The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-11-09
CUBA'S FUTURE.
Is Still Surrounded by Many Contin-
gencies.


New York, Nov. 9.-Brigadier General
William Ludlow. military governor of
Havana, who arrived in New York yes
terday afternoon on the steamer Ha-
Nana and was detained as quarantine,
said:
q am glad to say that the feeling of
Cubans toward AmeriCans-wh the
military representatives of the govern
ment or otlers-has greatly improved
during recent months. The suspicion
and distrust with which perhaps a
large number regarded Americans for
50 long a time after the military Occu-
patton was established has given way
In great measure to confidence and
COrd1a1ty. They are convinced now, l
think, that our purposes are honest and
friendly and limited to the organization
and development which are essential
precursors of the establishment of q
stable native government. Along with
this conviction now goes a perception
of the fact that these preliminaries are
not to be accomplished so easily and
soon as seemed to them at first. In
other words, they see that our cOncep-
tiOn of the task in hand was truer than
their own and the most influential and
Intelligent are now content to have US
to work out the most of the problem
before 1ntrusung the conduct of af
fairs wholly to them The more we do
the less there viii be for them to do and
the more auspiciOuSly will the republic
start upon its career.
The necessity of doing our part of
the work thoroughly so that there shall
be the smallest possible chance for a
failure of government makes it
very difficult to say when the military
occupation ought to end. There must
at any rate. L should say be a complete
organization of civil government and
an experimental operation of it under
some degree of military supervision.
before the armed regime is terminated
and the island handed over absolutely
to its own people.
The organizing of a civil govern
meHt IS proceeding prOsperOusly
throughout the cities and towns of the
island. In many it is perfected; in 9TH
ers it is we'll under way; in the rest it
is either being undertaken or about to
be In Havana, of course we have had
for some months a complete municipal
organization and administration but
under military supremacy, which, how
ever, IS exercised no more than is
deemed necessary.
Among the final preparations for the
full assumption of authority by the Gu
bans viii be the election of a cOnstitu-
uOnal assembly. The date for that cleo
ton has not been fixed. nor have the
details which must attend it been
worked out either by our government
or by the Cuban leaders themselves
Hence am unable to reply to cues
tons touching the conditions under
Which the elections viii be held. In
regard TO the suggestion of an educa-
uOnal test for the electors. a difficulty
arises in the fact that so per cent of the
population is illiterate. 1t is evident
that If the new republic is to be a pOp-
ular government there can not be much
of educational requirements for the ex-
ercise of the suffrage In short partic-
ulars relating to the constitutional or
ganizatiOn of Cuba still belong to the
future
GENERAL LEES VIEWS.
New York, Nov. 9-"Tha future of
Cuba" is paper by Major General
Fftzhugh Lee, which will appear in the
Independent today, as follows.
When viii the United States evac-
uate Cuba? This is a question I am