Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-04
GREATLY REJOICED
Action of the United States Made Public
at Havana.
SPANISH TRIED TO SUPPRESS THE FACT
General Impression Is to the Effect
that IL President Cleveland Does
Not Act the Island VIII
lie Ruined.

Copyright 1896, by Prees Publishing Company
HAVANA, March 3.-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram.) THE state OF
public feeling in the United States on the
Cuban question and the general indignation
excited by General Weylers first announce
ment Of his new plans doubt explain the
non-appearance of another proclamation,
which was to have been issued late in Feb
ruary. General Weyler was advised from
Washington that the announcement Of his
plans had excited much sympathy for Cuba
and that another proclamation would be
likely to hasten action by the American con-
gress. General Weyler has apparently acted
upon this advice, and while he has not de-
Waited from the policy he first announced, he
has given up conducting his campaign of
proclamations.
The Spanish authorities received the first
intimaticn of the action of the American
house Of representatives in a cipher dispatch
sent from Washington by the Spanish minis
ter, Depuy de LONE. At the same time rep
lesentatives of newspapers printed in this
city who reside in the United States sent
the news The latter dispatches, however,
were held up and not delivered. Every eff
fort was made to suppress the information.
The press dispatches were taken to the pal
ace, submitted to the censor, and by him
turned over to General Weyler who decided
that the news should not be made public.
Hence the morning newspapers today had no
mention of the fact that the American house
of representatives had passed its resolution
granting belligerent rights to the Cubans.
ONE MESSAGE GOT THROUGH.
Last night private dispatch, telling the
news, was sent to a newspaper correspond
ent here. The censor's Ctflce being closed,
the cable officer delivered it. This was the
only dispatch which actually passed through
the cable office and reached the public. But
there are other ways of getting news in
Havana, without standing the rigid censor
ship There are underground channels by
which 1t reaches the public despite the cen
sor's surveillance. Before 8 o'clock this
morning Havana knew Of what had occurred
at Washington.
And then again, telegraph operators are
sworn to secrecy. There is a paragraph in
the proclamation issued by General Weyer
the day he arrived in Cuba, which says that
any telegraph operator who discloses in
formation contained in government dis
patches is subject to trial by summary or
general court martial. and may be sentenced
TO death or life imprisonment. There is
another paragraph which says that like pun
fshment will be meted out to any person who
circulates causes to be circulated reports
which in any way, manner shape reflect
upon the cause Of Spain or are intended to
favor the revolutonsts.
Later this afternoon when the news be-
came generally known. General Weyler per-
mtted the afternoon papers to make bare
mention of what had occurred. OF course the
Cubans are rejoicing; they are doing this very
quietly. They are rejoicing behind closed
doors. spaniards, on the other side, are dis
cussing the matter more openly.
MUST BE SETTLED SOON.
In view of the actcn of both houses of con-
gress the question is now asked if President
Cleveland does nothing, il there is no inter-
ventlon by the United States. what will be
the probable course of events? In this
1t is generally believed that the revolution
will continue for long time to come. The
last revolution lasted ten years. The present
ono will be settled one way or the other in
a much shorter time. There is no doubt that
General Weyler is determined to bring the
insurrection to a speedy end He has some
good generals In the field. Men like Pando
BaZaan, I.inares and Prats will fight, and
fight hard If they only have a chance.
Up to date they have had no opportunity.
Maxine Gomez and Antorio Maceo, the two
chief rebel leaders, avoid regular open
gagements. 1t is their plan to tire out
Spain. To do this they burn cane, Spain's
great source of revenue. They will not injure
the tobacco crop. 1t already has been injured
seriously by worms.
The insurgents are now on their way east
They have entered Santo Clara province.
refer to the men who with Gomez and
Maceo. But in their march they have or
ganized the farmers and have left small
bands behind to burn and destroy whenever
the, Spaniards' backs turned. If Presi-
dent Cleveland fails to act the insurgents
must depend upon their friends in the United
States to supply them with arms and am
munitlon in "the usual way" Filibustering
expeditions will be plentiful. Unless Weyler
can crush the revolution within the next six
weeks-and no one expects him to accom-
plish this-the war will not be brought to a
close for year at least. II President Cleve-
land does not act Cuba will be ruined There
Is no business today. The insurgents will |
retire To Santiago de Cuba N hn |
tains. They will take to the swamps and no |
Spanish soldier will care to follow. The |
rainy season will set in. Yellow fever will |
come. The Spanish soldiers, unused to Cuban |
climate will die like sheep.
EXPECT AN EPIDEMIC
Physicians who have been on this island |
for many years predict general epidemic Of !
fever. There is considerable in Havana to- |
day but fortunately 1t is all confined to the |
military hospitals. Cubans win suffer some, |
but not half as much as with the Spanards. |
Tho war will go right on. Spain will be |
compelled to keep her army in the field, |
while the insurgents will be recuperating in |
the mountains or In the swamps.
The exact number OF insurgents in the |
field cannot be stated with anything like |
accuracy. There are two main armies, COM
manded by Gomez and Maceo. Gomez has |
about 5000 men, Maceo not more than 1000 |
but there are ever SO many small bands.
1000 men and Diaz about SEQ There are
other bands numbering from fifty to 500
Altogether there are probably about 40 900 |
insurgents in the field. Spain has now an
army of 1S50OO men In Cuba. More are
coming.
They are good fellows but many of them
are mere boys. They may be called
machines, They obey blinily. They fight
when they are told, but they don't know
how TO shoot. The soldiers receive Sc a |
month. No charges are made for food. The
commissary department is the worst part of
the Spanish army. There is practically none.
The cost OF maintaining the Spanish army
Is enormous.
The insurgents certainly do expect aid
from the United States, They will feel very
mrch disappointed II President Cleveland
should take no action. What they want is
10 have the United States recognize them
as bellgerents What the Cuhans would like
To see is annexation to the United States
But they say this is really too good TO hope
for. If the United States were to annex
Cuba the Cubans say their trouble would be
ended. Property would rise, and in a short
time Cuba would be one of the wealthiest
territories Of the United States.
WILLIAM SHAW BOWEN,
Gladstone Meets President Fnure.
CANNES, March S-Mr Gladstone had an