Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-24
ILL FEELING TOWARD AMERICANS
New Scheme of Autonomy Pro-
posed to the Insurgents.
PREPARATIONS FOR WAR


Special Cablegram From a staf Correspondent.
HAVANA, February %. via Key West
Fla, February 24.-Bottling up navy off,
GERS by threats of a court-martial does not
prevent the leading facts of the Maine in
quiry becoming known. They are now sup
posed to be the exclusive property of the
government
AT this writing divers are developing i'm
portant results. From examination of the
interior wreckage they have secured evil
dence which seems conclusive that the ex-
plosion came from underneath the ship.
Some of the smaller magazines may have
exploded. The main 10-inch maya zine did
not explode. The condition of the interior
of the ship shows further probability of
the wreck having been due to outside
force.
The further the investigation progresses
the more untenable becomes the theory
which the Spanish government adduced to
show accidental cause. 1t is evident the
Spanish case will be based on the claim
that a fire preceded the explosion.
Captain Sampson and his colleagues OF
the naval board may have outside evidences
offered regarding a torpedo float produc-
ing the explosion.
Said one diver who had been engaged in
the hatch: God may be merciful to men
who blew those poor fellows to eternity.
the United States should not" This was
before Longs order prohibiting officers
from talking. This diver evidently thought
the explosion was not an accident. He had
an experts capacity and opportunity for
judging.
Public Kept i'm the Dark.
know the intensity of public sentiment in
the United States. Only meager details are
permitted to be known of what happens in
Washington. Congress is watched with
excessive anxiety by palace officials, but
the populace knows nothing of what is
liable TO happen.
Evidences of i'll feeling toward American
people and exultation over the Maine dis
aster do not lessen. 1t is true that at a
bull fight Sunday bull which refused COM
bat was called the Maine by spectators:
also true that one OF the stores issued an
advertisement with thinly disguised exul-
tation over the loss of the ship. We have
had, however, no open demonstrations.
The Maine inquiry dwarfs interest in
Cuban politics, but recent developments
carry official confession of the failure of
autonomy. There is no crisis as ordinarily
taro and other members known to have no
influence with the insurgents have merely
been pushed aside for GOWN, who is mis-
takenly thought in Madrid to have infiu-
once with them.
New scheme OF Autonomy.
The central committee of the au;onomist
party has authorized GOWN, who is secre-
tary of justice, Amblard, Gileray and others
treat with the insurgents on a new basis.
They want the insurgents to take parts in
the elections, and offer them every induce
ment short of actual independence. In SUBJ
stance the plan which GOWN, as a member
of the adtonomist cabinet, indorses is to
insure the control of the Cuban government
to the insurgents under the barest limita-
tion of Spanish sovereignty and to settle
the vexed questions of debt and CONNER
cial treaties by concessions in advance.
Home Ministry Cognixant.
The Sagasta ministry is cognizant of the
scheme and is willing to have 1t used as a
means of opening negotiations with the in
surgents. No evidence exists that the peo-
pie of Spain would ever consent, and the
autonomists themselves expect failure.
The insurgents will reject it as thoroughly
as they did the original proposition of au-
tonomy. 1t is doubtful whether they viii
permit negotiations to be opened The in
cident is important only showing the
complete collapse of all efforts to end the
insurrection on any basis that does not rec
ognize the full independence of Cuba. Pos
sibly the Sagasta ministry hopes that the
proposed rcadjustment OF autonomy will
fool tie United States.
CHARLES M PEPPER.