The Washington times., 1906-09-30
Taft Preparing
To Leave HaVana
For Return Home


OF subsection to William ID. Taft. United /
States Secretary of War. as provisional /
governor OF Cuba. passed OF without |
any percepuble change IN the admins
tration OF affairs. The Cuban nag con-
unued 10 fly over the government build |
1ngs, and without an increase In the /
force OF twenty-five American blue
jackets now guarding the government /
treasury, the city presented none OF the /
appearances Of military occupation.
The city was unusually quiet all day.
Merchants and business men continued /
their routine. while the general pOpu- |
lace acted as though 10 great occur |
renee had been recorded in the coun- /
try's history. The newspapers noted |
the assumption OF government direction /
by Secretary Taft with unanimous CON
deEnnation OF the politicians in both par |
tiles. TO whom they laid the loss Of |
Cuba's independence.
Taft Wants to Come Home.
Secretary Taft is already preparing to 1
+ leave Cuba and turn the provisional /
+ Fgovernorship over 70 BeecBman Win
Z thrOp, now governor OF Porto Rico. He
said tonight that he hoped 30 have
{ Governor Winthrop appointed IN his
place. He added: Owing 70 my other
: onerous duties in the War Department,
including the administration OF Philip
gpine and Panama affairs. I cannot re-
-main here with justice 70 my general |
work above ten days or two weeks.
Z Cuba. however. Will remain In my juris-
I diction, being included in the admin
/ istrative department known as the |
Bureau of Insular Affairs"
Wants Captain Mcintyre in Cuba.
It is understood that Secretary Taft
; has wired 10 washington asking that
Capt Frank Mcintyre acting chief Of
the Bureau OF Insular Affairs. come inn
4nediateIy 70 Cuba 10 assist In the or
ganlzation OF the provisional govern
ment.
or all the events that have occurred /
today with Kaleidoscope rapidity, the
one that aroused the most interest was
the announcement that $500 United |
States soldiers had been ordered on the
island There came at once the won
dering queEy IL they would ever depart.
, There IS every faith in the good inten-
tons Of President Roosevelt and Secre-
tarS Taft. but there Is always the haunt
ing belief that the Cubans viii ot DO
able 10 maintain q permanen peace
without The strong hand or the United
States to guide them.
Cubans Not Surprised.
When Havana awoke this morning it
was TO read in the Official Gazette the
proclamation of Secretary Taft an
nouncing himself as governor OF the
island. IL had been SO thoroughly ex-
pected that there was not even a ripple
OF surprise. Then. too. the edict was
reassuring in that it declared that the
regency would be merely temporary.
Everybody is praising the tact of the
United States in avoiding the hauling
down OF the Cuban flag. This is felt
10 be distant act Of courtesy and n
double assurance that the motives OF
the United states are rot sinister.
secretasy Tafts ectvity is wonderful.
He lett the United States legation at >
o'clock this morning for Marianne. and
was up at O'Clock. He came back 20
Havana and started negotiations for. the
surrender by the insurgents Of their
aIms
Senator Zayas had a lengthy confer
ence with Secretary Taft about this
matter. From the United States lega-
tion Senator Zayas went 10 the State
prison 10 confer with Gems. Jose Miguel
Gomez, Jesus Montteaguado, Carlos
Garcia, J. G. Gomez, and ]. Garcia. the
Hve members Of the revolutionary com
mIttee representing in Havana the revo-
lutionary army. Some arrangement is
expected soon about the surrender OF
arms.
Taft Orders Prisoners Released.
One of Mr. Tafts first acts as pro-
visional governor was 20 order the re-
lease from prison OF Gems. Gomez. Gar
.safa /
SenOr Juan G. Gomez There was great
joy among the Liberals - a result, and
they gathered in large numbers IN front
of the city Jail TO see the prisoners !
come out. as they We're sent from the
state prison in Fort Principe TO the city
Jail, there to be notified OF the judges
sentence, which had already been signed.
The prisoners have offered their ]
hearty cooperation TO bring about the
speedy surrender OF arms, and no diff
cClty IS foreseen as to bringing this
about. Tho generals win go to the in
surgent camps and arrange for the de-
livery of the arms OF each band.
The total number of prisoners ordered
released was seventy. Fifty-six were I
in prison in Havana, one In Guines,
another in San Antonio. three in Santa
Clara. and nine in Cienfuegos.
Agree 10 Lay Down Arms.
The following document was signed by
The political prisoners when they were J
released; J.,
with The understanding that the pro-
visionaI government, this day estab- I
lished I'm Cuba, intends 10 carry out, in
SO far as the same may be applicable 10
the changed conditions, the basis OF set
IIemeuI which the peace commissioners
recommended T. both the moderate and
liberal parties including a general ;
amnesty for political offenses. the IN j
dersiened. representing the insurgent {
forces in the field. by a proper delega-
ZION. hereby agree on behalf of such in
surEent forces that they will at once
lay down their arms. return 10 their ]
homes, and restore the property which :
was taken by them for military pur- +
poses and which IS now in their posses c
sion. e
I'VE request the appointment Of a
commission hv The 7rOzrfSionaI rroveru- / =