New-York tribune., 1898-01-24
QUIETER FEELING IN HAVANA.
BLANCos SOLDIERS DEMAND THEIR BACK PAY
TIE WORKING OF ArTONOMv

BLANCO's SOLDIERS DEMAND THEIR BACK Fay
THE WORKING OF AUTONOMY.
Port Tampa. Fla. Jan. % Wa Gainesville
from Havana. Jan. 90 (SpeciaD.-The rolirv ~
the Go.ernmen; in Cuba IS still conducted more
with reference TO Madrid ard Washington than
the island itself. General Blanco's military
operations continue indefinite. IL may take
the field next month. but that IS uncertain. Tho
army IS in better humor An indication o. its
innuenc" was given when Scfor Montoro. Sec
reta:y Of the Treasury made n draft for 81 .ODO-
600 in silver Madrid. \ sharp inquiry was
aroused and a demand made that :he full
amount be applied to the back pay Of the army
The officers thought that a small portion Nigh.
be distributed among the reconcentrados and
suspected that a par; might be used for per
suading'' insurgents to accept autonomy. They
were qulcted by an official assurance that the
full amoun, should De applied 10 the April pa;
Of the soldiers. The Government has lately
slipped back arOthc- month in arrears
Affairs have SO far Ouieted down that IL the
troops weIe In condition General Blanco might
take the field IN person. Guards are maintained
around the Autoromst newspapers and some
OF the troops brought in from the country are
kept in the city. but tho volunteers and In
transigentes are apparently satisfied. There Is
nothing IN the present situation TO cause a hos
tile demonstration on their part or to give
ground for uprising. Fears Of an outbreak
In the country have no. been rea ed The dis.
turbances at Candencze the other day did not
prove serious. The 1ntransigentes there have
been in an ugly mood, and the Autor )nllsts are
dissatisfied with the distribution OF Offices. but
neither faction is the point OF revolt. The
anxiety which Is reported from Madrid about
Carst emissares in Cuba does not seem well
founded. There are a few Carlists among the
Intransgcntes who oppose autonomy. but moth
ing whatever TO encourage the pretensions of
Don Carlos or the belief that he could maintain
Spanish sovereignty under the old system. The
embarrassment Of the Government will come
from tie preference of these Intransgentes for
an American protectOrate as a refuge from au-
tonOmy.
Senior Dolse. n member OF tho Cabinet who
sailed this week for Havana, is expected to
bring Information as to the policy Of the Sa-
gasta Ministry regarding the elections. Dose
who originally Reformist and not an
Autonomist. has been described from Madrid
as the representative of Spanish sovereignty
IN the Cuban Cabinet. His associates are not
pleased with this designation as il seems 10
imply reflection themselves. So far as
preparations by the Government CO. The cleo
tions could be held in February just as we'll as
I'm April. In which latter month Sagasta has
fixed them. The Marquis ApcZteguia ard some
of the moderate men among the Conservative
leaders are still trying to commit the party To
take part in the elections and give the Gov
crument passive support. However. many
Of the Conservatives are hidebOund IL their
opposition that little progress is made by Apez-
teguia and his associates The elections are too
far of To be OF immediate importance. but If
they are held the tendency Of the IntransI-
gentes is TO make them the occasion for further
disturbances
No steps have YET been taken to send delegates
to iaf I,-rin
under the direction OF Minister De LONE. a
plan was suggested as a means OF showing that
autonomy was in operation. but the fear is that
such action would be rdiculed. and not without
reason II will be necessary TO re-estabish
cor,mcrcc with the United states before the
hasis Of n reciprocity treaty be found.
The autonomist Cabinet is expected To issue
a manifesto to the country soon expecting every
body TO labor for peace and the success OF the
new regime. .., .,
made IN their power They armed force,
ard n question was raised whether. being such.
,bay we're entitled 10 the suffrage. An assur-
60 ,vas given that the Government had no
,n,an,ion of deriving them OF their votes This
,"as sironlv a statement but since the riots the
r,gh, ~ the volunteers to the suffrage has been
fnrmaII, recognized by "A decree relative to the
clactoral census II they In the field they
yvould not have the opportunity TO vote. but
the Government cannot force them into the field.
The volunteers in Havana number between eigh-
teen thousand and twenty thousand. They are
Intransigentes Conservatives almost to man.
II they should decide to take part In the cleo
tions they would act as body and would make
It interesting for the Government.