Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-09
GEN. LEE On CUBA
PRESENT CONDITIONS IEADrNe
TO INDUSTRIAL RUIN.
Predicts Government DISSATISFACTION
and Anarchy and Annexa-
ton as a Consequence.

| Brigadier General Ettzhugh Lee retired
| who has just made flying visit to Wash
| ington, says that the present course of af
| fairs in Cuba can lead to but one result.
| financial and Industrial ruin governmental
disintegration. anarchy, Interference hy the
| United States+"and when the stars and
stripes go up over Moro again they viii
| never come down"
| General Lee is still in close touch with
| Cuba He says he receives unanv letter.
| from the island daily, and his perfect famtl-
| iarity with conditions there as consul gen.
| eral and later in military command. make
1t possible for him to understand every
phase of the situation.
Although not referring directly to Presf-
dent Roosevelts reciprocity plans. he saws
/ that commercial concessions will have to
be made If the government Of the new re-
public is to be kept intact. The island gov
eminent has no revenue except that col
iected at the customs house. and the Gus
tom house receipts are now insufficient for
the support Of the government and are
daily growing smaller. This means the
closing up of the public schools and the
abandonment of sanitary regulations-the
two monuments which America left be-
hind in the island
Another source of concern, according to
General Lee, is the growing restlessness of
says, that they have not had their share
of the fruits of war. There are according
to his information, nearly $4,000 soldiers on
the pay rolls of the government waiting to
get their money from the treasury of the
island. while the funds in that treasury are
constantly diminishing.
Speaking of the present government in
the island, General Lee said he believed the
Cuban president to be an honest, conscien-
tious, kind-hearted official. but necessarily
without experience in the affairs Of govern
ment. He had noticed already that charges
had been made that authority had been
proper for military governor to exercise,
could not properly be the rule of the gov
ernor of a free people.
Industrial Conditions.
eff Cuba fails to find a market for her
two great products, tobacco. and more
especially sugar." continued General Lee,
sit means that no remunerative results will
ensue from the sale Of the sugar now on
hand and it will act also in preventing
many persons from planting another crop
for another year. AS under the Plat
amendment we have practically guided the
policy of the island, it seems to me that It
Is fair and proper to give to the Cubans
reciprocity If, as Is claimed, it will enable
the sugar producers to plant and sell at
profitable figures. In my humble opinion,
if this is not done, the number of unem-
ployed Iaborers in Cuba will be greatly In
creased. and that means mass Of dlscon-
tented workmen who can easily be nodded
into mobs and give much trouble The
papers report that the Ward line of steam
ships. which Is the largest and heaviest
transporter, has already taken off of the
route three of its biggest vessels on the
ground that they carry nothing to Cuba and
bring nothing back. = - -" ~'';
I'm view of these facts, It will be readily
perceived that PresideH Estrada Palma is
going to have hts haIfds ful in the next |
few months, Knowing the Cubans as do |
and being in touch bY correspondence with |
many Of them, firmly, believe that unless |
confidence is restored hi the stability Of |
their government. and soff1e relief afforded |
in the matter of the sale Of their products, |
there is nothing ahead except anarchy and |
annexation-for anarchy means interfer- |
ence by the United States and the hosting
OF the American flag to stay put"