New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-20
SEEKING A CONFERENC1E
INsURGENT CHIEFS AND FORCES MASS
ING IN CUBA.
LAST CARD OF THE AUToNoMIsr GOVERNMENT
y GENERAL PANDos EFFORTS TO AR

- GENERAL PANDos EFFORTS TO AR
RANCE MEETING
Havana, via Key west. March 1a-News has
reached here from authentic sources that the
Autonomist Government. backed by the military
authorities here and the Government at Madrid,
Is now playing is last card to secure peace IN
Cuba and prevent Intervention upon the part Of
the United States.
Near Palo PHOTO. and Via Jacas Gordasa IN
the Province Of Santa Clara. on the west side
of the Jucaro- Moro trocha. are gathtred sew
eral thousand Insurgents under the command
Of General Calixto Garcia and other prominent
chiefs. accompanied by Senior Masso. President
of the Cuban Republic. with several members
Of his Cabinet. Also on the west side OF the
trocha, in the District Of Sancu Spiritus. less
than thirty miles distant from General Garcia
forces, are gathered more than two thousand m
surgents under Generals Pancho. Garlic. Mon
tcagudo. Lancez. Legion and Gonzales The
Spanish commander. General Pando. with Cen
eral Ramirez Charvez and other generals is
within few miles OF General CaliXto Garcia
General Gomez is west OF the Jucaro-M Moron
trocha, within easy reach.
MOVEMENTS OF INSURGENTS.
All the lnsurgent generals. President Masso
and the insurgent officials with General Garcia.
got through General PaEdo's lines some time
ago, and the latter gave up the campaign, which
was to be a grand military coup dc grace IN the
Province of Santiago de Cuba or the Province
Of Puerto Principe. But. in addition to passing
through the trocha the insurgents turned Cen
eral PanGos flank. 1t is just possible that this
flank movement winked at by General
Pando for tho purpose OF attempting to carry
out his Interior political purposes.
Such was the position OF ali concerned when
the last edvices were received at the Palace In
Havana General Pandos purpose. TO further
which he has ordered practical armistice in
the eastern part OF Cuba is stated succinctly as
follows:
To have a personal conference with General
Calixto Garcia, President Masso and other in
surgents and even with General Gomez. If pos
sible. and TO make them formal offer OF auton-
omy. according 10 the programme drawn up by
the Left Radical wing of that party. AS
previously cabled this offer includes in return
for the ending Of the instruction. the disarma-
ment and disbanding of all volunteers: CONNER
cial treaties TO be concluded without Spanish in
terference a maximum sum OF 100000 an
nuay 10 be paid TO Spain by Cuba. the
latter's nominal suzeran; no insurgents to be
shot or imprisoned account Of the existing
insurrection and no Insurgents 20 be sent as
prisoners out of Cuba for future political Of
fences.
GENERAL PANDo CONFIDENT.
The advices received here are in substance
that General Pando felt confident Of securing
the conference. while. the other hand. Cap
tain-General Banco Secretary General Congos-
TO and the Spanish staff officers Of high rank
and many Radical members Of the Autonomist
Government felt sure the proposition, being the
best ever offered and assuring practical indie
pendence. would be accepted. and that the re-
bellion would be declared at an end and that
consequently all excuse for the Intervention OF
the United States would be ended,
Such views however, We're not held when this
dispatch was sent by those best acquainted with
General Gomez and his Chiefs by the Span
ish-Cuban merchants, bankers, editors. law
ycrs. the best class in Havana. The latter were
sure that nothing but the proposition Of Monte
Crsto (the granting OF en- indemnity TO Spain,
but absolute independence for Cuba would ever
be considered by General Gomez or any OF his
principal followers. In support Of the latter
view. IL is officially announced that after all
the efforts near Manzanlo only two privates Of
Salvador Ruiz's band surrendered
1t Is known besides, that General Pando, in
order 10 advance his plans for the proposed cam
paign in Santiago de Cuba. greatly weakened
all the trochas, taking from them several thou
sand men and much artillery.
1t is regarded as certain in well-informed cir
Giles here that Generals Gomez and Garcia after
refusing 10 confer with General Pando, or il they
do confer. after refusing the terms offered will
take sufficient cattle and provisions from the
comparatively we-stocked country sinmedately
west. and then inaugurate raid upon the Prov
inces of Matanzas, Havana, and probably upon
the Province of Pinar del Rio. appearing near
here within fifteen or eighteen days. which Is
considered possible.
CLINGING TO AUTONOMY
Letters received here from prominent Autono-
msts In the Provinces Of Santa Clara and Puerto
Principe have been shown 10 this correspondent.
The writer's not favorable to the United
States: they still cling TO the theory OF auton-
omy and class as false the assertions that the
Spanish soldiers are unpaid and unfed. and
living In towns, while their officers conspre
against the AutOnOmist Government and refuse
to take the field either denying the presence of
the insurgents or saying. Let the troops who
are In favor Of Autonomy fight its battles
Other letters from the same sources insist that
all the plans laid to secure the surrender of the
insurgents have been badly conceived and poorly
executed. These letters add thar only in iso-
lated Instances have any OF the insurgents laid
down their arms and the insurgent leader
Masso who surrendered, II is further asserted.
was prescribed by General Gomez and was lablN
to be tried by court martial. while Of the one
hundred insurgents who surrendered with him
ct Tomento, more than half were back with the
insurgents within a fortnight
In any case. the general opinion seems TO be
that the Pando conference Will be the end OF
Autonomy. and the most sanguine assert that IL
will make the intervention Of the United States
imperative. Those who hold this view claim
that the intervention Of the United States will be
necessary in order to prevent outrages which
will disgrace civilization and also TO protect
American citizens in Cuba. Under the circum
stances news from the scene OF the conference Is
awaited here with the greatest anxiety.
Al the Offices OF the Cuban Junta. No. &c Newest.
there was general rejoicing among those who were
assembled there yesterday afternoon when one |
o. them translated the dispatch received by the |
Associated Press from Havana via Key Yves.
In reference the suspension OF military |
operations In Eastern Cuba by General Pando and |
the belief among the merchants and bankers IN |
Havana that the failure Of the proposed conference
would mean the death-blow ot autonomy. and that |
1t was probable that large force OF insurgents |
would break through the trocha and raid the |
country nm 10 Havana Whom tho nterr-..or rood !