Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01

of business and trade have ceased to flow.
even in sluggish streams. Nothing more
remains in the town. 1t IL rare now that
a stranger comes TO Matanzas. Rarer still
are the occasions when any one climbs the
hill to the Chapel Of Our Lady of Monser-
rat for a view of Yumuri valley and the
bay and ocean. The monks no longer find
1t worth their while to stay to receive
native offerings. and the chapel Is closed.
A small squad of soldiers Is there, and WIS.,
itors are rare that half q dozen strang-
ers would probably call them to arms
to resist the supposed invasion. But,
though nobody comes to MatanZas, nobody
goes away. The Inhabitants have not the
means to leave, and, il they had, there is
no place to which they could CO. 1t Is
among them that have already heard the
question since President McKinley's APP
peal for food: What will be the next step
in the Intervention of the United States!
FruitIcss Military Operations.
I am aware that military operations such
as a sweeping series of victories for the
Spanish troops all over the island might
render it unnecessary to pursue the ques-
ton. That would make the practical APP
plication of autonomy again a matter OF
current interest. And it must be said that
the troops in this province are active. In
the gray of the morning l saw a Spanish
column, GDO strong. starting out. The
mounted stan, small detachment CT
cavalry, the pack train, the stretcher
bearers, all looked like war. A smaller
column was creeping across the country
to affect a junction near the foothills.
The insurgents were in the Hills and evil
IDENTIFY dash was to be made for them.
But this was several days ago, and as no
important victory of the Spanish troops
haS he.a al thn npl,t hoy
returned to camp by this time. leaving the
insurgents in their strongholds. This re-
connoiter may not have had leading part
in General Blancos plans for the cam
paign, yet 1T was meant for something, and
fruitless military operations of this kind
cause the question to recur: What do they
think of the prospects in the United States?
1 believe ii was three weeks after his mes
sage gave Spain credit for ability to carry
out a humanitarian policy that President
Mckinley appealed to the American people
to answer the promptings of humanity and
send food to Cuba. Events such as this
may be aiding to determine what is the
reasonable time which was conceded to
Spain for establishing peace and implant-
ing autonomy. Perplexed executive, con-
serVatve business men and timid congress-
men might wish that Intervention could end
with sending succor to the Cuban people.
Their wishes do not control. What is going
On IN Cuba warns them to be getting ready
for something else.
40 si4I NouHtiy, III SOHlo respects, a DSlIer
idea can be had of the probabilities than in
havana There pretense of activity can
be kept Up. which may deceive these who
want to deceive themselves. In the, rurai
districts this cannot be done. Here every
body knows that the zones of cultivation
nave moi been extended, that the reconcen-
tradoes have not been pu: back in their
houses fortnight ago. after traversing a
portion OF Havana province, / was unable
TO md single new bohio that lad been
put up, or an old one that had been thatch-
ed and reoccupied. After several days more
IN Havana province. and also in MatanZaS,
the same report has to be made Possibly
$40 reconcentradoes have gone to the sugar
plantations to work. Back to their little
farms In the country and to the cultivation
of the soil. none. The towns and villages
where the concentration settlements were
still have to feed and bury the reconcen-
IadoeS- With their own means exhausted
ard with no signs of the remnant of the
country people being able TO provide for
Themselves in the future, they take little
thought of the new political system
Whether it is called autonomy or some
thing else is all the same to shem. They
see no prospect of the soil being cultivated
until the war ends. And they wonder hen
the war will end. That brings them back
to the starting point. Since the Urited
states has volunteered to nelp feed the
starving. they begin to wonder whether it
Will not have something TO volunteer to-
ward ending the war. The utterance of
this feeling is not a noisy one 1t is more
like timid inquiry
CHARLES NJ. PEPPER.