Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-02-04
THING TO Do IN CUBA
According to the Opinion of Por.
ter, the Special Envoy to
Gen. Gomez.
ISLAND tow ONLY NEEDS POLICING

Which He Thinks Can BE Done Easily IL
the Young American and Cuban Officers
Will Get Together and Co-oPerate-Our
Men Must Leave Before April. He Says
-Hesitation About Accepting the Ar
rangement with Gomez.
Havana, Feb. 4.-RObert z. Porter,
a efore sailing for Miami. Fla. yester-
day made the following statement t.
the correspondent of The Associated
Press: While the situation here has
been improved and simplified by the
declaration of General Gomez that he
WIZ Immediately take part in the pacifi
cation Of Cuba, the advantage thus
gained should he followed up by the
American authorities. The entire polio
ing of the island should be done by the
Cubans themselves. The real work is,
in fact. now in the hands OF Cuban SOL
diers. and law and orJer are we'll main
tanned. There should not be moments
delay in the organization and equip
ment OF these civil guards.
Our Men to Leave by April.
The bulk of the American soldiers
must be taken out of Cuba by April
There is really no necessity for more
than two regiments in each province
90 serve as a background of support for
the Cuban police. In giving the best
II these PEOPLE employment all the more
will be left of the relief fund for those
who must be helped back to the land
The feeling of distrust between the Gu
bans and the Americans has been tenn
porarily checked by the message Of
General Gomez to President Mckinley
and the presidents reply through Sec
rotary Hay. If the young military ele-
ments of both armies will now get to-
gether and complete the several
schemes for policing the provinces
which at this moment are awaiting
crystalization, the problem will be
solved.
Says There Must BE No Delay.
Delay in this work Will be fatal. If
such men as General Gomez, General
Monteguedo Cof Santa Clara province),
General Naval Rodriguez (of the prov
ince Of Pinar del Rio). General Pedro
Betancourt (of Matanzas province),
and others whom / know personally
will assure President Mckinley and
Governor General Brooke that law and
order will be maintained their pledge
will be carried out at any cost. There
is too much disposition to discuss minor
details. There is too much hesitancy
in bringing matters to head. In the
province of Santa Clara Monteguedo's
ready put in operation. and it is one-as
General Leonard Wood told me yester-
day-which is along right lines. The
entire police work in that province so
Major Logan. provost marshal. in
formed me. has been done by Cubans
since the evacuation.
Things Must he Kept Moving.
why not take up at once and dispose
of this matter? Things must be kept
moving in Cuba summer will over
take us with too many troops here. Our
soldiers themselves fully realize the sit
uatiOn. They frankly say that their
chief occupation is to guard each other
while their chiefs in Washington. Ha-
vana and Remedies are exchanging
The younger officers OF |
both sides should come to together and |
evolve preliminary policing plans and |
set those into working order without |
delay. once this is well done matters |
will take care of themselves in Cuba. |
At least. that is my opinion.