Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-12-17
IN CUBA.
Garcia's Death a Loss to the Island
and to This Country,

this period is loss for both Cuba and
the United States. Cubans today are
much too excited over the killing of
two OF their number Sunday night by
Spanish officers and soldiers to appre-
ciate the significance, though their
grief is deep. A larger part of the in
surgeHt sarmy had aistrong affection
for Garcia. Commanders who are in
control Iof the forces around Havana
appredldte that their task Is increased
by the death Of Garcia. Whether the
commission in Washington Is success
full or not in arranging a loan with
which to pay insurgent troops, Garcia
was the leader to whom all were look
ing for guidance He had shown IN
| expected strength in controlling radl-
cal elements at the Santa Cruz Assem-
bly, and in having himself placed at
the head of the commission to visit
washington. He had also impressed
all the insurgents that they must not
antagonize American military control
His infueneE was decided, and his
wishes were respected.
Garcia was ambitious, and he was
ikftowh to be booking forward to be-
coming President Of the Cuban Repubr..
Nc, but he showed himself a politician
| ihl The best sense of the word Maxi
mo Gomez had censured him. for his
hasty action at Santiago after his
! quarrel with Gen. Shafter, and he was
in open antagonism with members of
the late provisional government
Nevertheless, mutual tolerance ~ was
shown. The sorrow over Garcia's
death will be widespread. He was not
l strong revolutionary commander,
such as Gomez, but since the death of
Maceo, he had been, after Gomez, the
most important leader among the in
sIrgents. His loss may impress upon
them that they have tco few strong
men to indulge in dissensions among
themselves.
The immediate effect of Garcia s
death will be to bring forward leaders
of the provisional government. such
as Masso and Capote, who were not in
harmony with Garcia However. they
all counsel acquiescence in the tempor-
airy American control, and some OF
them to annexation. Their weak point
! is that they cannot be expected to
have the influence with Cuban soldiers
, that officers who commanded the in
5 surgent forces possess. Masso has
been reported as distrustful OF Amer
, lean occupancy, and not in full SYM
: pathy with the visit of the Garcia COM
I mission to Washington. Nevertheless
he has steadily counseled acquiescence
Gomez has remained at his camp in
Santa Clara Province, refusing to
transfer his headquarters to Marianao
on the ground that he was not needed
and did not intend to make a show OF
himself. His actual objection was said
: TO be due to unwfllingness TO recognize
Spanish sovereignty. The period OF
Spanish authority is now SO brief, and
4 his cCunsels are SO badly needed by
Cubans that he may change his mind
and come at once. ial ,.,.
The situation in Havana, growing
out of the affray Sunday night, Is a
delicate and even dangerous Zone.
Both Cubans and Spaniards are anx-
ious for trouble though under exist
ing circumstances, with the Spanish
forces in control of The city, the Gu
bans are bound to get the WErst of
whatever happens. The beginning of
thei6ontroversy Sunday night wih al
ways be disputed though it seems to
have arisen from a quarrel BETWEEN a
Cuban civilian and Spanish officer.
; The Cubans wounded and killed were
lnsurgent officers, Col. Pene and Capt
Sotolongo. 1t Is probable that some
Cubans did fire revolvers from side
street, although they deny it. Gen
: Julio Snaguilly, who was in the Hotel
Ingiaterra when the trouble began,
tried to draw his revolver, but was pre-
vented by friends and went upstairs,
where most of the Cnbans took refuge
and were pursued. Americans to the
number of twenty or thirty lodged ev-
erywhere they could. The testimony
IS conclusive that whatever merits ex-
.sted ait the beginning there was moth
ing to justify the wholesale and reck-
less fuslllading of the Hotel Inglaterra
in which the Spanish officers and men
indulged, and which endangered many
ives, No. riot existed. A bullet, hole
in mirror is that Of Mauser, This
bullet killed Sotolongo, who was in the
cafe. At least two volleys were fired
by Spanish soldiers from Central Park,
directely across from the hotel. Col.
Pene, who was killed by one OF these
yoll.ys, was standing within two feet
Of an American. Thsfatk ,erlcan Of
ficer who went with the spanish staff
officers to pursuade the Major in COM
mapd to- stop, firing had to dodge
change fnsinades.
Gen Creme and members of his staff
were asleepcin the UPPER part OF. the
hotel when the firing began. Gen.
Greene acted promptly, communicat-
ing wi.n both Gen. Wade, as president
| Of the American military cOrn nniS q Nm