The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-20

Havana, via Key West, Fla, March
t9.-News has just reached this cor
respondent from authentic sources that
the autonomist government, backed by
the military authorities here and the
government at Madrid, is now playing
its last card to secure peace in Cuba
and prevent intervention on the part
of the United States.
Near Palo PHOTO, and via Jacas Cor
das, in the province Of Santa Clara, on
the west side of Jucaro- Moren trocha,
are gathered several thousand insur-
gents under command of General Cal
ixto Garcia and other prominent chiefs,
accompanied by Senior Masso. presi-
dent of the Cuban republic, with sew
eraI members of his cabinet.
Also on the west side of the trocha,
in the district of Sancti Spiritus, less
than so miles distant from General
Garcia's forces are stationed 1000 in
surgents under Generals Pancho, Car
rilO. Monteaguedo, LancliZe, Logon and
Gonzales. The Spanish commander
General Pando. with Generals Ramirez,
CharveZ and other generals, is within
few miles of General CaliXtO Garcia.
General GobeZ is west of the Jucaro
Moron trocha within easy reach.
TURNED PANDO'S FLANK.
All the insurgent generals. President
Massc and the insurgent officials, with
General Garcia, got through General
Pando's lines some time ago. and the
latter gave up the campaign, which
was to be a grand military coup de
grace in the province of Santiago sie
Cuba or province of Puerto Principe.
But. in addition to passing through the
trOcha, the Insurgents turned General
Pando's flank Ii is just possible that
this flank movement VIII be the means
of General Pando's carrying out a long
contemplated conference.
General Pando's purpose, to further
which he has ordered a practical arnis-
tice in the eastern part of Cuba. as
stated succinctly as follows:
To have a personal conference with
General Calixto Garcia, President
Masso and other insurgents, and eTen
with General Gomez, if possible. and to
make them a formal offer of autonomy.
according TO the programme drawn up
by the left or radical wing OF the party.
OFFER TO INSURGENTS.
AS previously cabled. this offer in
cludeS, in return for the ending OF the
insurrection. the disarmament and dis
banding OF all volunteers. commercial
treaties to be concluded without Span
ish interference; a maximum sum of
81 000. 600 annually to be paid to Spain
by Cuba, as the latter's nominal suze-
rain; no insurgents to he shot or i'm
prisoned on account of the existing in
surrection, and no insurgents TO be sent
as prisoners out of Cuba for future
political offenses.
The adviceS received here are. in sub
stance, that General Pando felt conf
dent of securing the conference, while
on the other hand Captain General
Blanco, Secretary General Congosto and
the Spanish staff officers of high rank
and many radical members of the au-
tonomist government felt sure that the
proposition. being the best ever offered,
and assuring practical independence,
would be accepted, that the rebellion
would be declared at an end and that
consequently all excuse for the inter
vention by the United States would be
ended.
WILL BE REJECTED.
Such views. however were not held
when this dispatch was sent by those
best acquainted with General Gomez
and his chiefs. nor by the Spanish-Cu-
ban merchants. bankers, editors or law
yers. the liberal class in Havana The
latter were sure that nothing but the
proposition of Monte Cristo (the grant
ing of an indemnity to Spain. but abso-
lutte independence for Cuba), would ever
be considered by General Gomez or
any of his principal followers.
In support of the latter view. it is of
ficially announced that after all the eff
forts near ManZaniilo. only two pri-
Yates o. Salvador Ruiz band surren-
dered
1t is known besides that General
Pando. in order to advance his plans
for the proposed campaign in Santiago
de Cuba, greatly weakened all the
rochas taking from them several thou /
sand men and much artillery. 1t is
regarded as certain. in well informed
circles here, that Generals Gomez and 4
Garcia, after refusing to confer with /
General Pando will. if they do confer /
after refusing the terms offered. take /
sufficient cattle and provisions from
their comparatively we'll stocked plan /
tations Immediately west. and then in I
auSurate raid upon the provinces of I
AIStanZaS. Havana and probably Pinar (
del Rio, appearing near here within 10 I
or IS days, which is considered pos !
sible.
SOME AUTONOMISTS SAY THIS.
Letters received here from prominent
autonomists in the provinces of Santa |
Clara and Puerto Principe have been |
shown to this correspondent. Thewriters |
are not friendly TO the United States;
they still cling to the theory of auton-
ony and class as false the assertions
that the Spanish soldiers are unpaid.
unfed and living in towns, while their
officers are conspiring against the au-
Economist government. and refuse to
take the field. either denying the pres
ence of the insurgents. or saying, Let
the troops who are in favor of auton-
oIny fight its battles"
OTHERS SAY CONTRARY.
Other letters from the same source
insist that all the plans laid to secure +
the surrender of the insurgents have
been badly conceived and poorly exc
cuted. These letters add that only in
isolated instances have any of the in
surgents laid down their arms, and the
insurger1t leader, MassO, who surren
dered. il is still further asserted. was
prescribed by General Gomez and was
liable to be tried by court-martial.
while of the 100 INSURGENTS who sllrren-