The record-union., 1897-02-09


Since General WeyIer Permits
Manufacture of Sugar i'm Some
Districts.
NEW YORK, Feb. S.-A dispatch to
the sun from Havana says: Gomez
has issued proclamation to the sugar
planters of the island and especially to
those of the provinces of Santa Clara
and Matanzas, copies of which have
been privately circulated in Havana
He recalls the earlier DEGREES of the
Cuban Government and his military or
derS forbidding the grinding of sugar
cane. and adds that he is resolved to
enforce those edicts, and all the more
vigorously now that General Weyler
permits the manufacture of sugar in
some districts.
He adds that in some places the Gu
ban army may be lenient when no
doubt exists that the work of the sugar
estates is more profitable to the revolu-
ton than to the Spanish Government;
but he says that the principal strength
of Spain is in the resources of Cuba s
soil, and the patriots are obliged, there
fore, as an eXpedient of war, to prevent
the raising of crops.
All estates preparing to grind and all
those which have begun to do so in dis
obedience to the Cuban DEGREES Will be
wholly destroyed.
General Gomez concludes by declar
ing that the responsibility for the pow
erty of the island rests upon Spain, and
promises a speedy triumph of the rev.
olutionists.
1t is well known that General Gomez
rejects the reforms proposed by Spain
and says that Cuba's struggle is for
nothing less than independence. He
says that only on condition that the
Cubans would not accept any Spanish
proposals short of absolute freedom of
the island did he accept the command
of the army. 1t is certain that even
should Martinez Campos or Azcarraga
or any other Spanish General come here
to replace Weyler, Gomez would not
pay the slightest attention to their pro
posals for peace.
The pacification of the province of
Pinar del Rio looks rather sickly, in
view Of the fact that a train at Taco
Taco, carrying Spanish soldiers and
provisions, was blown up with dyna-
mite yesterday by the Cubans. In the
province of Havana and at the very
gates of the capital the insurgents are
concentrating large forces, which
threaten a new attack on Guanabacoa.
In the province Of Matanzas a train
from Sabanilla to Cuarreras has also
been blown up by the insurgents and
many Spanish soldiers were killed.
Near Sabanilla also serious engage
ment is reported, in which both sides,
as usual, claim the victory, but there is
no doubt that the Spaniards suffered a
loss Of nearly 100 men.
Santa Clara Province is all in
flames. Nearly every country estate
has been fired either by the Cubans
or the Spanish torches. Puerto Prin-
cipe and Santiago de Cuba continue
fully under the control Of the insur-
gents.
1t IS said here that another expedi-
ton has landed in Pinar del Rio and
that the arms and ammunition it
brought were safely delivered TO a
Cuban force near Guane.
Among the insurgents who were shot
Saturday in the fortress of La Cabana
was a lad OF II years.
- a.
WASHINGTON, Feb. S-.'No colony
in the world with the exception OF
Canada and New South Wales will
have as large a measure of liberty as
Cuba will have when the new reform
scheme is fully developed" said Senior
Dupuy de LONE, the Spanish Minister,
last night.
The Minister had before him the full
tenn of government of Cuba, as gazet-
ted in Madrid yesterday, and had made
an analysis of the document with the
result that he arrived at the conclu-
esions indicated above. Senior Dupuy De
LONE also gave out the preamble to
the proposed scheme Of Cuban re-
forms.
n records the political history OF
the insurrection. which from its very
beginning, it says, had a secessionist
character One of the causes of the
5nsurrection has been false ideas oi
Spain,s weakness, which the insurgents
thought would prevent her subduins
it. and another was a disfrust of be-
ing able to achieve administrative au-
tonomy by peaceful means.
The preamble says the war with al
its errors had been rich in severe les
sons. showing that in the end peaceful
and constant progress is preferable K
a violent triumph, by whomsoever OBJ
tained. It says in several paragraphs
that although Spain has been obliged
TO delay the application of ample re-
forms in the administration regime. sh,
has never abandoned the idea of es
tablishing reforms. nor has she failed
to understand the necessity OF en-
larging them, in form that VIII sui
both Spanish and Cubans, giving to tht
island an administrative and seonom
ical personality Of a local character
which will make explicit the tota
powers of the country 10 govern IL
own affairs. although maintaining in
tact the right of sovereignty and t.
the indispensable conditions for 1t!
maintenance. Spain has wished (
satisfy the need that Cuba feels OF ex
nerimenting with what English cal
self-government, which in Spain i
termed large decentralization, ant
which will give to the country tn
greater part of the administration 0