The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-10-07


inR TO work unless they are paid i've
months arrears Of wages. The strik'
began on Monday and no settlement has
yet been made
The Spanish cruiser conde De Venadlte
and gunboat 0allcla and the torpedo boat
NeuVa Espana are on the stocks az the
navy ward undergoing extensive repairs
preparatS=y 20 their trip TO Spain. The
arsenal strike Is liable 70 delay the evac.
uatlon 80 far as tho navy Is conc erned
unless tho differences are soon settled,
as the vessels In their present condition
are quite unequal TO sea voyage. es.
pecially at this time Of the year.
The Spanish authorities continue TO de.
clare their inability TO eyacuate the
island entirely before the end Of Febru'
airy. Tho Washington government,
through the American commissioners.
continues 10 insist upon prompt evacua-
tion. The spanlards say. also as rea-
son for delay. that In addition 70 the lack
OF vessels. a large proportion Of their
soldiers are too weak and III to undertake
the voyage In the winter season.
General Blanco Is beset on all sides
with grave nroblems requiring a cash 80
luton. Unfortunately. the Madrid gov
ernment Is unprepared 70 meet them. and
the captain general is thus placed in a
very delicate position. On the one hand
Is the navy yard strike. on the other are
troops clamoring for back pay. Last
week General Bianco issued orders dis
banding all the provisional regiments In
certain places. as. for instance. at Sancti
splrltus. The troops refused to disband
unless they hrst received their arrears Of
pay. Many Of them went over to the Gu
ban ranks.
The trip TO Cienfuegos OF General Sol
ano General Blanco's chief OF stan. Is
understood y be due to the seriousness
OF the situs:.0n Exactly what reasons
rendered the measure necessary have not
been developed. but General Blanoo yes
terday revoked the order disbanding the
rregulars.
II has leaked out that In his extremity
General Blanco summoned the governor
OF the BaEso Espanol and called upon
him for an advance Of money. The bank
official at first refused. but finally yielded
to Blanco's anDeal and agreed TO advance
$4,000. His weakness is seriously con-
demned. many OF the depositors threaten
Ing to withdraw their deposits.
The commercial condition o. the island,
instead OF improving. seems to be at a
complete s,andstili. The undisguised cor
ruptlOn In every branch OF the admins
,ration fills all minds with distrust.
There are ominous clouds on the horizon
that indicate early trouble with the Gu
bans, who are now openly proelaiming
their readiness to fight to the last drop
Of blood for absolute Independence.
Prominent chiefs in the insurgent army
have indicated their intention, as soon
as the forthcoming elections are over,
to come to Havana and work strenuously
for Independence. In this they are sup
ported by the laboring classes, or pa
cihcos. not identified with the last up
rising. three fifths Of whom. It may be
safely estimated. profess their intention
OF Joining the insurgenI ranks in the
struggle for independence and to fight the
Americans, II the latter in any way op-
pose absolute freedom for the island.
Distrust and uncertainty as to the tre-
else policy of the United States govern
ment with rugard to Cuba keeps the
island in a precarious and unsettled con-
dition. Havana is deservedly alarmed
over the release OF 100 Nanigos, who have
been undergoing sentences in Spain's col
onles in Africa. These crimials are most
ly murderers belonging to the Mango
societies. whose initiation rites demand
that the neophite should murder the first
person he meets in the street. the cere-
mony Of dr!nking the hot blood of CO. k,
II the feathers in the cocks tail are
black he must kill negro; II white the
victim must be a white man. and II yell
low or bun. then mulatto or China
man
These Nanigoes have long been been a
menace to this city, waging their battles
In the streets and committing terrible
crimes. During the past few years up
wards OF 100 Of them have been arrested
and sent to Ceuta The report of their
release and probable return to Havana
fills the population with dread.
Senior Francisco De Armas, civil COVER
nor Of Matanzas has been relieved OF his
office owing to his inabinty to cope with
conditions there. During his administra-
ton nothing seemed to be done to re-
lieve the distress and reduce the terrible
mortality. Armas is Cuban and au-
tonomist governor and the Spaniards see
in his conduct sometime beyond incapa-
bility.