Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-09
GEN. LEES FUTURE
Plans Forming to Send Him to the
Senate.
WHY. BE RETURNED TO HAVANA
viii Stay There as Long as the
Circumstances Demand.
THE COMING LEGISLATURE

The Virginia friends Of General Lee are
jubilant over the fact that his name Is to-
day a ralIying word for patriotic Ameri-
cans throughout the country. This jubilant
feeling comes from two reasons-first be-
cause these men love General Lee per-
sonally, and second. because they see a
brilliant political future for him.
Nearly year ago General Lees friends
began to quietly work for him for the
United States Senate to succeed Senator
Martin. whose term expires in 1901. Since
then the movement became an organized
one in many respects. When General Lee
came here from Havana last summer, he
was in doubt whether he would return to
Havana He was Indifferent to going
Aack because he had decided to enter Vir-
ginia politics again as candidate to sue
coed Senator Martin. Before coming to
Washington TO see the President he re-
manned in Virginia number OF weeks ana
promised his warm and close friends that
he would accede to their wishes and be-
come a candidate for the Senate. At the
same time he talked to them OF the advtsa-
bility of returning to Havana II the Presi-
dent asked him to do So He said that he
did not care either way and would not re.
turn il doing so would affect his political
future. His friends assured him that they
saw nothing in his return that would mill
tate against his prospects.
Implied Promise to Intervene.
After talking over the outlook with en-
thusiastic friends, General Lee came to
Washington. saw the President, and talked
over the situation in Cuba. General Lee
was asked to return and promised to do so,
no time being specified for his leaving the
consul generalship. There was, however, a
remote and indirect understanding that the
course of affairs in Cuba would be changed
by this country in a short time, and that
after this had been accomplished General
Lee could consider himself free. Until this
was accomplished the President wanted
him as patriot to remain at his post.
About this time The Star published ex-
clusively the story of General Lees politi-
cal intentions, and the publication created
great interest in Virginia. resulting in ad-
ditions to the force quietly at work for the
man whose name Is now so conSpicuously
before the public.
General Lees course in Havana was
mapped out by him long before he thought
Of running for the Senate, and has not been
altered for political reasons. Since his re-
turn to Havana. the Virginia friends of
General Lee have kept in close touch with
him by letter He delights in writing to his
friends, and keeps up heavy private cor
respondence in addition to his official du-
ties. His private letters are delightful, be-
ing written in the light vein which keeps
such epistles from being tiresome.
Opening the Campaign.
1t was thought that under ordinary cir
cumstances General Lee would come back
here this summer or fall to stay. When
he went to Havana the last time he did not
think he would be gone a great while be-
fore affairs would be in such shape that a
republican could succeed him.
The legislature which will choose sue
cessor to Senator Martin will be elected
next year. The fight for the democratic
nominations will begin early next year. and
General Lee will probably want to be on
hand to direct the campaign. His friends
say that If his services are necessary in
Havana at that time he would not think OF
coming back even to further his political
ambitions