The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-15
RECOGNIZING CUBANs.
Ludlow Appointing Insurgents and
Former ExiIes to Office.


NEW YORK, Jan. IA dispatch to the
Tribune from Havana says: THE most i'm
portant nominations recently announced
here are those of Marco Mcnocal as chief
Of police Perfecto Lacoste as alcalde, or
mayor. and Federico Mora as civil gov
ernor. The latter is not so well known as
the two former, but he is satisfactory to
the conservative Cubans and Spaniards. He
was a member of the revolutionary Junto
in Havana during the Instruction; Memo
cal was commander of the insurgent troops
in Havana and Matanzas provinces. His
cooperation with the American military
authorities has already been noted. His
place will in reality be more than that of
chief of police in the city He will advise
with General Brooke and General Lee in
the formation of the rural police and in
other matters of policy and administration.
Perfecto L.acoste, who is named as alcalde,
was president of the Havana revolutionary
junto, and now holds similar place in the
Junto Patriotica, which succeeds it.
THE teniente alcaldes' have functions
anomalous to those of assistant mayor and
aldermen. One of them, Juan Barreire, is
a professor in the university. Others were
deported by Weyler to the penal settle
ments in Africa. Several of the aldermen
were also political exiles, and some served
in the insurgent army. The reorganiza-
ton of the City Council was one of the
most serious problems here. The body was
in disfavor. Several of it's members were
willing to stay and are disappointed that
their designations were accepted. Under
rule made in Washington il will have moth
ing to do with the granting of franchises;
Its functions will be limited to municipal
administration, and the military authorizes
are hopeful that their own laDors VIII De
lghtened. General Menocal and others OF
the inSurgent troops first secured the con-
sent OF the assembly, which represents the
insurgent army, so that no friction can
arise from this source.
THE appointments show the sincerity of
the purpose to recognize the Cubans and
give the preference to those who either
fought in the instruction or who were iden-
titled with it. The Spanish classes take them
philosphically and say most of the men
named are worthy. The radical insurgents
who are disappointed have now to find
fault with Menocal and their own leaders
instead of with the Americans.
In the custom house the plan OF rec
Ognizng the insurgents had gone so far
that other Cubans complain that their APP
pications are pigeon-holed without -readlng.
Yesterday twenty-five officers OF various
grades in the inSurgent army We're given
places under Collector Bliss. Most OF them
expected places corresponding to their
ranks As the policy adopted in the custom
house is to begin at the bottom of the lad
der and acquire experience before giving
this could not be DONE The inSurgent Off
GERS complained and to-day two or three of
them failed to report for duty. The others,
though grumbling, were at their posts.
sf.Isolated instances of vandalism by
American soldiers are causing complaints
from keepers of cafes. They try to OBJ
serve General Ludlows orders against SELL
ing alcoholic beverages to soldiers and are
victims of resentment. All cases of this
kind are vigorously punished, but the effect
of a. single case is bad. The Tenth and
Eighth Infantry, Whichtare encamped In the
city are behaving admirably.
while the American officials are getting
to have differences among themselves. The
latest trouble is over the sanitation of the
custom house. Colonel Bliss wants to go
ahead and cleanse it, but after work was
started it was stopped; that method was
not in accordance with General Ludlow's
general plan"