The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-01-22
Case Firing Cane Fields
Imperative Command OF Gu
ba's Patriot Leader.
But if Grinding is Attempted the
Mills Will be Burnt.

JAM, Nv ltn the cOultnahuet-Ih-
chief of the rebel forces only 10
miles away, and the entire island
overrun with rowing bands of insur'
gents, the people of this city pursue
their usual yocations with serenity
and lack Of outward sign of unea-
siness ar alarm that is remarkable.
Merchants and business men general
" discuss the situation as though it
were nothing more than a spell OF
hard times. 1t certainly is that, Tor
all the railroads out of here have noti-
fed the authorities that they can run
no more trains. There is little ship
ping is port, for there remain only
stored goods for export. Several
American tobacco houses have ship
ped their goods to the States. closed
their warehouses, and business gen
orally is stagnant The future Of
Cuba is not bright and the rebellion
has reached the magnitude cf a civil
war, although Spain will not admit
that anything but brigandage and
some disorder exists.
American newspapers have arrived
here with long and starting accounts
of the condition of affairs in this city
and immediate vicinity. Most of
these accounts are headed "By Asso-
ciated Press" and are dated from
Habana on the day preceding pub
lication. That fact alone proves that
they were never written in Cuba, for
the press censorship of cablegrams is
so strict that such matter could not
be cabled from here even if it were
true. The announcement that Ha-
bana had fallen and only More castle
held out, which was given Boston
date and claimed to have been sent
from Batabano, was palpable fake,
for Batabano which is small town
on the south coast, had been cut off,
from communication from Habana by
rail or wire for three days. During
the interval that these alleged cable
dispatches stated this city to be in a
condition bordering on reign of
terror, the opera was well attended,
there was the usual throng promenad
ing the Central park evenings. and
people assembled in the clubs and
cafes without the least apprehension
of an attack upon this city. 1t was
not until the arrival of the American
papers which are served by the Chi
cage Associated Press that the resi-
dents of Habana learned of the
alarm and dread which some at dis
tance imagined they were passing
through. The city is protected from
approach by the land as well as from
the sea by modern fortl6cations and
field artillery Capture by an army
like that of Gomez without cannon
does not come within the range of
probability, and he is too shrewd a
leader tc make the foolhardly attempt,
even though recognition as belliger.
ents by the United States hangs in
the balance.
The press censorship is more rigid
than at any time since the insurrec-
ton was begun Senior Casanas, the
political secretary of the governor
general, has recently replaced the
chief of staff, the former censor. He
does not speak English aud all cable
grams in that language must be &C.
companied by literal copy in Span
ish. Senor Casanas is extremely
courteous and kind in his manner,
and only pauses in his protestations
of regard to draw his pen through a
few sentences in your cablegram
which DO not meet his approval. An
illustration Of the close watch kept
upon kilograms occurred on Sunday
when the insurgent leader Cepero
was captured by the authorities travel
ling incognito on south coast steam
er. The Diario de la Marina issued
an extra describing the arrest which
was giving an exaggerated import
ance when it is considered that only
one man was taken without arms and
he was of Indifferent fame. l at
tempted to cable it to The States Sun
day night. The censor stopped it,
telling me that while it was permit
ted to be published in Habana it
could not go to New York until the
next day. On Monday l again men,
toned the arrest in my cablegram but
it was cut out, although was per-
mitted to tell of the attack and burn
ing of two towns by the rebels.
Only what is known as official
news is permitted to be published in
the Habana papers and Secretary
Casanas has tedious task each day
reading the proofs of all news and
editorial matter which has any con-
nection whatever with the war After
reading the Spanish translation of