation of an in
dependent government of the island. So far
as the cities are concerned General Lawton
did not believe there would be any difficulty
ia maintaining discipline and order, and in
the country agricultural districts the forma-
tion of constabulary composed OF the ma
tives would bring about the desired results
After the conference with the President
Secretary .Alger said that it related to what
regiments should be sent to Cuba as an
army of occupation and to what points. He
declined. however, to discuss the matter and
said that the details of the movement would
not be made public
Major General Wheeler and Major Cen
eral Chaffee, who have been in attendance
at the peace jubilee at Philadelphia, were
at the War Department to-day in conference
with the officials in regard to their future
military duties. General Wheeler is in COM
mand of the Fourth Corps, at Huntsville,
Ala. General Chaffee is in command of the
First Division of the Fourth Army Corps.
which is being assembled at Southern
camps. Major General Ludlow, who is to
command a division in the First Corps and
is now president of the transportation
board. was also in Washington to-day.
Quartermaster General Ludington has in
vited representatives of all the railroads in
the South to meet him at his Office Nov.
/ for the purpose of reaching an agreement
upon rates for the transportation of soldiers
and military supplies to and from the new
winter camps recently established in the
South. The principal movement will be
from Camp Meade. Middletown, Pa, to the
new camps in Georgia and south Alabama.