San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-09-19
coLDBLooDED SCHEMES.
Bankruptcy Staring Cuban Merchants
In The Face.

In The Face.
Havana, Sept. IL, via Key West
Fla, Sept. 19.-The money question is
the all-absorbing topic of the hour.
Ever since General Weyler issued his
famous decree ordering the Spanish
banks paper money to be accepted at
part with gold, it was fOreseen that
serious complications would arise, be-
cause, not having the governments
proper guarantee, it could not be ac-
complished as a circulating medium.
The government is doing all in its
power to sustain the value of the same
basis with gold. The Spanish bank,
with the assistance Of the government,
in order to uphold it's paper, announc-
ed it's willingness to accept it in pay
ment on Spain, but one of the local
bankers-as a test case-solicited from
the bank a draft on Spain for $4,000,
the bank refused on the ground that it
could not furnish bills to bankers who
did not admit its paper money in pay
ment of their exchanges. By repudi-
ating it's own paper the bank has initi-
ated a crisis in financial circles, which
has upset the money market, and there
is every reason to believe will end in
a commercial panic.
Many efforts are being made to avert
diaster by inducing General Weyler to
allow the quotation on exchange of
paper currency, that everybody should
know it's exact intrinsic value, but it
seems Weyler stands firm on his de-
cree and does not allow the least vari-
alton of his orders. The result is that
ever since then the stock and gold eX-
changes have not done any operations
and all quotations are considered nomi-
nal. On the other hand all the bank
ers, in order to evade the penalties of
Weyler's decree by refusing the accept
ance of paper in payment of drafts,
have decided to close their exchange
departments, alleging that they have
no funds abroad to check against
except when they are offered gold in
payment-then the draft is furnished.
The governor of the Spanish bank
called a meeting of all the bankers
three days ago to see how the financial
difficulty could be solved, but no de-
fined agreement was reached and the
situation continues the same. AS
natural consequence of this state of
affairs the expectation of gold and sill
yer is being carried on to a great eX-
tent, all the outgoing steamers carry
ing considerable quantities of the pre-
cious metals to Spain and the United
States, this being attributed to the
wealthy classes regarding future pros
poets, which certainly are not bright.
The announcement that the whole
sale arrests of prominent citizens made
Sunday last was simply a government
plot to remove those whom 1t believes
to be obnoxious persons, has been fully
confirmed, at least in the case of AL
fredo Hernandez Huguet, the Ameri-
can citizen arrested. When the police
overran his house in search of incrim-
mating papers, daughter saw one
of the men introducing a suspicious
document among his papers, and seiz-
ing him by the arm strongly protested
against the infamous act he was COM
hitting, but it was of no avail, for
they carried that document as convin-
cling proof of his guilt. She then went
to see Consul Lee and told him her tale
and when the consul asked her If she
had, the courage to lay the facts be-
fore General Weyler she unhesitating-
~ aSSenteu. II Is UNDERSTOOD DOtn
went to see the general and that he re-
fused to listen to her, on the ground
that he was not the judge that had to
decide the case, and that she should
give her testimony to the judge who
is investigating these matters.
The military operations are practi-
cally at standstill. No fighting is re-
ported on either side. 1t is reported
the rebels are making a strong concen-
tration Of forces all around the country
presumably obeying GomeZ's orders
for the coming campaign, which, it is
said, will be tremendous. All sorts of
wild rumors are af1oat as to his future
intentions. Some believe he will come
with fire and sword, laying everything
waste in his track, destroying all the
sugar estates, farms, villages and
towns he meets on his way; others
that he will simply come and make a
big fight in this province. The real
truth cannot be ascertained, but the
general presumption is that he will re-
invade the central provinces with a
large force very soon and come into
this section to do general fighting, and
as it appears he has considerable war
material at his disposal, exciting times
are expected.