The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-11-30
Gen. Butler Comes Frum Cuba.

WAsillNGroN. Nov. 2j.-Gcn. VI. G..
Butler. of South Carolina, II member OF
| the Cuban evacuation commission. ar
| rived here to-day direct from Havana
III response To Il tclcgraphc summons
from President Mckinley. and this
afternoon he had 4 two hunrs' consul
tation with the President ut the White
House, lie mad" an extended report
OF the negotiations for the evacuation,
ana OF the terms upon which The Span
Iards had agreed 10 complete il by
january /. Gen. Butler gave il as his
opinion that all the Spaniartls have
met the American commissioners with
reasonable fairness and that there has
been little friction. Some of the claims
they have made for compensation for
Spanish property have been ridiculous
and they will, of course, he abandoned
in the end. Gen. Butler denies all the
reports OF disscnsions among the mem
bcrS OF the American commission
In addition TO this report on the actu-
al work of The joint commission Gen.
Butler gave the President much yalu-
able information as to the general stu
alton III Cuba, us to the desire of the
Cubans for f-governmcnt, the san
Itary condition of Havana and gene
rally the results Of his observations
during his stay ,l'crc. Gen. l'utlcr is
OF the opinion that the military gov
ernnicnt of the island must be conin-
ued Tor some time, but that il should
DC only rs may be necessary to preserve
order. lie thinks the Cubans are am
bilious ior government and anX-
l0uS to avoid friction with the Amcri-
can authorities. II military control is
exercised with discretion l,c believes
there will be little trouble.
One of the most troublesome f..atulrs
OF the situation is the criniin., class
and the difficulty of dctcrminin& III he
case of prisoners who are ii,r,.i,elu,ed
for political offences or ,"r crime.
There has existed in Iiayn.., in lie
past an oath-bound organization Oh
the order Of the Italian Mulia. i>i.own
as the Nanigo, WHICH WAS Il source of
terror TO the inhabitants. One of the
few cOmmendablc acts Of Gen. Wcylcr
was the deportation Of about seven
hundred members OF this organization
to the penal colony OF Ccnla. But
fears arc expressed that these cii,ni-
nails may return Or thar Che Order may
be revived by some of those who were
not deuurtcd.
One of the features OF the situation
III which tho authorities here are espc-
clnlly Interested just now is the sani-
tary condition OF Havana. The ship
mcnt OF troops, which has already be-
gun, and the existence of yellow fever
i'll Havana all the year around make it
absolutely necessary that the city
should be placed in thorough sanitary
condition. Gen. Butler describes the
city now as Il pest hole, filled with un-
mentionablc filth, squalor and dcstitn-
ton. The Spanish authorities have,
however, agreed 10 inangnrate the
work OF putting the city in sanitary
condition with the aid of the American
authorities, and wnrl. to this end is to
begin at once. Gen. Butler paints n
dark picture OF the dcsiitutiOn among
o'-o PN'ANA SiNSotob tiiiA say IL VIII
probably be necessary for us to furnish
solnt aid TO the starving wrctchcs.
Gen. Butler paida high tribute to
the discipline and uncomplaining suf-
fcring of tho Spanish troops. They
cndu.ed larlsllips. he says, which
would have caused American soldiers
to revolt. AS an illustration Of the
admirable discipline of the Spanish
soldiers, he said that at one time there
were $4,000 Spanish soldiers in
Havana; yet he never saw or heard of
an act Of violence, nor did he hear or
see Il single Spanish soldier intoxicated.
Gen. Butler will rcmnin here several
days, and probably have another inter
view with the President. He will then
go to his home in South Carolina,
whence he will return in about ten
days to Havana. Ills wife and daugh-
ter will accompany him on his return.
This fact leads to the belief that he
may be destined for military service in
Cuba, as his present mission expires
with tho completion of the evacuation.