The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-20
CONDITIONS IN CUBA.
General Fitzhugh Lee Discusses Flu
ture of Island.

American capital declared Genera
Fitzhugh Lee today. is not going int
Cuba.
Not until the Cubsns have demon
strated an ability TO govern them
selves, ne said win Cuba become Z
field for investment. He would no
say in so many words that he did not
believe such a time would come, hut
his manner was that of a skeptica
man.
But he was definite when asked
what would happen to Cuba if it die
not prove worthy of independence. he
asserted that in case of such an out
come. the United States would b.
obliged by reasons Of commCrcial AND
diplomatic eXpediency to once more
assume contros OF the island.
In his opinion, the Cuban republic
now about TO he launched is more a
trial than an actual government,
I Throughout the conversation General
I Lee avoided outright statements of bis
convictions. and toward its close he
told the reason for his indirectness.
Il am an army officer" he said. and
il is neither good form nor good judg-
ment 10 comment on matters OF gov
eminent diplomacy. l notice that army
1 officers are not even talking publicly
about the Schley case any longer"
BE smiled slightly and strOked the
! place where his gOatee Ussd 10 be. His
! face Is now smooth shaver. except for
a slight mustache
II am not at liberty to discuss the
attitude of the United States toward
CGaa, he continued, but on matters
} Of fact suppose 1 can talk.
/ Everything that Cuba has wit
messed politically has been the result
I Of the promise Of the United States,
formally set down in the Teller reso-
/ luton, TO give liberty to the Cubans.
The United States has kept its
word, and the question whether it was
wise word is not for me to discuss
The working out of the promise has
been along logical lines. When one
free government tells the -nistreated
men Of another government that il Will
give them the freedom which has been
its own right for a century. it is GER
lain that the ears which hear that
promise will not forS get il. The Cubans
heard, and they nave not forgotten
The United States IN honor has fol-
lowed the marked out course. A Gu
ban constitutional government has
been prepared for setting up In Nay
that government viii begin to exercise
Its powers"
viii the United States Immediate
~ withdraw its troops?' was asked.
General Lee thought for a full thirty
seconds before he answered.
Il don't know" he said, at last.
why should there be any cause Tor
doubt about the natter" was the next
query.
Then he showed what was on his
mind
There are some American interests
on the island be said slowly, and
there are some French and other con-
tinental business interests. It may be
necessary, as a formal guarantee of.
pea ceful conditions, TO keep d small
number Of American soldiers in Ha-
Vana.
The truth is" he proceeded more
frankly, that capital is not inclined.
so far as 1 can discover. to intrust
itself 10 solely Cuban protection just
at present. If the Cuban government
does prove stable l do not doubt that
capital will flow into the island. But
the proof viii have TO be clear and sub
stantial.
And If the government cannot give
that proof. if it totters. what them"
Then, / should assume" was the
careful reply, that the United States
would have 10 take up the response
oilties now being laid down l see no
other way out, il Cuba is to become of
any consequence to the world or if to
residents of the island are to have the
protection which the United States viii
owe them
DO you think the United States will
have to do that?"
L do not know. I don't think any
man living knows. / don't think there
will be any way of knowing until the
Cuban government has stood its trial
has come through it sound or has
broken under the test.
I can only hope for the best, not
knowing whether il means Cuban rule
OF return to American guidance
'Ot this, however. I am sure Cuba
as land is suited to prosperity For
tunes are 10 be made there, once a
settled government wins confidence.
They have not been made there yet.
because no one has dared to risk
wealth in country which has before
1t the struggle of learning to govern
itself
Tobacco is the only thing in which
money has yet been invested to any
extent. But Cuba has resource. as a
sugar producing country beyond esti-
mate, and as a land of fruit il should
have no rival. Oranges are grown in
Florida. but a frost may destroy a
seasons crop. Oranges can be grown
the year round in Cuba without the
possibility of loss. Every fruit of the
tropical zone may be grown there, and
many Of the fruits of the temperate
zone.
The staying of political unrest is all
that is needed to insure a splendid
commercial future for Cuba"
General Lee is at present in COM
mand Of the department of the Mis-
souri,. He went to Havana as consul
general in 1896 and remained there
until war was declared. Returning to
the United States. he entered the vol
unteer army and was given command
OF an army corps. His corps was not
chosen for the Santiago campaign. but
was held in reserve for opera tons
against Havana. Whea the destruction
of the Spanish feet ended the war he
and his troops We're sent to Havana.
He remained in command until peace
was fully re-established, when he was
succeeded by Colonel now Major Cen
crab Leonard Wood
Havana ought at least TO be thank
ful for the American occupation" con-
cluCed General Lee. ut is a healthy
city now and Americans can live there
all the year round
Buffers obstinacy.
est James Gazette)