The Colorado statesman., 1906-10-13
RETURN OF TAFT
BOTH HE AND FUNSTON WILL
LEAVE CUBA.
MAG00N AND BELL REMAIN
New Governor and U. S. Chief of Staff
to Handle Cuban Affars-Taft will
Arrange Ferry Service to Havana.

Havana.-Gen. Fred Funston will
not continue in command of the
American forces in Cuba. Governor
Taft announced tonight that he and
General Funston will leave Havana
for the United States Saturday on the
battleship Louisiana With them will
go Assistant Secretary of State Bacon
and the affairs of Cuba will be
left in the hands of Governor Ma.
soon and General Franklin Bell. In
explaining the change of plans Gov.
ernor Taft said:
General Funston was summoned
on a hurry call from the Pacific coast
because he was so we'll acquainted
with many of the insurgent chiefs
here, and it was thought he could aid
us, as he did greatly, in bringing the
men in arms to an agreement. Gen
eral Funston was put temporarily in
command of the troops in Cuba.
merely as a convenience until General
Bell should arrive. General Funston,
Mr.. Bacon and myself, with Mrs. Taft
and Mrs. Bacon and our secretaries,
are returning to our permanent du-
ties'
Governor Taft's especial confidence
in the chief of the general staff's abil-
ity to carry out the program the gov
ernor has initiated resulted in the de-
cision to continue him in the island.
Many Cubans of the faction to which
Mendez Capote and others who organ
lied the Moderate party belonged,
were outspoken against General Fun
ston, alleging that he had deserted
them in the war to throw off the yoke
of Spain.
Governor Taft did not take cogni-
~ hi ha fn-
miliar with the circumstances under
which General Funston at that time
returned to the United States. Fun
ston was taken i'll, and he had the con
sent of General Garcia and other Gu
ban leaders who appreciated the long
service he had given their cause.
Had the proposal to send three ex
petitions to Cuba been carried out,
General Funston would have remained
at Camp Columbia as the commander
of brigade. The close association
between Governor Taft and General
Bell in the Philippines Influenced the
provisional governor to make per
sonal requisition upon the President
that General Bell be placed in COM
mand in Cuba.
The party sailing on the Louisiana
will touch at Key West, where Secre'
Iary IaIL desires TO SlOp III COuucC'
ton with a right Of way across the
military reservation for the railroad
which is being constructed across the
Florida keys, which will practically
connect United States and Cuba by a
ferry service.
Twenty-Five marines have been or
dered to Sancti Spiritu and Trinidad.
At the latter place they will settle the
friction between ex-rebels and ex-mili
tiamen who have recently been dis
armed. The trouble appears to have
been caused by Colonel Glynn of the
militia, who is also collector of Gus
toms. The surrendered arms were
stored in the custom house and Glynn
rearmed the militia after the depart
ure of the disarmament commission
ers
General Rodriguez, commander OF
the rural guards, telegraphed Colonel
Glynn to disarm these men, but Colo
mel Glynn is reported still to have the
guns in his possession and to be dis
posed to make trouble. If these re-
ports are confirmed Governor Taft will
remove Colonel Glynn. General Brava
commander of the insurgents in that
vicinity, maintained good faith with
the commission, even taking the re-
volvers and machetes from his men.