National Republican., 1876-01-01
THE FATE OF CUBA.
Jovellar's Programme Of Govsrnment-Dis-
couraging Financial Condition.


HAVANA, Dec. N.-The principal topic to
which the Vos de Cuba devotes its editorials con-
tinues to be the Presidents message. The organ
of the ultra-conservatives calls upon the Madrid
government to prepare for war, and especially to
get the feet ready for Immediately taking the
offensive, should Mr.. Grant attempt to carry out
the Intervention he appears to contemplate. It
insists also on preparations being made for the
prompt conversion of Spanish merchant vessels
into vessels of war; should it be desirable to strike
q blow at American commerce. The Diario is
more moderate in its tone, but equally positive in
its declarations that no Intervention can be SUBJ
mtted to, and that the only solution of present
difficulties must be sought in enforcing the uncon-
ditional submission or the determination of the
rebels. Meanwhile the general public, while not
free from anxiety as to the real intentions of the
American Government, comforts itself with the
belief that the Philadelphia Exhibition will pre-
vent any waTke projects being carried out dur
may during that period obtain such advantages
over the insurgents as may remove the tempta-
tiOn TO foreigners to interfere.
NO MONEY TO PAY THE TROOPS.
The cable announces that the new Captain
General will leave Spain on the 30th instant and
1t is supposed that Immediately on his arrival he
will revive his old project of calling out numer-
Gus militia, SO as to be in position to employ the
whele of the regular army in active operations.
The reinforcements received from Spain already
amount to l6, 900 men, and four or five thousand
Peninsula; in addition to which we are informed
that the Madrid Cabinet intend to dispatch fresh
bodies of troops as rapidly as the means Of trans
include principal money, and of this the supply
is very limited. According to the statements
published by order of the Royal Commissioner
there are troops in the island now who are receiy-
ing to-day part only OF their October pay, others
their June pay, and the army contractors, instead
had s in the last While aSH Oh ny
Government payments are thus behindhand, the
municipalities are equally short of funds, not
portable taxation. AS specimen it may be men
toned that the schoolmasters even here in Ha-
vana have been seven months without receiving
cent Of their very limited salaries and the Didrio
this morning confesses that they have not the
means of supporting themselves and their fami-
lies, and that physical weakness caused by priva-
tions can be pleaded by many as an excuse,
should they be charged with ineficiency in the
fulnllment Of their duties. When this happens
in Havana, what must be the position Of this class
Of public servants in the interior towns and vii
lagos?
THE WAR NEWS,
The Cuban raiders continue to make their ap-
pearance in different parts Of the districts of Las
villas, and even In the neighbOrhood Of the head.
depredations. The newspapers do not usually
contain much statistical information as tothe sick
European troops recently arrived, but md in
the Dfdrfo an extract from La TrochG, published
at Ciego de Avila, in which, while speaking OF he
mander with the very limited forces at his dis
posal, the editor says that there were on the 5th
Instant $50 men in the hospital at Ciego de Avila,
mentions elsewhere that only 800 men had ar
rived there yet Of the fresh troops, 1t is fair to
suppose that ifso large number Of small
force, chiefly composed of partially acclimatized
troops, were under the doctors hands, the more
unhealthy points along the coasts, where the gar
risons are nearly all fresh from Europe, must
show even more proportionate sickness and
lamentable waste of human life
According to official report the cane fields Of the
Teresa and Dvertido estates, close to Las Cruces,
forces stationed there sailed forth Immediately
and seized two Cinnamon, who were convicted Of
Of tbe neagoes S Of the estates as a war Waning In ''
In the 1lba of the 2lst inst. I find o report Of
the appearance on the Caplro Hills, near villa
Immediately attacked by considerable force
from the city, under the command of Don Do
mlngo Graino, who killed seven men and cap
tured eight horses and four firearms, besides res
cuing from the enemys power the mail bags tor
the neighboring forts, which had shortly before
fallen into his hands.
vALMAsEpA's FAREWELL.
Gen. yalmaseda, in his farewell proclamation
to the army, navy and volunteers, does not claim
to have met with any successes In his last short
campaign, but congratulates them on having es-
published, hardly seem to warrant this assertion;
but he says so, and surely he ought to know. Re-
ferring to his government Of the Island, he says
ton as that has been the object of all his efforts.
Persons, who have Just arrived from the country
near Colon, say that the insurgents continue In
the same districts they occupied some months ago,
and that in spite of the concentration Of troops In
that neighborhood, one or two estates have been
destroyed and the raiders escaped. A strict watch
is maintained at the points occupied by the Span
iarde, and the recent orders, obliging all inhabi
tants to keep at home after dlsk, are rigidly en-
forced.
The want Of money is severely felt in the inte-
rior. Many persons in the employ Of the large
estates have not received any salary for four or
five months, and in some places the operations in
sugar-making are unavoidably retarded by the
repairs to machinery, SC. 1t is evident that the
Dfdrio is right in saying that the country cannot
bear any increase Of taxation, but as the Royal
present taxes are more than fifty per cent. In ar
rears, It would appear logical that the Didrio
should 20 further and say that the country cannot
bear the taxation already imposed.