New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-04
WHAT NEXT IN CUBAf 7
BLANCO FAILS AS DID CAMPOS AND
WEYLER.
MEANINGLESS TALK OF THE ARMY BY THE SPAN
IsH E1.EMENT-THE INsURRDTIoN STILL
POTENT-AUTONOMY's STRUGGLE.
ley TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRlBUNE.I

Havana. Feb q via Tampa. Fla Feb b
When Martinez Campos returned to Havana az
Ter a fruitless trip into the country two years
ago the Spanish classes told him the situation
was insupportable. Both the Reformistas ana
the Conservatives thought the only practicapie
solution was for him TO 90 back to Spain. Ihe
Autonomists alone upheld him. Generai cam
pos called the representatives. OF three pohu-
cal parties together at the Palace and told them
that If he could not have their united support
Il was useless for him to remain and seek to
conquer the insurrection. So he returned to
Spain. After that came Weyler. and the policy
which shaped to meet the ideas OF lntran-
sigentes. Twenty months OF it failed to pacify
the islG nd. and Weyler went back to seek the
role Of a malcontent martyr. Banco has had
three months to try autonomy with conciliaton.
Ordinarily, that might not be long for the ex-
pertinent, yet In certain conditions time Is not
the main element OF determining the prospect
OF success.
General Blanco is returning from a trip to tho
eastern provinces which. put in the best possible
light, has failed to come up TO the expectations
raised ir Madrid The Sagasta Ministry cannot
lon ger delude itself with the false hope that the
adhesion OF a few minor insurgent chiefs is evil
dence that the insurrection is dlsintesfatlhs
from within. Its power Of resistance Is SHOWN
by the fact that in such military operations as
have taken place during the last fortnight the
advantage he's been with the insurgents brief-
w. the situation. which by this time must De
understood by the Ministry. is that persuasion
has failed to win the insurgents 10 autonomy
and the army has had no better success
KEEPING MADRID POSTED.
The Intransgentes have their remedy. They
are not making threatening demonstrations
against the Captain-Genera and telling him
that the situation is insupportable and that the
only practicable solution is for him 70 go home
For the present they are contenting themselves
with advising Madrid of these facts. What ac-
tion they will take later in the form Of dissat-
isfaction cannot be foretod Though Weyler has
many partislns they do not look for him to re-
turn to Cuba in command. They realize that
the recall Of Blanco would be a confession that
the policy he was sent out to injorse Is fail-
ure They do not expect that the Sagasta Min
istry will confess itself out Of office in this
manr er. They talk vaguely that the army must
he made supreme in inforcng peace as though
the army had not been supreme for years
1t is the frank judgment OF competent MILL
tary Judges that the Spanish troops in Cuba to-
day are in worse condition than the insurgents
though both the strength and the resources OF
the latter may be exaggerated. Weyler failed
IN his campaign in Santiago. Pando criticised
Weyler but ne has done no better. In two
months the sole achievemeI.; cs his forces mas
been to rescue the survivors Of the garrison of
Guanna That General Luque should ne driven
into Hoguin from one direction ana GeneFaI
Linares should seek refuge In the town Honh
another direction indicates fair degree OF ac-
tivity on the part OF the insurgents In santiago
under the command Of Caxto Garcia and Rabl.
baf no
for which he asked. Everything was done that
the authorities could do for the soIdlerS'
Nevertheless the sickness is very great
General Banco's time at hanIanlllo anu
Santiago dc cuba was taken up with inspection
OF the hospitals. As the season advances t"c
fev.rs will grow worse The proDapliIly OF a
eucccssful campaign in the Orientc this year IS
now eliminated from the events Whlch iHs',
help to bring the insurrection 10 an shd ai.u
secure the acceptance Of autonomy. rms mas
some Importance when the programme oI pl1N
inc greafer dependence on the army is broacned
As for the presentddos, they cannot De hasH-
0ed into importance enough TO have pro-
nouncad influence in weakening the military
ner, ~ the insurgents. few officers. some
ranking as high cOlonels. do not constitute
the backbone of the insurrecton, ana t4e mum
her Of followers they have been apIe 70 DrlfiS III
cannot be said 10 have lessened materially It's
strength.
TAMPERING WITH THE ELECTORAL LISTS.
7, &c not 10 be expected that General Blanco
,yu hermit disappointment to be manifest In
his actions The implantation Of autonomy VIII
go forward so far official proceedings can
make it appear to do so. Preparations for the
elections will continue in the lelsurely manner
that has heretofore marked them. The Con-
seryatives are charging that the Government, in
IT'S anxiety to prevent the election OF cuban
Co,qr, * hostile 10 autonomy. is tamperng
,ritb the electoral lists The representatives OF
tha Government eply that il is not true and II
n we're the Conservatives would nave no ground
Of complaint, because they diI the same thlhs
when they were In power. This ~ an exact
abatement. II is also 10 be feared that the
charge Of the Conservatives that the present
lists are tsmpered with is an exact statement
The authorities do not feel that they can
trust autonomy as a civil policy TO the hands Of
II. enemies go they take means 10 insure thf
elections resulting favoraby 10 the Govern
Uent The Marquis ApeZiegula continues MS
Efforts to enlist the younger Conservatives on
the side Of a policy Of moderation and 10 de-
tach them from the radicals 10 the Intransi-
gnrtas He does not seem to make headway.
The local Autonomists complain Of the distribu-
ton Of the municipal patronage since the Re-
forrnista and the AutOnomist parties formed an
.rgopszatlon by fusion. II does appear TO be
n vital matter Nevertheless individual Autono-
n,stas do not like IT that individual Reformisias
get the Offices
THE Autonomisi Cabinet remains IN eclipse.
The general staff Of the Army encroaches
further upon rs supposed functions by the
control of the press censorship. The newspa-
nars complain bitterly that through all the
neriods OF repression they have never been so
completely muzzed as under the present regime
~ iberallty They quote Gambetta that with
ont a free press there is no Government. But
the general staT takes heed OF Gambetta.
+, surnresses news and editorial opinions with
nal ,horoughncss. The Cabinet is also SEEM
t,rlv IN relapse with the Madrid Ministry Mr.
Cnviu who Is the head of the Department OF |
T,,s,tce is reported TO he I'm controversy with
The Minister Of the Colonies over the action of
the Ministry I'm naming the judges and magis-
tTates for the island That was a violation Of
,be snirit OF the letter OF government under
a,,tonornv But while regrets are said to be
feit in Madrid for the bad impression caused /
-. tho anpoInfments. they not withdrawn /
coooor Noret stands by his selections The ar /
r,,.l ~ Mr Dolz TO take his place In the Cabi- /
90, does not promise greater harmony. His col /
ila,-,,.s may think him too deeply impregnated |
u,ith the sentiments which control The Min |
!stry.