Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1901-04-04
VIEWS ON CUBA'S FUTURE.
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee Expresses Him.
self at a Banquet rendered Him
by the Omaha Club.
PATRIOTISM IS THE NEED Of THE HOUR.

More Than Ever Must It Be Exerc'sed by
tine American People In Solving the
Problems Brought Forward rs the Re
suit of Oar War with s~pain-Future of
Cuba.
Omaha, Neb., April 1.-Gen. Fitz-
hugh Lee, for the first time since his
retirement from the army, has given
expression to his views with regard
to the future of Cuba. The occasion
was the banquet given in his honor
at the Omaha club. After referring
to his services as consul general and
in the army in that island, he said:
More than ever must there be an
exercise of patriotism in its highest
sense by the citizens of the United
States. The ship of state has extend
ed its sailing hart to parts of the
world updreamed of until recently as
being in its cours The Philippines
are ours by treaty, and their future,
SO far as the United States is con-
eerned, should be duly determined by
congress after and not before armed
resistance to the authority of the
, United States has ceased. The SPLEEN
uiu CNpIOlJ u uIISlOA nIOWS d OII1"
liant light upon the coming path of
peace.
Porto Rico is ours by conquest.
while Cuba has its status fixed by the
Teller resolution in the act declaring
war against Spain. Under that reso.
luton the United States disclaims any
intention of exercising sovereignty
jurisdiction or control ver the island
Of Cuba, except for the pacification
thereof, and when that il accom-
! plished the government of the island
should be turned over to its own peo.
pie. That solemn declaration is bind.
ing on our government, and, in my
opinion, will be and should be rigidly
adhered to.
The expenditure OF treasure anc
blood, the dead American soldiers and
sailors, the geographical location of
the island, the large interests held by
Americans, Spanish, English, Ger
man, French and indeed the Cubans
themselves, demand hat the island
should not only be pacified, but be
permanently pacified. The pledge of
the United States does not demand
that American control or supervision
be absolutely withdrawn if the United
States, from evidence before the prop
er department, believes tina Cubans
will fight among themselves before
or shortly after the American soldiers
now in Cuba stack their muskets on
American soil.
The var was waged to make Spain
withdraw its land and naval forces
from Cuba and ~relinquish its authori,
ty On the island. That having beeI
accomplished the United States is now
concerned in u%pholding its solemn
pledge of p~acificaIion in the interests
Of all.
Cuba will agree in time TO the con
ditions imposed by the Platt amend
ment in the interests of its own indie
~pendence and in order that the Unit
ed States can faithfully maintain the
pledged pacificaticn Of the island.
"Thirty-one members were elected
or rather selected. from the whole
island to constitute a constitutional
convention. When its work is com.
pleted the organization of a govern.
ment should follow, and when that is
accomplished the jurisdiction and con-
troll of the island undoubtedly should
be turned over to the Cubans.
THE foreign and other property
holders want protection and peace.
The majority of Cubans constituting
the agrlculturists, are apparently ig-
norant that a convention is in session
and it is most difficult to make them
vote on any question. Many por-
tions of China did not know a war
was in progress with Japan; so, many
Cubans pay no attention to the war
of words of the convention. The ex-
Cuban soldiers are active and more or
less excited. When the time comes to
fill the government offices they will
be heard from often and early
"Cuba's future will be determined
by Cuba's craftsmanship. Should the
collective Cuban wisdom be sufficient
to keep the craft afioat on the wa
tiers of prosperity and establish a sta
BILE government strong enough to pro-
tect life and property and give con-
tidence to capital, there will be no dis
position on the part of the United
to Interfere; but if the govern
problem can not be solved after
a fair trial by the Cubans, the future
destiny of the Smile of the lei will
be forever confided to the care OF the
great American republic"