The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-09
INDEPENDENCE IN SIGHT.
No Chance Left For Spain to Keep
Control Of cuba.
NE ARMY IN THE FIELD paRalyz
wnrships Make Fine showing on
Winter. hui Can Not Reach The in-
snrgcnts In the Interior.

New York. March S.---A dispatch to tho
IiDuns from Havana says; When arms
allied Spain fell back on politics 10 gnin
eaGc Tor Cuba. and now That politics has
faiied she seems 10 have fallen back on
arms. is the meaning of the declaration
from Madrid that sasasta has decided TO
70 eSs autonomy vigorously by military 'and
political measures.
N is the ministryts confession OF the
Z ilure of the radical autonomists 10 reach
the Insurgents with their twelve articles
lof weakened faith. Had they been sue
iocssful In open negotiations with Gomez
THO Madrid government would have tenn
iorized aud cvaded positive declaration.
There being no hope, The prospective re-
Jaction by the insurgents OF the terms Of
fered is discounted BY disayow,il In ad-
vance.
GOWN In the cabinet and AInblard and
Giberga out of 1t are loft 10 make their
own explanations They anticipated that
soniething of this kind would happen, and
they can probably take care of themselves
Had the movement proved successful they
knew 1t would have been encouraged aud
isupported in Madrd Meantime the his.
torie autonomists In the cabinet GalveA,
Montero and Seacas, como out from be-
hind their own shadows and announce that
t.ry never Endorsed the plans 1t is true
that the central committee, or junta, of
the autonomist party acted over their
heads III formally committing the organ
i.aton 10 further concessions TO the IN
tdrgcnts, but ii the pIofessed departure
mad possessed vitality. il would not have
been in danger from the opposition The
n,honomisis are sthi the fractional minor.
. of party that has been email In a Inl-
bers
p'linarily conflict raging IN cabinet
would mean disruption. However, the
autonomist cabinet has so little to do with
the actual government of Cuba, such gov
eminent rs It is, tina; no more attention. is
paid To the radically opposing portion of
its members than 10 differences OF personal
opinion. The promise that peace should
come by arms VIII divert attention from
the break down of the political support OF
autonomy only temporarily.
The army OF Spain, which Is spread over
the island, is paralyzed. II can not
achieve n single important victory, much
less carry on a military campaign When.
by chance the insurgents are oncoun-
/ tered in the fields IL the troops hold their
u
| ton. A month has gone by since General
| Blanco told the people In the eastern
| provinces that they should have peace by
| the end of February. a charitable con
struction was put on his words, and the
date was said TO be approximate" That
elastic term can not be held much longer.
The attempt is made to divert attention
! from the parayaed arms on land 10 the
! vigorous rowcr on shc water. Tha Viz
cayu and Almirante Oquendo appeal TO
The popular mind, They revive spanish
] patriotism. How heir gums are to be
lined against the insurgents In the hills
ard woods Is not explained. nor is OK
PLANTATION demanded The people are more
In pressed Aitb the shiss ns probable
force against the United States than as a
means OF fighting the Insurgents. The
| epasm may prove passing one, or 1t may
grow into a frenzy Az present one can
| not say.
The worst feature OF the situation is the
1 renewed aggressiyeness OF tho volunteers
since the Janusry riots They have seen
that the proposition Of the radical au-
| Economists TO disarm them was sufficient
| to rouse the old feeling The govern
| ment, even with autonomy moving for
ward would not have been strong enough
| TO overcome n determined opposition
! With the political policy dead. nothing
remained except TO yield gracefully and
deny that the intention to take away their
| arms existed.
! Since this official declaration has been
made II becomes the settled purpose OF
the government not 10 Interfere with the
volunteers: Instead they are 10 be coaSed
| and petted and made to think they are
| again the main support OF SpaIn's SOW
| cregnty, They arc exulting In their
strength. How far the oxplting VIII carry
| thom no one may pretend 10 say. Their
| power and their knowledge OF IT are bad
| signs for the future.