The herald., 1897-12-12
Drive the Insurgents Away
From Havana
AN INTRENCHED CAMP TAKEN
BUT ALL THE REBELS MAKE
THEIR ESCAPE
Madrid Editors Advise the Govern
ment to Take a Firm Stand
as Germany Did
Associated Press Special Wire.

companed by ex-Minister CanaleJas
after leaving Batabano In Eunboat
conducted the combined operations of
four columns Of Spanish troops over the
Caima or south coast Of the province OF
Havana. Gen. Marrotos, in command OF
O column of troops. has been engaged
with band Of insurgents, and the Off
cial report says he defeated them with
loss of several men and destroyed
their camp. Col. Perol, the report con-
tinues, in command of another column,
has captured near Caima an intrenched
camp which was defended by $500 in
surgents. The Olumba battalion, 1t ap-
pears, drove the insurgents out of three
lines of trenches and dispersed them.
The troops engaged lost Lieut. Col. Mar
tinez Morenten and five soldiers killed;
one officer and seventeen soldiers
wounded.
It is officially reported that the in
surgents under Leader Rabi besieged
for several days the town of Gaumo.
The garrison made a heroic defense, and
the arrival of the Spanish column under
Gen. Aldave forced the insurgents to
raise the siege. The loss of the be-
siegers was 1870 killed or wounded. while
the garrison lost fifty.
SUGAR PLANTERS WOES
HAVANA, Dec. lila Lucha, re-
ferring cdtorially to protracted meet
ing held by sugar planters of the island
presided over by the Marquis de Apez-
tegui, to devise ways and means of gath
ering cane and beginning the work OF
grinding, says it will be impossible to
accomplish anything unless the Cover
nor goes to the assistance of the plant
ers with the necessary funds, about
$500, 900.
The planters throughout the island,
La Lucha says, lack every means re-
quired either to harvest cane or to trans
port the crops to points of shipments.
The country is destitute of oxen. and
even If they We're obtalnable the plant
ers, with the possible exception of a
dozen in the provinces of Santa Clara
and Matanzas. have neither money nor
credit to purchase them. The oxen from
numerous estates We're donated to the
government by the owners and have
been employed since the CONNIE ncement
Of the war in transporting supplies for
the troops.
La Lucha adds that as the sugar es-
tates are large, the rebels surrender
ing daily. who were chiefly received from
their fruitless struggle, might be con-
centrated thereon, and given an oppor-
tunity to earn a living and by precept
encourage others to lay down their arms,
and thus by the prompt and liberal ac-
tion of the government In fostering Il
continuance of the work on the sugar
estates offer a more practical solution of
the Cuban problem than all the political
problems emanating from Madrid.
MESSAGE COMMENT
NEW YORK, Dec. ia dispatch to
the Herald from Madrid says: One de-
cided object had been attained by the
Presidents message, that is. in clearing
away doubt and uncertainty For days
past the morning press has reported ru-
mors that the message would be marked
ly unfriendy to Spain in character.
These rumors. the evening papers either
contradicted fatty or repeated In more
pessimistic terms. just as they happened
to be favorable to the government. Now
that the message has been delivered it
Is explained that all parties look upon
It with a certain dubity. 1t is the final
passage, where President Mckinley as
serts the right to intervene under certain
conditions, that has been most comment
ed upon here. This passage, says the
Heraldo, is the most important of all,
and the Heraldo only voices the prevail
Ing opinion. The. impartial calls it a
hint to the Cuban insurgents to perse-
we're in their present attitude so that
the American republic may have pre-.
text for sweeping Castilian influence
out of Cuba, while the Liberal, a paper
more rather than less favorable to the
present government admits that it is hard
to have to receive quasi censure from a
foreign power, although it argues that
both in form and spirit the message is
favorable to Spain. The impartial goes
on to urge upon the government the ne
cessity Of Immediately increasing the
navy, 80 as to be ready for putting into
action the menace contained in the mes-
sage, should the war not be brought to
an end quickly.
The last point is the one that gives the
ministry the most trouble. There seems
no earthly reason why the present guer-
rilla skirmishing should not go on Just
as long as the Cubans concerned in it
do not care to work, as one of the Minis
ters said. that in the hope of securing
the Intervention Of the United States,
the insurgents might avoid decisive
conflict and remain nominally in arms
until the expiration of time the execut-
the laboring classes and are now tired Of
i've at Washington deemed might have
been accorded Spain.
So contrary are the reports published
here that no just idea can be formed as
to which side the advantage leans in the
Cuban insurrection. This much is GER
tain, the government is making her.
rulean efforts, not only to end the war;
but also to relieve the sufferings of the
loyalists In the island.
WARLIKE WORDS
MADRID, Dec. 1.-THE Imparcial
publishes strong article this afternoon
in which 1t declares Spain will not ac
cept the right of President Mckinley to
intervene In Cuba in case the war is
prolonged. and demands that the gov
ernment adopt the same energetic at
titude toward the United States as Ger
many adopted toward Hayti, because
McKinley's message was equivalent to