Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-10
DENOUNCE THE REFORMISTS
Loyalists Hold Them Responsible for the
Present Condition of Affairs.
DISCUSSION OF A PROBABLE ELECTION
Loynlists Assert that Failure to Hold
On is n virtual Acknowledgement
of n state of War-Reformists
Say Ii is ImprncticRbIe.

| say IL Is ImnrACffCRble.
| HAVANA. Feb. 9.-An important battle is
| reported to have occurred between Colonel
Seguey, who commanded the Spanish forces.
| and Maceo who was at the head of the in
surgents The conflict took place at San
Cristoba and the insurgents left eighty on
the field as they retired. More than 300 OF
the Cubans were wounded. An aide-de-camp
! of Maceo was killed. The troops lost one
man, captain Of the staff being shot by the
| insurgents. Three other officers were
| wounded.
| The declarations of Senior Jose de Armas
of Cardenas, formerly editor of the Havana
newspaper Las Avis Pas (The Wasp who L.
now visiting friends in New York City, have
| been cabled back to the newspapers of this
! city. Some of these interviews have been re-
| published in Diaro dia Marina, substantially
as they have appeared in the American news
! papers. The statements of Senor de Armas
| for years the publisher of the radical news.
! paper here, have caused great indignation
among the royalists. The former editor of
Las Avis Pas was bitterly opposed to the
elevation of General Weyler to the post of
captain general and according to accounts
received from New York. he has not hest
tated to denounce the extreme cruelty OF
the commander of the Spanish forces in
Cuba. There are those who go so far as t.,
say that these revelations and the utterance
| of other radicals who have recently pro-
nounced for Cuban independence, will have
a tendency to render nugatory the reform
promises to Senor Canovas del Castillo the
president of the Council of Spain. 1t is even
intimated that this breaking up of old party
lines and the notification of all declarations
concerning the policy to be pursued in the
Cl Loot innS -1o
be likely to provoke a ministerial crisis In
| Spain.
ELECTIONS IMPOSSIBLE.
An editorial article in La Lucha, comment
Ing upon some of the recent publications in
American and European newspapers and the
position of the reformist and radical leaders
and proving the anti-patriotic nature of their
proceedings, is considered by many to ind;-
cate the downfall of the existing political
parties. Many of the citizens are very bite,
in their denuncation against Senor Haura.
the former minister of justice in Spain,
Conte de La Mortera, the chief of the re-
formist party in Cuba, and President Arturo
Amblard, Leader Rabell and Diaro del LII
Marina. They assert that it is evident that
the reformists are in a large measure re-
sponsible for the existing condition of af-
fairs in Cuba and for the remarkable progress
which the insurrection has made in al;
directions. ..,,
The reformists, on the other hand, declare
that it is absolutely impossible to hold cleo
tions in Cuba at the present time and no
hope can be held out for the future. This Ia
oansidareh hv the lnyalists anti patriotic
and the wealthy classes favorable to Spain,
who are anxious for the return of the old
conditions of affairs, assert that this is
simply a disguised effort on the part Of the
reformists to bring about separation from
the mother country. 1t is insisted by the
royalists that not to recognize the ability of
the citizens to exercise the franchise under
the old laws for the purpose of selecting
thair NIL hn IN
the belligerency of the insurgents, who, 1t is
asserted, rightly boast of controlling all por-
tions of the island, excepting those now
actually held by the Spanish troops through
the force Of military occupation. This point,
it is claimed, must be recognized even by
Spanish statesmen, as well as by the repre-
sentatives of other nations. Besides 1t is as
serted there are no serious reasons. no real
obstacles why elections cannot be held
throughout the island, the franchise being
exercised by loyalists who are willing not
only to accept. but to give their support to
the king and the supreme government, should
this point be decided along the lines indI-
Gated |
DECORATED THE GARRISON.
Last night the insurgents entered the VII |
lage of Calvaro, fifteen miles from Havana |
and burned the records there and captured |
two policemen. This morning they went |
in the direction of Cotoro. When General |
Marin arrived at Candelaria, after the attack |
he offered his congratulations to the garri |
son and to the people upon their heroic de- |
fense. He offered title to the town and |
decorated all its defenders with the Red |
Cross of Military merit and those amongst |
the garrison who had most distinguished |
themselves he decorated with the Cross of |
San Fernando. 1t is now reported that men, |
bers of the garrison, which consisted Of 700 |
volunteers, saw 10000 cavalry passing Can |
delaria from a church tower in the village.
A lot CT Inv Mpren and wa c |
then written to the colonel of the volunteers,
Ahumara, and to the priest, demanding tha
surrender of the village. This was refused,
1t is admitted that notwithstanding the de- |
fense offered several of the insurgents sue
caeded in entering the town and burning SIX
houses before the column of Colonel Can
ella came to the assistance Of the hard |
pressed garrison. Several Of the nsurgent
dead were found in the town churchyard.
The insurgents have arrested prominent
family on the plantation Of Santa Creila.
Colonel Canella has been the recipient of
s3me not very gentle attentions from the Sc
called Amazons, who are in the field with
the insurgents. Recently he saw one Of these
women warriors riding on horseback with
her loosened hair streaming behn her, and
she called upon the men who were following
her to fire upon the troops.
General Marin with the column Of Canslla, |
arrived at Artemesia and had an escort CT
two squadrons from there to Cuanajay. Gen
eral Echague had advised him that the in
surgents have burned the station at Ceiba
Aqua
At 6 o'clock this morning a train running
toward Havana was derailed at the station of
Govenau. Several cars were destroyed, The
accident was believed to have been due to
the bad condition Of the temporary track.
Another train arrived at Havana, having on
board colonel chef of staff and Major
SuareZ Inclan.
In the engagement between Colonel Sc
guara and the insurgents under Maceo at
San Cristobal, report of which was cahed
to the Associated press last night. the troops
lost three officers killed and three wounded.
Among them was Captain IL de Gil who
was distinguished for his talent. Seven SOL
diers were killed and forty wounded.
HANGED BY INSURGENTS.
At Rio Seco the insurgents have hanged
two defenseess men. They have burned the
central plantation at Esperanza Cardenas.
with a loss Of 100000. At San Martinez
they have hanged five farm laborers and
have killed with machete a boy IA years
old At Las Cruces they hangel Sebastian
Torres, who left nine children orphans. At
Jovt tllanos the band Of Juan Vazuez destroyed
some tobacco houses.
At Vuolta Abajo thirteen members Of the
band Of Eulosio Garcia surrendered 10 The
authorities and were afterwarl get at liberty.