The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-05
IN HAVANA
WHAT ATTORNEY ARYINE SAW AND
HEARD THERE,

Attorney e. P. Arvine has returned
home from a visit to Cuba, Mexico and
the Gulf states, the trip being primar-
lily to Mexico, where most of his time
was spent. He was called upon last
evening by reporter from this paper
and gave an account Of his visit to
Havana What ehe saw and heard in
that city relative to the matters which
have now assumed a worldwide i'm
portance will be read with interest by
all and his observations throw addi-
tional light on the condition Of affairs
in Cuba
He said: IT arrived in Havana
about the first Of March and remained
there till after the fourth Of March.
The board of inquiry on the Maine dis
aster were in session while was there.
About Havana saw few evidences OF
the disturbances that are agitating the
country At a distance from the city
/ observed great columns of smoke ris-
ing up in the air which was informed
by residents come from the sugar
plantations which were being destroyed
by the Spaniards or the Cubans for the
Cubans also burn the sugar plantations
as well as the Spaniards.
Il saw some Of the raw recruits
which had just arrived from Spain.
They appeared to be boys from eigh-
teen to twenty-five years Of age and
looked to be an inferior lot, both ply
sically and mentally They were green,
gawky, not at all robust, and generally
unprepossessing. 1t is not at all to be
wondered at that these boys taken
from homes in a healthful country
should become homesick and incompe-
tent soldiers when transported to such
a country as Cuba, and that many OF
them should die there, especially dur
ing the rainy season.
II did not see any of the reconcentra-
dos, but understood from those who
were informed that 100000 Of them had
been driven in from the country into
Havana, where there were no pro-
visions for them and there was gem
eral lack of proper means for them to
live. Of course, General Blanco is diff
ferent from General WeyIer and he
makes vigorous efforts to conceal what
Weyler has done. I did not visit the
hospitals where would be best able
to the see the worst condition Of the
people. but did see whole families on
the sidewalks.
1.-THE court of inquiry was in session
while 7 was there. OF course members
of the board would express no opinion
before their report was made, but other
naval officers in Havana and American
officials generally did not hesitate to-
say that the Maine was blown up from
the outside by design. After the Maine
came to anchor she was removed to
the position where she was destroyed
by order of the Spanish officials. The
court has shown that she was blown
up by mine, but does not fix the re-
sponsibility, but the opinion Of all in
| Havana is that the mine must have
| been placed there before the Maine
came to anchor as it would be nearly
| if not quite impossible to fix the mine
after the Maine had come to anchor!
| The mine must have been connected
with the shore by wires and the mine
must have been fired by some one in
charge or who had access to the firing
apparatus. No one believes that Gem
eral Blanco had anything to do with
! it or that it was done by order of any
of the authorities, as they would know
that it would precipitate a crisis. But
| it must have been done by someone
who was familiar with the mine. This
should make Spain responsible for the
| injuries 1t is not a question Of intent
! but of responsibility for causing the
Maine to be anchored over the mine
and Spain was bound to see that the
mine was not exploded and so, of
course, is responsible for the act OF
those who blew up the ship.
| Americans in Cuba generally speak
well of Blanco. He is regarded as an
honorable man, and disposed to be len
lent and merciful. I went to Cuba
with the idea that the majority of Gu
bans did not sympathize with the revO-
luton. There were several Cubans on
| board the boat on the trip down and
| also on the boat to Mexico. some of
| whom were of the higher classes, and
| from them I learned that a vast major
ity of the native born Cubans sympa-E
| thize with the revolutionists. learn
that Senators Proctor and Thurston
, reached the same conclusion, of course
from much more extended investiga-
tion. I feel nothing less than annihila-
1 eiOh WILL ACotOIC opohlSll cloIiiOlily Ia
the island, and the realization Of this
fact is what led Weyler to pursue his
course of determination.
"As to the question of autonomy,
while in New Orleans I had a talk
with Mr.. Adams, American consul to
Cadiz, appointed by Mr.. Cleveland. He
says the Spaniards have no idea Of
constitutional government. The minis
ters in Spain go on with very little re-
gard to whether they have majority
in the cortes or not. The real inf1u-
ence Is in the generals in the army,
the dukes and leading politicians.
"Mr. Taylor, late minister to Spain,
says autonomy means nothing because
the next ministry might do away with
it at it's pleasure. All who are ac-
quainted with Spain and Cuba under
stand that the proposals of autonomy
made by Sagasta are only made to
hoodwink American administrations.
The promise made by Spain means
nothing. If England should grant au-
tonomy she could not take it back, but
there would be no difficulty for Spain
to do away with autonomy.
1.-The fact that Spanish newspapers
are in a different language from our
own is the reason why the situation is
| Nv Ann 1o,.io he