The record-union., 1898-02-08
Blanco's Campaign in the Island
Admitted a Failure.
The Government Must Now Find Some Way
to Appease the People.
General Pando Likely to be Select
ed as the One to be Condemned
for the Failure to Bring About
the End Of the Wharf.-The In
transigents in Cuba Becoming
Restless.

HAVANA. Feb. THE Government
is looking for a scapegoat. II one Is
found, the hope seems to be that Ma
drid will be satisfied a while longer,
and the present situation may continue.
Nevertheless, the prevailing view is
that legislation cannot be made which
would satisfy. So much was expected
from General Blanco's continuous trip
around the island, and so little has
come from it, that the disappointment
felt cannot be concealed. The Captain
Generals promise that this month
would bring peace seems to have been
taken literally in Spain. 1t was not SO
here. The statement that the Captain
General was on tour of Inspection,
engaged chiefly in visiting the nos
pitals does not satisfy the hopes that
had been entertained. The lntran-
sigentes in Cuba may refrain from
open demonstrations of hostility,
though they are becoming restless.
What they will do cannot be predicted
with certainty, but they are not hesl-
tating to spur the Conservatives IN
Spain to action, and this brings the
Government back to the question of
the scaoegoat.
General Pando apparently thinks he
may be selected for that role. The
Weylerites are watching their chances.
and General SECURE has returned TO the
peninsula ready to condemn Pando $
plan of military operations in the east
ern part of the island. Many things
prevent them from publicly deriding
the Captain General, but among them
selves they show a tendency TO annoy
the Government by demanding EVIL
dences of the peace that is coming in
The sick soldiers who are brought from
the eastern provinces TO Havana mill
tary hospitals are not evidence of ii.
Their places Will be taken by the new
recruits from the peninsula. The off,
cial explanation is that General Blanco
was on a tour of inspection around the
island This might not have been con-
strued into taking the field had not ex
pectations been raised of important re-
suits by the palace. 1t was the palace
that gave the first hints of influential
insurgent presentations" and the
weakening of the insurrection to come
from the operations. These are an ad-
mitted fact, but General Pando Will
claim that this is because of the con-
dition in which General Weyler left the
soldiers. A successful campaign cannot
be conducted with a starving army.
Pando's talk to his friends in the conf
dence of friendship is full of despair.
The knowledge that he may have to
serve as the scapegoat is possibly the
cause of this. Instead of talking of
peace by the end of the month, he talks
81 =, har
time He may be wrong. The same
talk has been heard before on the part
of high Spanish officials, but the given
period has passed without the over
turning they prophesied The Havana
intransigentes looked for the frs:
movement in Spain when the inability
of autonomy of the military operations
under the direction of General Blanco
to enforce peace is realized in Spain.
They expect the Sagasta Ministry will
be placed on the defensive. They are
not fully informed of what happens in
the peninsula, because the authorities
suppress the Madrid cable dispatches
with unfailing regularity
The doings Of General Blanco and the
effect which the explanations made for
him may have in Madrid occupy the
public attention so much that little IS
at present heard of the attitude of the
United States. At the bottom. the Off
oial classes and the army officers are
as resentful as ever over the suggestion
of American Intervention as means
Of bringing peace TO the island If they
have their way every proffer of good
Offices viii be refused. Some disquiet
is shown over the movements of the
warships, but nothing in the nature
of a hostile demonstration is tolerated.
The authorities exert themselves in
that direction successfully News of
the different ships is given fully, but no
unfriendly comment is permitted.
The novelty of the Names presence in
Havana Harbor has worn off. but the
vessel continues to receive many visits.
INSURGENTS DowNCAST.
MATANZAS, Feb. THE United
States cruiser Montgomery arrival
here excited much interest. Insurgent
sympathizers are downcast. They had
been told that American ships would
come to Cuba TO aid Spain in establish
ing autonomy and now they believe IT..
Upon entering the harbor Captain
Converse. the commander of the Mont
kSUCFy. HOISlcu lnS NpdiitSI anu
fred a salute OF twenty-one guns, pre-
cisely as he would do on entering Bar
ceiona or any other Spanish port.
The Maine. on entering the Havana
Harhor, did not salute until her COM
mander knew that the courtesy would
be returned.
Captain Converse's action shows that
there has been change in the United
States Governments instructions. The
results prove the fallacy Of the reason
ing that there would be trouble If an
American warship should visit Cuba.
Official visits We're made promptly and
returned. Captain Converse visited
several officials on shore, including the
Governor of Matanzas Province and the
Mayor Of the town also.
An unfortunate omission of General
Lee and Commander Sigsbee of the
Maine may be misinterpreted: they did
lot call upon the President of the Au-
Economical Council Cabinet. The officers
of the French warship expected to ar
rive at Havana tomorrow will do this.
and a reception probably will be ten
dered TO them. One would have been
given to American officers had they off,