Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-24
Outside News Made Incomprehensi-
BILE by Press Censorship.
GEN. LEES MAIL INTERPRETED WITH
Sharp Protest by the Consul Raises
the Embargo.
BLANCO'S PAPER CAMPAIGN
Special Dispatch to Tn, Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to Th, Evening Star.
HAVANA, Cuba, January % via Port
Tampa, Fla, January 23.-Congress puz-
zles Havana. Reflex action of what hap
pens in Washington has no effect here,
but may have greater effect in future.
Therefore not only this weeks discussion,
but discussions which may hereafter be
had in either House or Senate are import
ant subjects.
Briefly, intransigentes, who oppose
tcnomy and the official class, which sup
ports it, both nesent that Congress should
discuss the matter at ALL
News of what actually goes on is meager.
General staff of the Spanish army in Cuba
to which the functions of civil govern
ment so far as relates to the press, have
been abdicated is not noted for inteli-
gence. When it comes to cenSuring dis
patches relating to American public af
fairs this general staff is hopelessly lost.
Naturally kilograms held by 1t twenty
four hours lack both freshness and COM
pleteness when published.
The first news received here was tele-
gram published in the papers that Chair
man Hit was sending cipher dispatches
to New York, saying the President would
not be forced into a war Since then Mr..
Hit has become better known but the
practice which makes him the mouth
piece of the administration in foreign
affairs is now understood. The Havana
public in indefinite way supposed Mr..
Reed the House of Representatives
and does not comprehend how Mr.. Hit
supplants him.
Situation Here Not Understood.
Political maneuvering by which Cuban
affairs should become temporarily a party
question is ali blank. There Is likewise
confusion about legislative methods ard
the Senate has been confounded with the
House. 1 have tried to explain these mat
ters to some fairly intelligent persons. but
it is a discouraging task. When inteili-
gent ones cannot understand congressional
procedure, it cannot be expected that
Havana's population as IL mass should
grasp it's details. The popular impression
is that since President Mckinley declared
against recognition of be,igerency in his
message, he should prevent Congress from
talking belligerency. The President gets
no credit for moderation and the mere dis
cussion of Cuban affairs in Washington
causes him to he charged with the pur-
pose of intervening. That is what hurts
the intransigcntes. the army and some
members of the autonomist government
However, no hurt is done by letting the
Havana public rage. Much education is
needed before intervention, if it should
come, will be quietly received Discussion
of the prospect is part of that education
but the people here do not discriminate
They give the same Importance to the
proposition of an American commissioner
to the insurgents that is given to the ques-
tion of the recognition of belligerency
From their point of view, Congress or the
administration is likely to take one
course as the other
Advfccs From Madrid.
Official dispatches from Madrid saying
that the government has optomistic adj
vices from Washington, do not change the
feling here. Havana insists on furthering
its own constructions on what happcns in
the United States, though press censorship
and conflicting newspaper reports restrict
its resources of information.
Foreigners in Havana are dependent on
Consul General Lee. A sharp remonstrance
has caused his papers to be delivered, and
he maintains n circulating library for the
benefit of private individuals whose Jour
nails are sequestrated. This is Cuba under
mlder autonomy. The local papers daily
print the "ban,'' or decree placing the reg
ulation Of the press in the hands of the
heads Of the general staff of the army
This censorship decree carries it's own ex-
planation of the Aolicy of no news and lack
of comment current events. The pa
pers also come out with blank columns
where the censorship has rejected articles
put in type
These statements are necessary to ex-
plain why comment on what happens in
vNoo nofn ha ,t~;o
insufficient information. At this writing
very little is known of what actually hap
pens in Congress or of Mr.. Hits exposition
of the Administrations Cuban policy be-
yond his statement that the President was
still opposed to recognizing belligerency.
Insurgents Expect Intervention.
The insurgents think they see in the news
received a more definite probability Of in
tervention, though this is based on sur
mise rather than actual knowledge Min
lister de Lomes advices have apparently
been less reassuring than usual. The pal
ace, which is really Attorney General Con-
gosto, Is still miffed at General Lee be-
cause he has refused to disavow the report
from Washington to the effect that he had
officially communicated the failure of au-
tonomy.
AddA1pnal evidence of an official charac-
ter. hdSeever, continues to be accumulated
on that point. 1t is getting to be quite
a volume. Much Of it comes from the
Spanish property-owning class. Their fears
of the triumph of the insurgents may bias
their judgment somewhat, but their actions
cannot be gainsaid They have no faith in
their own government under autonomy In
cidents such as the presentation of the in
surgent chief Masso do not alter their opin-
ion, nor does war news manufactured for
consumption in Spain affect them. Iney
know the circumstances which induced
Masso to present himself was in retalia-
tion for Gomez's course In discIplining him
and reducing him in rank The Spanish
property holder in Cuba has reached the
point where he cannot be persuaded to
keep his eyes shut.
Biancc's Paper Campaign. i
This will not Interfere with Blanco's CAM