The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-31
GEN. GOMEZ WILL REJECT IT
AN ARMISTICE WILL NOT SAT
ISFY THE INSURGENTS.
In Havana, With No Reason Appar-
emit, the People Seem to BE As
sured That There VIII BE No War
City for a Seige by Sea-Lee Is
Cheerful.

HAVANA (via Key West, FIa.),
March SO-Sunday and Monday were
Gays or decided anxiety in the political
and business circles Of Havana, but
yesterday and today there has been
much quieter feeling
Without being able to give any good
reason for their belief, many prominent
men seem satisfied that peace is as
sured. The word "armistice' Is re-
peated from lip to lip as If there were
some magic within it to solve the whole
problem of Cuban strife
Ihose, however, who know Gen.
Gomez. Gen. Garcia, Senior MassO and
the other insurgent leaders best say
that all reckon without their host who
believe these men will agree to an
armistice. even if asked to do so by
the United States, unless it is plainly
understood that the truce is to be fol-
lowed by a recognition of Cuba libre
1t is argued that Gen. Gomez, after
holding out all through the dry sea-
son, will decline to agree to a truce
during the rainy months, in which the
insurgents would have the advantage
On all sides it is regarded as almost
certain that if war does not come 1t
will not come until all possible plans
Of adjusting difficulties fail.
A Spaniard of high influence, while
talking recently with Consul General
Lee, said: "The Sagasta ministry will
not be compelled to fight to insure self
protection. Sagasta could quiet Spain
by proclaiming We have made Cuba
an ash pile, a desert. 1T is no longer
worth any outlay Of blood or treasure
1t is only fit for negroes and mixed
bloods. Let it go.;'
Rlanco Careless.
But very few take such a view Of
the situation, although ignorant Span
iards might be deceived by such a dec
laration. Meanwhile, it Seems as if
the Spanish military and naval powers
that be are either convinced that there
Is no danger of active hostilities or are
utterly careless of the grave conse-
quences that the future may hold.
There are no visible preparations to
provision Havana in case of a block
ade, nor Is there any notable increase
in the coal supply for naval uses.
In the opinion of Americans here, one
of the gravest dangers lies in the fact
that the ignorant classes of the city
are not in any way advised as to the
chances of war or siege. They believe
Havana impregnable, and the fleet Of
Spain all-conquering. If rudeIy awak-
ened to other views, they might become
dangerous and foster internal disor-
ders.
Consul General Lee continues as
cheerful as sunlight. despite the fact
that he was warned last Sunday and
Monday of five distinct plots against
his life Of course he does not give
, credence to such stories, ard he is
carefully guarded by the government
but continuous warnings of this nature
are not a pleasant diet. The latest
story was that he would be poisoned
by bribed employe Of his hotel.
This Gen. Lee replied to by asking the
newspaper correspondent who sat near
him at meal time, in case he is sud-
denly taken ill, first to shoot his waiter
and then to run for a stomach pump.
Absurd Story.
: Among Spaniards Of the lower class
es, it is rumored that there is a plot
on foot to blow up the Maine wreck
with dynamite and to blow up the
Vizcaya or the Almirante Ouuendo.
Recently the story gained circulation
that three Americans had been arrest
ed during the night for trying to blow
up the wreck and had been sent to
Cabanas fortress
It is now known here that Capt.
Chadwick was the last of the members
OF the court of inquiry to make up his
mind that the evidence pointed incon-
teStlply 10 an external explosion. Capt.
Sampson, Lieut.. Commander Potter
and Judge Advocate Mark were earlier
convinced. AS soon as Capt. Chadwick
was satisfied by study of the wreck
the plans of it's submarine condition
and the testimony offered, Capt. Samp-
son said: "There is no use waiting here
any longer and the Mangrove sailed
for Key West four hours after their
minds were made up.
he ;,ia 1->.
denly that there was no chance tc send
the battleship Iowa for the court, as
it had been thought would be dona.
DR.. Jose CongostO, the secretary gen
eral has countersigned the orders Gen.
BIanco made on Monday that the mo-
ment hostilities are declared between
Spain and the United States all Ameri-
can correspondents are to be expelled
from Cuba. The orders are not dated
nd 90 Ln n1lfnrncd OF on