The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-06
NO FAITH In
SPANISH REFORMS
Cubans Receive overtures in
That Direction Colby.
TAKEN AS A SIGN
OF WEAKNESS
NO REAL CONCESSIONS OF
VALUE TO THE COLONY.
Butcher Weyler Said to Have Been
Wounded, But the Authorities
Are Very Silent About the Mat
ter-The War Still Being Waged
Fiercely in All the Provinces.

New York, Feb. ga dispatch to
the Sun from Havana says:
News of the proposed reforms, con-
tanned in long cable dispatches from
Madrid to La Lucha and the Diario
De La Marina, has not produced great
enthusiasm, because no one here be-
lieves that the reforms will have any
effect in stopping the war. The only
persons who appear satisfied are a
few SpaniardS of the old ReformiSt
party, the officials and a half-doZen
autonomists who follow the Marquis
of Montoro. The thoughtful element
of all classes is very much disap-
pointed. The intransigeant Spaniards
believe the measure to be a sign of
weakness on the part of Spain, while
the Cubans see in the scheme merely
a rehash of the futile AbarZaza law
of 1895, without any real concessions
to the colony.
Those who are interested in tariff
reform say that the plan of Senior
Canovas can have no practical benefit
for Cuba, inaSmuch as it leaves IN
touched the unjust commercial privi-
leges of Catalonia and other northern
provinces of Spain.
They do not see, Furthermore, in
what degree the general budget of the
island will be reduced, as the council
of administration will be merely a
consultative body, and the final de-
cision on all financial matters will de-
pend upon Spain. The debt, also, is a
general topic of comment, for the rev
plan does not redeem Cuba in the
least from the awful burden.
Havana is full of sensational run7ors.
1t is said that a commission composed
of several persons interested in the
success of the reforms called on Con-
sul-General Lee to propose to him to
enter the insurgent lines, set forth to
the Cuban government the advantages
of the reforms, and induce President
Cisneros and his cabinet, as we'll as
General Gomez, to give up the war.
General Lee refused to do it and said
that he would take such step only
upon the direct orders of his govern
ment. The commission, it is added,
had seni-officiai charter. At the
American consulate the report was
neither denied nor affirmed. General
Lee refused to speak on any political
topic.
1t is said also that in an engag e-
ment in Santa Clara General Weyler
was wounded, but the authorities keep
silent about the matter and it is hard
to learn the truth before information
from Cuban sources is received.
The truth is that in all the provinces
the war is waging fiercely, and in
Pinar Del Rio province several large
combats are reported, in which heavy
losses were incurred by the Spaniards.
Another train has been blown up with
dynamite in that province by the in
surgents. At Cocodrilo, also in Pinar
Del Rio, General Melguizo was de-
feated, and retiring to his stronghold,
ordered six DacificOS whom he han
pened to meet, to be slain. At Jaula
Colonel San Martin, in an engagement
with the Cubans, had 20 privates
killed and 10 wounded The Spanish
captain. Campillo, was also severely
wounded.