The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-07-11
TO GRAB AT CUBA NEXT
Mckpley Is an Ardent Annexatlonlst end
Wants the Island.
AN EFFORT TO BREAK A SOLEMN PLEDGE
Guaranteeing Independence To the
Island VIII he Made at the
Next Session.

New York, July 1O.-According to cor
respondent of the World at Washington
President Mckinley is working energet-
ically upon plan TO submit the question
of the independence or annexation for the
people of Cuba. He believes that they
would vote for annexation.
Reports from Governor General Brooke
Indicate a contrary view. but the president
has received confidential letters from in
fluential representatives of commercial
agencies and from other sources in and
about Havana which have convinced him
that General Brooke is mistaken and that
the people In the western portion OF thS
island, as well as those In the eastern por-
ton, would gladly vote for a territorial
government under the greater republic,
These confidential reports reveal good
deal more discord among the American
provincial rulers than is usually believed
to exist.
The policy applied to the government
of the provinces in the western end of the
island-Pinar del Rio. Havana and Ma
tanzas-which are directly under the SUI
pervision of General Brooks. is. for in
stance, radically different from that inaug-
urated by General Leonard Wood, military
commander of Santiago,
The government of Santiago is looked
upon by the president as more desirable
than that in the western provinces. Cen
eral Wood recently made report 10 the
president, who Endorsed his policy and
is learned, made many suggestions. which
Will be published for the guidance of the
commanders of other Cuban provinces .
The president inquired particularly as to
the extent of the sentiment for and against
annexation.
81 am firmly convinced" said General
Wood, that annexation would be carried
by four to one In the province OF Santiago. |
believe tho majority OF the other prov
inces do not want independence. They
have realized many benefits from the tenn
rorary government we have given them, |
aid are anxious TO see those benefits made |
permanent.
II have encouraged American enterprises
in Santiago by giving Americans the pref
erence do not believe there has reached
you from Santiago the complaints of dis
examinations against Americans that come
from Havana. Americans who have estab-
lisbed themselves in Santiago, and who
have endeavored to extend their operations
to other provinces, tell me that they have
been repulsed by the American command
ers and that English enterprises have been
given the preference"
Complaints of the unwarranted consider
utlon SuOWu ISurOpeln enterprises IN tta-
vapa and other western provinces TO the
dotriment of American interests have
reached the president from many sources
and it is not improbable that \ change In j
the administration of the Cuban govern
ment will soon be made. II Is estimated
upon high authority that President McISin-
ley desires General Brookes attendance {
In Washington In the capacity of conAden-
tial adviser and is contemplating the SUBJ
stitution in his place OF General Wood as
governor general OF Cuba. =
So strong is the presidents ten 1
dency toward annexation that 1t IN '
expected that an effort will be made
in congress nj the coming session to
rescind the resolution providing for
Cuban independence and to subsfi-
tute a plan by which the matter may
he submitted 10 N vote of the peo- ,
n. I'LL