Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1906-10-05

1t looks as though the. existing
government in Cuba had forced the
hand of the admistratio ion to an extent
which will render occupation of the
island necessary. The latest news at
the War Department indicates that
President Palma, his cabinet and all
of the members of the moderate party
in Cuba congress have decided to
resign, leaving the island without a
government. There are two PROPOSE
tons open, one is that the moderate
in congress may be induced to retain
their seats and patch up some form of
government on which Cuba can limp
along, and the other is that the
United States will pc forced to take
charge of Cuban affairs and that an
army will be landed on the island to
enforce the orders of the provisional
government 1t is almost certainty
that if the United States takes
charge of Cuban affairs at this stage
of the game, it will be impossible
for US to let go, and the island will
ultimately pass into the control of
the United States, leaving US with
another tropical dependency on our
hands.
The plans which are outlined for
America occupation are almost as
various as the papers which print
the stories. Everything has been
suggested from temporary landing of
50, 900 marines and blue jackets, to
transportation of an army of
40, 900 men from the regular
regiments of the United States. 1t
is quite certain that no such widely
extended occupation is contemplated.
1t will be remembered that when this
this government crushed the Spanish
power in Cuba 1000 men were all
the forces over landed in the island up
the fall of Santiago 1t is not likely
that almost twice as many men would
be required to deal with the present
situation, although it is possible that
quite large number would be need
ed in view of the fact that they
would have to be scattered over a
large extent of territory and many
interior plantations and sugar fac
tories would have to be guarded.
1t has been announced that Pine
Gurarro one of the foremost Of the
insurgent leaders, has detailed large
number of his men to act as guards
for the outlying plantations. 1t is
we'll known, however, that little de-
pendence is to be placed on guards Of
this character. Nearly all of the lnsur-
gent troops are negroes and many of
them are men who have gone into the
army because it furnished them an
easy means of livelihood without
necessity for work. 1t is feared that
this class of soldiers would prove more
menace than defense to the
American plantations.
1t has been announced that in the
case of American occupation of the
island General friedrich Funston will
not be invested with the supreme
command. that going by custom to a
general of higher rank. Colonel
LittIeton W. 7. WaIlow, of the
Marine Corpse will be in command
of the Naval detachment. The mere
ldCS lilcAl lllSIS 10 liO tUSGuolS II
poration ready for the land forces
makes it unlikely that anything hasty
will be done in the way of sending
an army to Cuba. There is only one
transport, the Summer, now on the
Atlantic Coast and at a pinch, she
could carry more than 1900 men.
Vessels would have to be bought or
chartered to carry any large number
and fully, a week would be required
before these could be obtained.
1t is just possible that if America
should be forced to run affairs in
Cuba, there would be no serious
trouble from either Liberal or the
Moderate parties. The liberals who
are now on the Revolutionary side will
not be apt to offer any serious resist
ance to American occupation. The