Evening star., 1896-08-06
SPAIN'S NEW PERIL
Cubans Begin a Back Fire on
Her.
MURMURINGS OF DISC0NFENT HEARD
Spanish People Distrust the Gov
: ernment.
V O L E n G z F E A r E D

copyrighted. 1896. by the Associated Press)
MADRID. August 6.-Trouble of a serious
nature is beirg fonented in Spain, particu
larly in the province of Valencia, by agents
OF the Cuban insurgents. The minister of
the Interior, Senior Cos-Gayon, yesterday,
replying to question in the chamber of
deputies. admitted that number of riots
had occurred in Valencia, and when asked
to explain the cause of the disturbances said
that they were caused by friends Of the
Cuban insurgents, who hoped thereby to
prevent the departure of further reinforce
ments of troops for Cuba.
Hitherto the popular demonstrations have
been attributed entirely to protests against
the imposition of new taxes, a step made
necessary by the financial strain the gov
ernment has been subjected to through
Carrying the campaign against the in
surgents of Cuba.
Want of Confidence.
But while the government is only willing
to admit that the riots have been instigate1
by the agents of the Cuban revolutionists,
1t is generally admitted that the roots of
the trouble are much deeper, and that it is
BEING nourished by the natural feeling OF
alarm and dismay al the apparent utter in
ability of the government to cope with the
situation In Cuba. That the large Spanish
army in Cuba must still be further and
heavily reinforced is looked upon here as
being a confession of weakness upon the
part of the administration and as an ad-
mission Of the growing strength of the
Cubans.
In addition many letters have been re-
ceived from different parts of Spain from
relatives of Spanish soldiers serving with
the army in Cuba and they tell such ter
rible tales of sickness, privation. incompe-
tency and mismanagement, to say nothing
/ of lack of pay, that a dangerous feeling
against the government has arisen and is
gaming strength dag by day.
Under these circumstances the agents of
the Cubans do not have much difficulty in
carrying out their plan of causing opular
outbreaks. They steadily fan the flame of
discomfort by pointing to the apparently
unnecessary hardshps which the Spanish
troops in Cuba are compelled to endure.
The republicans. also, are taking advan-
tage of the situation to push their propa-
ganda, and the combined movements are
making more headway with the masses
than the government will admit, although
it is already betraying symptoms of alarm
and has sent stringent instructions to the
projects to promptly and effectually sup
press demonstrations which may occur in
their districts and to have no hesitation in
calling upon the military for support.
Violent Outbreaks.
A number of conflicts between rioters and
the police and soldiers have already oc-
CURED, shots have been exchanged, several
persons have been wounded on both sides
and large number of arrests have been
made. This the revolutionists hope, will
serve to call attention to their cause and
enlist in their behalf the sympathy of the
people. The roads in Valencia are being
patrolled by gendarmes, troops are pursu-
ing armed bands of revolutionists in the
mountainous districts of the same province,
q n hor ic nrnr nIa6
Madrid, up to the present, has been quiet,
but signs are not wanting that the spirit
of discomfort is abroad and that the efforts
of the government to gain support by try
ing to throw the blame for everything
upon the United States, the chief bugaboo
of Spanish politicians, will not much longer
avail.
Struggled Arms.
In a factory near the city of Valencia the
authorities have discovered a quantity of
arms and ammunition. and similar stores
are believed to be in existence in different
parts of the province. The arms referred
to are known to have been smuggled into
Spain quite recently, and are of foreign
manufacture, showing their shipment to be
part Of the plan of campaign being con-
Quoted by the CubanS in Spain.
The Spanish officials usual, are blam-
ing the United States for the troubles in
this country, basing the assertions made
on the fact that among the leaders of the
iSSSht ilotS was lIE beTIloTuO lOl6uO, Sd1O
to be an American citizen, whose brother is
in command of force of Cuban insurgents
1t is claimed that money, arms and am
munition were served out to the rioters
from the house which he occupied, and
search of the building is said to have re-
suited in the discovery of a number of let
tiers from the United States Cuba and Ar
sentine Republic, showing that the out
breaks here have been planned by the lead
erS of the Cuban insurgents, and that the
movement is widespread and capable of as
suming most serious proportions.
Hostility to PrOtestants.
Another feature Of the situation here is
the effort being made in certain quarters to
arouse the masses against the Protestants,
all Americans being classed as Protestants
and to them. as already stated, being at
tributed Spains reverses in Cuba, and the
growing insurrection here. The Cuban
agents, however, are doing everything pos
Sible to counteract this movement and are
urging the people to place the blame for the
excessive taxation, the military laundering
and the political bluster where it really be-
longs, upon the shoulders of the Spanish
government, and not to be misled by such
foolish inventions as the statements ema-
mating from semi-official sources and for
time pretty generally believed that agents
OF the United States government were over
bidding the agents of Spain wherever the
latter tried to purchase warships for the
Spanish government.
POLITICAL RETALIATION