The Washington herald., 1906-12-30
Situation VIII Be Considered
When Bell Returns.
TAFT ISSUES A STATEMENT
Quotes from MngOOn and Army Of
heer as TO Present Conditions in
island-Gov. MnGOOn Asserts That
One OF His Recent Cables Was
MangIed In Transmission.

D. It
Chief Of STAFF. returns here next week
from the island, where. since the Amer
lean intervention, he has been in COM
mGnd of the Army Of Cuban Pacifica-
ton"
The administration is bending every
effort TO prevent another general outbreak
in the island particularly while Congress
Is IN session. It is felt that the introduce
ton Of the Cuban question into the legis-
latlve body at this time will merely com
piicate an already difficult problem. The
administration is conducting an expert
ment with the Cuba1s. and it is too early
vet TO say whether that experiment will
prove a success or a failure. If the
Cubans settle dowa and peace and quiet
are restored throughout the island. cleo
lions of some sort may be held next June,
but no member of the administration viii
hazard the definite statement that the
elections win certainly be held then, or
even a year from then.
Cuba is to-day in control Of a military
government with a civilian at its head.
livery town Of any size in the island is
strongly garrisOned by American troops.
The War Department is prepared TO
throw into the island another expedition
Of 5000 men on short notice. The condition
Of the island may be described as one Of
general unrest; this may quiet down be
tween now and June, or it may develop
into a general outbreak
Leaders Are TroubIesOme.
one guess is as good as another. The
rebel leaders-the. so-caIled Liberal party
are still much in evidence in and around
Havana. and the feeling is growing in
Washington that the provisional govern
rent had best stop feeding them or
cake and candy. The time has come. in
the opinion of those in Washington who
best understand conditions I'm Cuba, for
the provisional government 20 stop pet
ting the idle trouble makers OF both
parties. who parade the Prado day and
night ia their uniforms and arrest them
for vagrancy if they 90 not get to work
within stated time
The patience Of the President and Sec
rotary Taft is rapidly exhausting itself
and early in the new year d frmer pol
icy on the part of the provisional gov
eminent may be expected. How long
Gov. Magoon win remain there has not
been determined. his services are UT
gently needed in the Philippines. and I'M
less conditions improve in Cuba within
the next few months il IS altogether
possible that the whole island may be
Put under a government that is military
in name as well as i'm form.
Because Of the excitement caused in
Havana by statements cabled back
from Washington about conditions in the
island Secretary Taft yesterday made
an announcement tn the form of q state
ment from the War Department tt did
not deny that the Cuban situation is
critical and strengthens the conviction
that The administration is doing every
thing possible 10 avert trouble The text
of the statement follows.
No Present Disturbances.
1T was stated at the War Department
to-day that so lar as is known in the
department in dispatches received from
Gov Nagoon OF from the military au-
thorities in the island, there is no ground
for the general public statement that dis
turbances exist in Cuba. on Christmas
evening a dispatch was received from
Gov. Magoon saying that he had received
word from some plantation owners eX-
pressing fears of depredauous from small
bands Of robbers. understood TO be infest-
ing the province of Santa Clara. and he
accordingly ordered practice marches of
two troops of cavalry in that province.
He also mentioned the existence Of
strike in Camaguey. which might possibly
lead to some disorder. As "a matter of
fact. no dispatch has been received from
him since. and the department has every
reason to suppose that quiet prevails
everywhere"
The following has been received in a
private letter from military officer hold
ing high station in Cuba, under date Of
December -:
Everything goes on quietly here, and
there is no marked change In any respect.
We have continual intimatiOn from all
sorts Of sources that no matter what
happens in the elections one side or the
other viii take to the woods.
suppose an AnElO-SdXOn viii never under
stand these people, and can never hope
to do so. They are something like chill
dren who tell ghost stories to each other
until they brighten themselves 20 Il point
where they cannot sleep. Apart from
mutterinSs such as ] have referred to.
which, in my opinion. amount 10 moth
ing there is no cause for any UNI
easiness at this time. IN fact. our rule
has been so quiet and orderly, and the
Presidents injunction TO refrain from
hurting the feelings OF wounding the sus-
capabilities OF the Cubans SO strictly Oo-
served. that the people welcome the
troops everywhere and get down 10 work
wherever they appear,
Troops Have Good Effect.
THE daily reports which we receive
indicate that the practice marches and
reconnaissance parties which are moving
around the island in every direction are
s.ffa tn
structious from headquarters, one of the
principal duties of the officers in command
is 10 reassure the people, quiet their
nerves. and induce them TO go To work.
This they seem 10 be doing. and the cut
ting Of cane and planting of tobacco are
going on quietly and steadily everywhere.
The only objection jhat could possibly be
raised against the system is that the
feeling Of security which the people have
from the presence Of troops IS so crafty
ing that they may join any party which
might be formed to delay our departure
"One of the most marked features OF
this situation is the number of houses
that are being built throughout the Coun-
try districts. On a ride of thiTty-fouI
miles from here into the country toward
Marel ! counted over forty new houses
going up. where there was not one in
process Of construction after our arrival
in Havana. There is a regular building
BOOM
Since debating the above a letter.
under date Of December .. has been re-
ceived from Gov. Mag00n. which con-
tains the following passage
Situation Week Ago.
The present situation is fun of hope
and confidence that the provisional gov
arDr,eDt nil bqr-a M occasion IN deal