New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-01-03

TVS POSITION ANOMALOUS.
Iron A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TnIDUNE.l
Havana Dec. 25-"Cada loco con SUI tema"
every fool has his opinion. says the proverb'
And wise men VINO have opinions sometimes
withhold them rhe part of wisdom is not to
give opinions on The outcome OF anairs In
Cuba. but to record events. whether progressive,
retrogressive or stationary. Optimism ls Tor
those who are charged with the Responsiveness
Of government and the work Of adjusting inc
new political system. Pessirnism is for those
whose temperaments are not sanguine or who.
want the policy TO fail
A caution against expecting early results Is
again necessary. The army is yet the CHER
medium for planting the banner OF autonomy
IN every corner Of the island The troops in the
field must be watched as closely as the function
aries OF civil authority. Where the standard
OF Spain is planted and maintained, autonomy
may be sought. Where the ensign of Spanish
sovereignty w1vers. support Tor the CoIoiidi
policy canno. he strong The soldiers are the
right arm Of the Sagasta Ministry. Their move
ments are OF high Importance. a long chapter
would be needed fully to describe the military
situation. For the beneht Of those who have
counted or short campaign, the news IRON
the eastern provinces may he followed. 1t VIII
he noted that the intelligence which comes from
Santiago and somo places in Puerto principe
and Santa Clara Is Of heroic defences OF foruheo
towns by the Spanish garrlsons ana OF the SUI
cessfui efforts Of General Pandos FORCES 10 re-
leve the besieged inhabitants THIS ih'eih-
gence is supplemented by the Shipment 'h's
week of guns and other munitions 10 Mahza-
Milo which is the base Of offensive ana deIeIslNe
military operations by the troops More snip
ments are to follow. and an addition may oe
made to the gunboats on the River Cauto. Means
have also been found 70 comply partially with
General Pando's demand for provisions lor h'S
men War news from the eastern provinces
whether received through official accounts OF
insurgent sources must he discounted as all war
new. has 20 be discounted: yet so much OF 1t as
proves Trustworthy may be taken as indicating
the progress OF autonomy.
GENERAL, gIANCOS DISAPPOINTMENT.
General Blanco his arrival two n'on'hs
aeo probably anticipated less need OF vigorous
military campaign than he now feels. IL was
no, unreasonable TO hope for response 10 the
poI,cY Of consolation and persuasion. Though
ono article of the programme. the succor or the
reconcentrados has failed as a GoVernmeh'
measure o. relief the promise of amnesty mas
been kept The prisons are really being Vaca'eu
by the unwilling tenants with wh"m "e"e'a'
Weyler peoped them But the declared ihtei'-
tion OF pressing active military measures ~ XII
admission Of the failure TO win the Insurgents
to-, >,o,n ,be field frank acceptance Of this
fact might prepare the Ministry at Madrid ana
the people Of Spaia for patient waiting
A record has been made up purporting TO
show what General Blanco has accomplished
in the way OF gaining adhesion to the new poi-
;cy. II purports 10 give list OF insurgents
who have surrendered and includes dozen
'cubecillos," or chiefs. one with the rank OF
cantaln. The list Is not important enough 10
call for analysis AS in all oicial reports 'he
majority Of the persons presenting themselves
turn out to be reconcentrados and children.
The real test and The only tes; OF the weaken
,re OF the insurrection is twofold one. The
presentation In considerable numbers OF in
surgents themselves the men who nave Deeh
in the field with arms in hand. would be EVIL
deuce which would justify Itself. lnsursent
leaders and Officers could not keep up the nsh'
without followers. The adhesion OF the lead
ers and officers TO the new regimen might not
at once carry their followers with them. but
when a revolution becomes hcadless the body
does not long survive Had either OF these
things happened the effect would have been
immediate and pronounced. Neither has hap
pened. and the varying fortunes OF the Spanish
troops must yet bc taken as the barometer OF
the instruction ana OF autOnoiHs'
CONSERVATIVES AGAINST AUTONOMY.
The military campaign brings the Conserva-
tive party again into view. 1t puts this power
mi and influential group in remarkable light.
Like the insurgents, they oppose autonomy TO
the death" They do not, however, place
themselves on the same footing With the IN
surgents by openly revolving and taxing the
Aeld That would be contrary TO the principles
OF an organization which glorles in its name or
Conservative. and which condemns all rebellion
against government. The impeachment with
The Carlists could not be made on the basis
of revolt though In some towns In Cuba where
the intransigente sentiment is strongest the
white badge OF the Carlists ~ secretly dis
n,aved The Conservatives will remain nrm
in their adhesion to Weyler. They will keep
in full sympathy with the movement in Spain
When they emerge from their present attitude
OF abstaining from public affairs 1t will un-
ouestionabiy be to act In concert with the party
IN the peninsula, II a union IL effected there.
Meantime they will continue to nurse the re-
sentiment against the United States which
found utterance in their convention. and TO !
prepare for ultimate war. The popular sub
scription for the rehabilitation Of the Spanish
Navy, which has been under way for months. |
will be augmented by their subscriptions.
But how about the present armed insurrec-
ton? The duty Of those who condemn all re-
bellIon IL to help the Government put down
revolts The Conservatives affirm the general |
doctrine: they stop short OF its application.
The twenty Thousand Havana volunteers are
not ready to take the field against the insur-
gents. General Blanco is not yet strong enough to
force the issue and lay an iron hand upon them. !
He cannot say that they shall 90 into the |
war as part OF the regular troops and help |
implant autonomy with powder and bah. He
dare not repudiate their functions as a home [
guard and take away their arms. He must
walt till the Conservatives are weaker and the
Government Is stronger before resorting TO !