The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-12-14
CUBA LOST
TO SPAIN.
The Governor of Santiago de Cuba
So Tells Foreign ConsuIs.
AUTONOMY is LIKELY TO FAIL.
THE HAVANA BUSINESS MEN
SAID TO BE MUCH DIsCoUK-
AGED--PLANs OF THE lNsuR-
GENTS TO STRIKE A BLOW NEAR
HAVANA WE'RE CHECKED.

Havana, Dec. 1o.-The plans of the in.
surgents to strike blow near the citv
Ire been checked, according to the Off
cial account, but the concentration of
their forces is such as to make it unlikely
that the insurgent bands will surrender.
as the Spanish authorities have been hop
ing.
The business concerns of the CITY are
much discouraged by the actual si,ua-
ton. They do not now look forward to
speedy end of the revolution. All saw
| that they have abandoned the hope that,
the insurgents will surrender or accent
the conditions of utonomy.
Senior enrique Co priles, governor of
the province OF Santiago de Cuba in a con-
versation with the foreign consuls. told
them that the state of the island vas very
serious and that he considered the islaud
of Cuba lost.
La Lucha, in u leading editorial. saws:
1.-The day has arrived when it is neces..
sary to tell the truth to the cDuntry and
to the government, 80 that neither of
them will be chngrined if the system of
autonomy rails and peace is not obtained
through 1t. General distrust has been
experienced since 1T was seen that the
Madrid government had taken an active
par: in promoting the reformists in Cuba.
who have no more political force than
with Spain, standing with reniurkable
firmness by the Spanish flag, whllo the
entire ist nd was involved in rebellion
anu suffering under accusations and in
SUITS
Lalucha aids that the government has
been forced to resort to autonomy in or
der to restore peace to the island. and
that instead of ut LIKING the services of
the autonomist party and Its followers,
tries TO compel them TO surrender to the
reformists by uniting with them. The
nnerai party III the island, the paper as
serts. Will accept the governments over
tnres With n certain reluctance owing TO
the old custom of ''fooling the country
and will soon md that if autonomy has
come out triumphant it certainly is NOT
the autonomists who are winners. The
Madrid governments determination to
force the autonomist party TO surrender
to the reformists and others places the
CAPITA n-general of the island in a false
position AS to carrying OUT his piaos of
paciiication. Should Marshal Blanco not
perform some energetic acu it is sure that
the scheme of autonomy and the rlans
for the pac. tication of Cuba will have ut
terly failed.
The autonomists refuse to recognizes
other chiefs than those they now have,
and always have had, and are determined
to submit to no impositions from what
ever source they have come.
Blanco's only way out is TO tell the
Madrid governments: 81 am hese, and
know what should he done. If | am not
allowed carte blanche to do what deem
proper to establish peace in CuLa, send
someone else to settle AFFAIRS
Many residents of towns. in the pro-
vince of Pinar del Rio and Havana have
Joined the ranks of the insurgents. Col.
Rafael lie Cardenas. of the insurgent
forces. has been promoted to the rank OF
brigadier- general, anu will assume COM
M and oil the force recently operating un-
aer General Castillo. Col. Jacinto Her.
nandeZ will assume the command va
Gated by General Carduas.