Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-11
CUBA'S FATE In THE BALANCE
islanders Will Be Given Chance to Show
Ability to Govern Themselves.
GENERAL BRooKE'S RULE ALMOST At END
Opinion of Ludlow Will lie Invited
and Amount of Liberty Allowed
to Cuba VIII Depend Largely
His Judgment.

lHles from washington says; Ine nrSt TASK
TO which the president will address himself
now that the election is over is the eetab-
lishment of civil government in Cuba and
Porto Rico. He is displaying considerable
impatience to have this work, which has
been hanging fire so long, pushed through as
soon possible. The first step toward the
establishment of civil government in Cuba
is the completion of the census and that, it
is now expected, will be finished by the
end of the month.
The presidents desire Is 10 have Cuban
lf-government in operation at once so that
congress may be enabled to observe its prac-
tical workings and be aided thereby to frame
| laws for the permanent government of the
island.
On the conference with General Ludlow,
more than on anything else, will depend the
future of Cuba. The president himself Is not
quite convinced that the Cubans are yet
ready fer selfgovernment, but some of the
members of the cabinet are, and If General
Ludlow supports them in that view the
future of Cuba will be assured.
Brookc's Work Almost Done.
In any event the end of Brooke's term as
governor general is close at hand. The de-
partment commanders will remain for a
while, to be ultimately superseded by civil
governors, If the plan works well. but the
governor general will go. Sor Is there any
prospect that Brooke will exchange the gov
ernor generalship for the position of civil
governor. That officer, it is understood will
| be either General Ludlow, General Wood or
General Wilson General Fitzhugh Lee is
also advocated for the post.
After the appointment of the civil gov
ernor portion of the army will be with
drawn, but how large portion has not been
decided upon.
If Cuba does get self lfgovernment it will
be mainly due to Secretary Root. He has
urged the substitution of civil for military
government ever since he entered the cabinet
and has been the prime mover in the cause
of self-government.
When the case of Porto Rico comes to be
considered it is believed that the appoint
ment will go to Governor General Davis.
Ludlow Gives an Opinion.
LONDON. Nov. 1O.-Brigadier General
William Ludlow, military governor Of Ha-
vana, after reading tho special dispatches
from Washington describing the impend-
ing change in the government of Cuba, said
Assuming tina: tho administration really
PROPOSES a change as substantially set forth,
it does not surprise me. The change as out
lined does not, in my judgment, appear so
| radical as at first thought. General Brooke
la now virtually civil governor as well as
. military governor; General Wood, II he
should be made the head of the government
in Cuba, would, as understand the scheme,
ba denominated aa civil governor, but he
would not be divested either of his military
ranl. or o. military authority or power. A
military force would remain on the island
and would be necessarily, or almost GER
tainl;, subject to the prime head, the civil
governor. 1t has been our constant aim and
practice to subordinate the military to the
civil power as much as possible.
Hence l should not regard the change
stated as long step toward the establish
ment of purely native government followed
by the absolute withdrawal of the United
States from all active participation in the
direction OF Cuban affairs. The paramount
obligation which rests on the government
of the United States, to itself, to Cuba and
to the world, is to see that there exist peace
and order and protection to the lives and
property of all. With this obligation fully
assumed, as believe it is to be, the step sug-
gested as about to be taken cannot be in
terpreted as abrdging in any extent the
period to elapse before the Cubans are fully
intrusted with their own destiny. OF the
Cuban cabinet it may be said that it has
not been entirely satisfactory, fact chiefly
resulting from those fundamental defects
of Cuban character to which / have lust
alluded. which seem to pervade all spheres
of native administrative action.
II should not think that our government
contemplated any extensive work on the
Notifications in Cuba. The first thing for
us TO do is to create in Cuba something
ynrtb ,,'c taI-i Loo, L
there before Notifications. There is not in
Cuba school house worthy the name, moth
ing but the most dilapidated and disreputa-
BILE novels ever called by the name OF
schools. An effective educational system
cannot be established there until the phys
ical foundation in proper school houses is
laid"