The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-22
Gen. BlahcO EndeaVOrs to Secure
Peace in Cuba
BY Buying Up the Insurgent
Leaders With Money.
PLAN FAILS so FAR
Negotiations Have Net With No
Encouragement.
Insurgents Still Hopeful OF
United States Help.

Havana. via Key West, Nov. 22-
Gen. Pando as already cabled to the
Associated Press, started by train from
this city on Saturday last in order. ac-
cording to the official announcement to
take charge of the campaign against
the insurgents. He was accompanied
by his full staff and was escorted by u
company of artillery. But it is stated
on very good authority that Gen. Pan
do has ben commissioned by Marshal
Blanco the captain general to enter in
TO communication with the iusurgent
leaders, with the view OF arranging for
peace.
This statement is based on accurate
knowledge of all the facts in the case.
Gen. Pando did not leave this city un-
til he had taken steps calculated to
further the object which Marshal Blan-
co has in view. Gen. PandO after a con-
SultauOQ with the captain general
first brought about the release from
confinement Of Damon CaballerO who
has been imprisoned on the Isle of
Pines for some time past, for, it is al
legged, acting as Il spy for the inSurg-
ents and bringing about a disaster for
the Spanish troops at Cacio province
OF santiago de CUBA. Gen PandO FUR
niShed CaballerO, who is the godfather
of Rabi, looked upon as being the back
bone of the insurgent movement in the
province of Santiago de Cuba, with
considerable sum of money and caused
him to be landed at ManZanillO. prov
ince of Santiago de Cuba, where q good
horse was placed at his disposal. Gen
PandO's peace emissary was also fur
nished official documents empowering
him to act in behalf of the Spanish.
commander and from ManzaniIlO Ca
baIerO made his way secretly to the
Jiguani hills, where Gen. Rabi has his
headquarters. Gen. PandO instructed
CaballerO to offer Gen. Rabi a high rank
in the Spanish army and a large sum
of money to be distributed among the
insurgent leaders of that part of Cuba
and in addition, a large amount OF
money for himself, in the event OF his
succeeding in arranging terms for
peace Besides this CaballerO was in
structed to inform the insurgent lead
erS that the Spanish authorities uns-
dertook to honestly establish the new
autonomist regime If the leaders of the
insurgents would accept the PROPOSE
tiOnS made them
Although Caballero has not returned
from Santiago de Cuba, confidential
advices Which have reached the Span
ish officials here seem to indicate that
CabaIlerO has so far been unsuccessful.
It is understood that Gen. Rabi has re-
piled that he believed a successful
ending of the war in favor OF the in
surgents is approaching; that the Gu
bans with the aid of the United States
will gain the independence and that
therefore he prefers to continue fight
ing the SpanlardS until the final vic
tory is won. CaballeTO also negotiated
with Gen. Du ValOn, the French leader
of the insurgents.
There seems to be no intinatfon as to
the result of Carballero's negotiations
with Gen. Du ValOn although it may be
Judged from the attitude assumed by
Gen. Rabi, that the peace negotiations
are likely to fail fiat in Santiago de
Cuba. Gen. PandO, IN the meantime
while acting after consultation 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, on the promise of Cuba
beln$ accorded a really autonomous form
of government. These three men We're
also offered money for themselves and
were to have been furnished with large
their friends. But it is understood they
have hitherto declined to become agents
Of Gen. Pando, alleging as their excuse
that they have no influence with the in
surgent leaders of the present day and
that they would be risl1ing their lives il
they Ventured into the insurgent CAMPS
In some quarters it is believed that
TINS reluctance to accept the Overtures
of Gen. PandO is due to the fact that
the insurgents are anticipating some
strong step in their favor when the
United States congress meets. It 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 sin
cerity and he indirectly gave them to
understand that he was of the opinion
that they were opposed to the SOW
ereignty Of Spain over Cuba and had no
desire to assist the Spanish authorities
in their effort to bring about peaceful
settlement of the troubles. The Cubans
protested that they were sincere and
repeated the excuses they had already
made for their compliance with the
requests of the Spanish general. The
latter although somewhat disappointed.
it is understood, viii continue his ef-
forts to come to an understanding with
the insurgents and the military author
tiles believe the best way to do this is
to infiict upon the enemy a signal de-
feat which Gen. Pando hopes to ac-
cOmplish.