The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-14
WILL VOTE ON IT.
Question of Independence or Annexation
to- lie Submitted to Cubans

Question of Independence or Annexation
to he Submitted to Cubans
New York, July 12.-According to
a correspondent Of the World at Wash.
ington, President Mckinley is working
energetically upon a plan to submit the
question of independence or annexation
to the people of Cuba. He believes
that they would vote for annexation.
Reports from Governor General Brooke
indicate a contrary view, but the presi.
dent has received confidential letters
from influential representatives of com.
mercial interests and from other sour
ces in and about Havana that has con
WINGED him that General Brooke is mis-
taken and that the people in the west
ern portion Of the island, as we'll as
those in the eastern portion, would
gladly vote for a territorial government
under the great republic.
These confidential reports reveal a
good deal more discord among the
American provincial rulers than ia
usually believed to exist. The policy
applied to the government Of the
DCOvluCSS Ill V1l0 WSSVS1u CAIu ~ -
island-Pinar del Rio, Havana and
| Matanzas-which are directly under
the supervision Of General Brooke, is,
for instance. radically different from
that inaugurated by General Leonard
Wood, military commander of Santi'
ago. the government Of Santiago is
looked upon by the president as more
J..:,ol1o @Lo, &Lot - &Eo xuoctors,
provinces. General Wood, while here
recently, made a report to the presi.
dent, who endorsed his policy and
urged it's continuance. General Wood,
it is learned, made many suggestions,
which will be published for the guild.
ance Of the commanders Of other Cuban
provinces. The president inquired par.
ticuiarly as to the extent Of the senti.
ment for and against annexation.
II am firmly convinced, said Cen
eral Wood, THAT annexation would be
carried by four to Il in Santiago.
The people Of that province, and l be-
lieve the majority of the other prov.
inces, do not want independence. They
have realized many benefits from the
temporary government w have given
them, and are anxious to secure these
benefits permanently. Americans who
have established themselves in Santi-
ago and e%ndeavored to extend their
operations to other provinces, tell me
that they have been repulsed by the
American commanders and that Eng.
lish enterprises have been given the
preference"
Complaints Of the unwarranted con-
sideration shown European enterprises
in Havana and other western provinces
to the detriment Of American interests
have reached the president from many
sources, and it is not improbable that a
change in the administration of the
Cuban government, will O. be made.
1t is stated upon very high authority
that the president desires General
Brooke's attendance in Washington in
the capacity Of confidential adviser,
and is contemplating the substitution
in his place of General Wood as gov
ernor general. So strong is the presi-
dents tendency toward annexation that
it is expected that an effort will be
made in congress at the coming session
to rescind tie resolution providing for
Cuban independence and to substitute a
plan by which the matter may be sub
United to a vote Of the people Of the
island.