Evening star., 1898-09-15
Spain is Tardy in Instructing Her
Cuban Commissioners.
FRIENDLY ATTITUDE OF AMERICANS
Incidents Showing the Way the
Wind Blows at Havana.
S1TUATION is CHAOTIC

| HAVANA, September IA, via Key West,
| Fla, September 15-The rumors to the
| effect that strained relations exist between
| the Spanish commission and the United
| States Cuban evacuation commission are
| absolutely unfounded. There have been lit
| tie incidents, but no real htches
| For instance, when the United States
| transport Resolute, with the American
! commission on board, arrived here on Sat
ur1ay morning she did not fire salute on
| entering the harbor, but later she fired the
| regulation salute when visited by the Brit
| ish consul, who has been acting for the
| United States. This action was commented
| upon at the palace, in consequence of which
| explanations were exchanged during the
| evening. with the result that the Resoute
on Monday morning flew the Spanish col
| ors in honor of the birthday of the Princess
| of the AsJuras. and at noon the same day,
| when the Spanish flagship Alfonso XII
| fired a salute in honor of the royal birth
| day, it was ans wered by the Resolute
| On Saturday morning, shortly after the
| arrival of the Resolute. a shell exploded in
! the ordnance park, killing two soldiers. The
local newspapers We're not allowed TO pub
liSh anything in connection with this Incl
| dent, to avoid misinterpretatfon upon
| the part of sensational newspapers. The
| explosion was purely accidental
True ReaS8n Tor Beiay.
Another little incident occurred on Sum
| day. When the commissioners arrived at
| the palace of the colonial government,
where their first meeting took place, they
were ushered into the state room, where,
| on table in the center, were displayed
maps of Spain and Cuba The members of
| the commission and staff removed their
swords an in so doing inadvertently placed
| them over the map of Cuba. covering the
whole length of the island. One of the
| Cuban attaches present noticed this. ap-
| proache>- the table and quickly removed
| the arms. The incident. however. did not
| pass unObSerVed by the others present. who
| have since commented good-naturedly
the occurrence. No Importance or sgniti-
cance is attached to either of these Incl
| dents by the officials here. The true rea-
son for the delay in the meetings is the
absence Of instructions from Madrid, which
although announced as coming on the last
mail steamer from Spain, did not arrive
as expected.
The Spanish steamer Alfonso XIII. which
left Porto Rico for this port Yesterday is
expected to have on board the instructions
from the Spanish government. The reason
that the first formal session of the COM
missioners took place on Sunday was the
understanding that the commissioners
must meet within thirty days after signing
the protocol, which, on the Monday, would
have been thirty-one days.
Two free soup kitchens in this city were
closed yesterday and the closing of others
will follow. These kitchens have been dis
tributng to the really needy over 30Oe0
ratons daily. Their dscontinuance, based,
according to the civil governors circular
on the assumption that distress and want
have disappeared from the city, will have
the effect of throwing thousands of unfor-
tunate people on public charity. Beggars
are again infesting the streets and carrying
filth and disease germs all over Havana.
Immediate arrangements for the distribu-
ton of the Comal rations. now that the
r1iE11t ~.4f rir,11.
feed the hungry, is Imperative.
The meat ring continues keeping the
price of meat at from 30 to 60 cents per
pound, in spite of the protests and offers
made by large and responsible firms to the
government, offering to import cattle and
place meat on the market at % cents per
pound
Hundreds of Spanish officers have asked
to be discharged from the army. They re-
fuse to return to Spain, where starvation
stares them in the face Many of them have
formed classes to study English, hoping to
succeed in obtaining commissions in the
United States army as soon as they are
proficient in the language.
Proud Grandees.
1t will be interesting to watch the course
pursued by the host of counts and mar
quises, holding titles of nobility in Spain
and here. The aristocracy of Cuba are all
Spanish grandees, holding Castilian titles
of which they are very proud and which
they will renounce with great reluctance
These grandees who have been holding
their titles for generations, formerly own
ing vast properties in the island, form the
most rabid Cubanism here. They will be
forced either to remain loyal Spanish sub
iects and continue enjoying the privilege of
rank and title, or relinquish all claims 10
this honor and become plain Tom, Dick
and Harry. The same will happen to a
long list of Cubans, widows and orphans of
Spanish officers, drawing pensions from
Spain, which is their only means of sup
port today. The list of such pensioners
fCots up over 1000.
The situation here may be summed up
chaotic 1t is impossible to tell exactly
what the future may develop, even regard
ing the commission. Its powers appear 10
be very limited, the members having to
submit every trifle to Washington for
sideration before acting.
The mayor of Havana, the Marquis ES-
taban. an autonomist, has sent gift of a
magnificent saddle horse TO the insurgent
chief Mayia Rodriguez. At the same time
gifts were sent TO him from a well-known
councilman. y former aid of General
PandO has also presented a horse to the
insurgent chief Andres Hernandez There
Is an evident desire upon the part Of Gu
bans holding office under Spanish rule to
conciliate the extreme Cuban element, es-
pecially in insurgent army circles.
White these gifts are purely personal, as
between old friends, the conduct of the
donors has been adversely criticised and
commented upon in many official circles