Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-25
'CUBANS CAUTIOUS
INSUFFICIENT LEADERS DECLINE
OVERTURES FOR PEACE.
GOLD AND HONOR OFFERED
Gen. Pando Has the Negotiations in
Charge and Directs Operations
Through Damien Cabellero, GOD
Father of Rabi, the Backbone of
the Insurgent Movement.

Havana, Nov. 23.-Gen. Pando has
started to take charge of the cam
paign against the insurgents. He was
| accompa MED by his full staff and was
escorted by a company of artillery.
But it is stated on very good author
ity that Gen. Pando has been COM
missioned by Marshal Blanco, the
captain general, to enter into commu-
nication with the insurgent leaders
with the view of arranging for peace
Gen. Pando, after a consultation with
the captain-general, brought about
the release from confinement of
Damien Caballero, who has been i'm
prisoned on the Isle of Pines for
acting as a spy for the in
urgents and bringing about a disaster
for the Spanish troops at Cacao.
Gen. Pando furnished Cabellero,
who is the godfather of Rabi, looked
upon as being the backbone of the in
surgent movement in the province of
Santiago de Cuba, with considerable
sum of money and caused him to be
landed at Manzanillo, province of
Santiago de Cuba, where a good horse
was placed at his disposal. Gen.
Pando's peace emissary was also fur
him to act in behalf of the Spanish
commander and from Manzanillo Cab
allero made his way secretly to the
Jiguiani hills, where Gen. Rabi has
his headquarters. Gen. Pando in
structed Caballero to offer Gen. Rabi
high rank in the Spanish army and
large sum of money to be distrib-
uted among the other insurgent lead
ers of that part of Cuba and, in addi-
ton, a large amount OF money for
himself, in the event If his succeed
ing in arranging ter ns for peace.
Besides this Caballero was instructed
to inform the insurgent leaders that
the Spanish authorities undertook to
honestly establish the new autOno-
mist regime if the leaders of the in
surgents would accept the positions
made them.
Although Caballero has not re-
turned from Santiago de Cuba, con-
fidential advices which have reached
the Spanish officials here seem to in
dictate that Caballero has so far been
successful. 1t is understood Gen.
Rabi has replied that he believes N
successful ending Of the war in
favor of the insurgents is approach
ing: that the Cubans with the aid OF
the United States will gain their in
dependence, and that, therefore, he
prefers to continue fighting the Span
ish until the final victory is won.
Caballero also negotiated with Gen.
Du VaIon, the French leader of the in
surgents.
There seems to be no intimation as
to the result of Caballeros negotia-
tons with Gen. Du Valon, although it
may be judged from the attitude as
sumed by Rabi that peace negotia-
lions are likely to fall fiat in Santi
ago de Cuba. Gen. PandO, in the
meantime, while acting after cOnsulta-
ton with Marshal Blanco, has put
other irons in the fire, in the hope of
prevailing upon the insurgents to
come to terms. He has been, and still
is in negotiation with three leaders
of the Cuban revolution and has been
endeavoring to induce them to go to
different insurgent camps, there to
use their influence to bring about
peace.
In some quarters it is believed that
the reluctance to accept the over
lures of Gen. Pando is due to the
fact that the insurgents are anticipat
ing some strong step in their favor
when the United States congress
meets. 1t is generally admitted that
| Gen. PandO is somewhat mortified at
| the non-success of his plans up to the
present and has informed the three
ex-insurgent leaders referred to that
| he doubts their sincerity and he in
directly gave them to understand that
he was of the opinion that that they
were opposed to the sovereignty of
Spain ever Cuba and had no desire to
| assist the Spanish authorities in their
CAol 10 W blLHS e'DOuC d p0oN0Iul oSI-
| tlement of the troubles. The Cubans
| protested that they were sincere and
repeated the excuses they had al
ready made for their noncompliance
with the requests of the Spanish gen
eral. The latter, although somewhat
disappointed, it is understood will
continue his efforts to come to an
understanding with the insurgents
! and the military authorities believe
the best way to do this is to infict
| upon the enemy a signal defeat, which
| Gen. Pando hopes to accomplish