The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-23
CONGRESSMEN DIFFER WITH y
SECRETARY OF STATE OLNEY
They Do Not Believe That the President Has the Sole
Right to Recognize the
CubanS

being traitor. This is doubtless very dis
appointing to General Weyler.
Every night the volleys from the insur-
gent vanguard are heard in the suburbs
of Havana and in the neighboring town
of Guanatacea. Advices from Matanzas
say that the same thing is happening in
that city.
The orders issued by General Weyler to
his colonels are more sanguinary. than
they were two months ago. No mercy is
to be given to any peasant found outside
the Spanish strongholds. The orders
given to the columns are to shoot on the
spot every native who does not join the
Spanish army. In Pinar del Rio the
massacre is awful. The column of Mel
guizo especially is distinguishing itself by
its barbarous warfare, for it is even de-
stroying the hospitals and killing the sick
and wounded.
General Ruis Rivera, Maceo's SUCCESSOR
in Pinar del Rio, is strongly fortified in the
noun tains. He and some 1000 men are to
the north of the trocha,. near Mariel,
where it is supposed that Maceo passed.
He carries with him the dynamite cannon
which he landed when he came with the
expedition of the Three Friends. There
is nothing positive known about General
Gomez. The rumor prevails in Havana,
however, that he is on the boundary OF the
province of Matanzas.
The excitement against the United States
is rapidly growing. News was received
this morning through the cores pondents
in New York of La Tucha and Diario de
Marina of the adoption by the Committee
on Foreign Relations of the Senate OF the
Cameron resolutions. But the press CEN
sor did not allow the cable dispatches even
to be delivered to the editors of those
papers.
Notwithstanding this precaution, the
news has spread throughout the city aug
menting the excitement of the Spaniards.
1t is said that General WeyIer has sum-
moned the governors of the forts OF La
Cabana and Moro to receive exact infor-
nation of the conditions of those forts
and their ability to resist in case of an
attack by foreign navy. The new forts
along the line of ths Vendido have been
re-enforced.
The case of the young American, George
Lay, is attracting much attention. He IS
imprisoned in the fortress OF La Cabana
because his name appeared in a list OF
CO1bIlDutOES bO-Duy a HSW SOta anu some
other furniture for the main hall Of the
Cuban society, FL Liceo of Regia.
The police declare that they have dis
covered that the Liceo was the rendezvous
of conspirators, but no evidence against
Mr.. Lay has been found. Notwithstand-
ing this fact he is kept in prison, and
there is no telling when his trial will
occur.
The financial situation of the island is
desperate. Poverty prevails in Havana
among families who were rich before the
war. The commercial element is very
much disgusted. therefore, with Weylers
decree. increasing per cent the import
duties in the Custom-house from January
next. The decree makes it practically
impossible for some houses to continue
business. Orders sent to Europe have been
Cancelled, and it is estimated that more
than twenty firms will close business on
that date.