Evening star., 1897-06-15
ONLY CUBAN REVERSES CAN GO OUT
The System by Which Havana is
Kept in Ignorance.
WEYLER THE CHIEF EDITOR

waited four days for information the reali-
zatton is vivid enough. When stirring
events are recorded in the United States II
seems strange at times that no echo is
heard from Havana. The reason is simple
Havana and Cuba are under martial law.
The sequence of that martial law is a CEN
sorship Of dispatches. newspapers and even
private correspondence as complete as ever
existed. People who have been under
Spanish rule are accustomed to repression.
Where an American frets and fumes they
take 1t quietly and philosophically. If there
Is paucity Of news they wait in patience.
The censorship is under Gen. Weyler's
Immediate direction. When he is in the
field, as was the case during Mr.. Calhoun
stay in Havana, the palace officials would
not dare permit any important Information
to become public without first submitting
1t to the savage soldier, who has his own
notions Of what should be fed the public In
the way Of news. So they were in the
habit of telegraphing to him at Santa
Clara, Placetas. er wherever he happened
to be, summary Of the Information which
they were holding under cover. Sometimes
after three or four days an answer would
come graciously permitting the publication.
Oftener no attention would be paid to the
intelligence forwarded him, and the palace
officials would not give it publicity.
The control of the telegraph and cable
being an inherent right of sovereignty.
probably the action of the Spanish govern
ment In Havana during a state of war is
not open to question. But the lack OF dis
cretion with which that right is exercised
is frequently of great Inconvenience. There
might be fight Of great Importance be-
tween the Spanish troops and the insur-
gents, the news of which reached Havana
Saturday afternoon. If the troops were
whipped, as will sometimes happen, the
chances are that not a word Of the news
would reach the United States till the fol-
lowing Thursday. Then 1t would come by
way OF Key West. the dispatches having
been sent there for transmission by the
Underground channel, and as this under
ground channel Is only open twice a week,
tnae Is as OFTEN as important news adverse
10 Spain can be sent out from Havana
There might be bare possibility of a
cdnie Wnich would give the news being
transmitted, but the chances would always
be against 1t.
Every cablegram directed to a newspaper
IN the United States or Europe must first
be submitted to the censor at the palace.
DOlltlCal
censor passes on it. II it has anything
ABOUT miiltary operations the military CEN
sor determines whether it shall pass. Ii
.he dispatch Is to an American newspaper
1t must be submitted in both Spanish and
Ensilsh. Then II there is nothing in it
which Is considered hostile it is STAMPED.
'he inltiais OF the censor given it, and it
may be transmitted. Private kilograms are
saoJect TO the same scrutiny, though os-
tensibly they do not need to be submitted
10 the censors In advance If they relate
only to private affairs. But the govern
ineh' ~ suspicious, and not a cablegram
goes out OF Havana or reaches the cfty thar
- Hoe hrst passed under its inspection.
No War News but Spanish yfcto-,e.
certain degree Of hberality is exhibited
In passing on war news which is favorable
TO Spain. II the insurgents have blown IN
a train with dynamite and killed a few
soldiers that may be transmitted because
zen. Weyler wants the outside world tn
kiHw tie inhuman methods employed bv
inc insurgents. But an account of the
burning OF bohios or palm huts, of the de-
struction OF insurgent hospitals and kill
ing OF the wounded II mates by the Span
isn troops, Is not permitted, though it NAV
De published In the Havana papers. The
explanation given me was that the Amer
aean public did not understand these things
Gen. Ahumada, who is supreme at the
kaiace In Weyler's absence, used to COM
plain bitterly of the discrimination of the
newspaper correspondents against Spain
IN sending out war news The MARQUIS
Paimerola, now governor of the province
OF Havana. who was formerly press censor,
had the same complaint. So they shut
down 6n all war news except the reports
OF Spanish victories. A string Of these can
be sent out at any time, and the palace Of
ncials do not understand why American
newspapers are not willing to pay cable
tolls on news for the reliability of which
they themselves vouch.
The Havana Press.
1t may be guessed that with 30 strict a
surveillance kept on what goes out of Ha-
vana. nothing is permitted to come into
1t without an equally close watch. The
Havana newspapers are at a DISADVANTAGES
&C mps red with their contemporaries In the
states. Anything which is got to an Amer
lean rape. is sure Of publication, but the
Havana journals, after great enterprise.
would still be unable to reap the fruits of
their enterprise. Not line is published In
one Of them until the blue pencil of the
censor has gone through It, and the censor
is what would be called in newspaper Of
fices wholesale copy butcher
During the month Of May was able to
learn from the Havana newspapers the
latest and fullest advices about the pro-
gress Of the war between Greece and Tur-
key.
The prospective success Of the rebellion In
Urr quay was also recorded. along with the
regular revolutions In other South Amer
lean countries. There was likewise full in
formation about tariff legislation In the
United States. the trial OF Mr.. Hayeu1eyer.
the earthquake and various other matters.
but not q word about the burning question
of the United States ana Spain. The action
OF Coz sress in voting money for the relief
Continued on Tenth Pags)