Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-01
UNDER A FLAG OF TRUCE.
That is the Only Way Gomez win Discus
With Banco.


New York, April IA dispatch to
the Tribune from Havana says:
4 Progress towards settling the Cuban
question cannot be reported from Gu
ba. So little is known here of the me-
gotiations between the two govern
ments that even the most violent
among the Spanish classes are dis
Desultory lighting goes on in the
eastern provinces with the usual dis
posed to await further Information.
proportion. according to official re-
ports, between the numbers of insur-
gents killed and the number of Spanish
soldiers wounded. while the mortality
among the horses continues heavy
This is all there is of the military sit
uation on which Spain might base the
pretensions that her arms are making
Roadway.
AS to an armistice, nothing has been
done, and Gen. Blanco, apparently, is
able to do nothing until he changes
his methods. The two agents of the
government who are acting under Gen.
Pando's direction in trying to open
negotiations for the acceptance of am
plified autonomy. are still at the sugar
plantation near Holguin, in Santiago
province. They are trying to reach
selves with sending out letters to the
insurgent camps.
Gomez can be reached as quickly
from Havana as from Holguin. He
will receive a proposition for an armis
tice sent from Gen. Blanco under
flag of truce and in no other way.
This is as well understood in govern
ment circles as among insurgents.
The officials will not admit that this
stage of recognizing the belligerency
of the insurgents has been reached,
yet there Will be no communication
openly und under forms OF war.
Gomez, according TO the latest nd
vices from him. does not expect such an
admission. He seems to think the best
method OF settlement which will have
proper regard for Spanish susceptible
ties is through a commission or COM
missioner from the United States. He
has promised that any commission
shall be conducted to his camp within
two days after leaving theSpanish lines
around Sancti Spiritus In Santa Clara
province. But any negotiations either
direct or through the good offices of
the Washington administration must
be based at the outset on the recog-
milton of Cuban independence. No ar
mistice VIII be arranged that does not
proceed from this starting point and
no peace negotiations will De begun ex-
cept on this condition.
information on this point is not
guesswork. II is definite and trust
worthy.
Consul General Lee has so far re-
ceived no intimation that the negotia-
lions between Spain and the United
States have made progress to the de-
gree that communication may be opened
with the insurgents. II the peaceful
cession OF the independence OF Cuba
depended upon the temper OF the Span
ish classes In Cuba 1t would be de-
feated.. Their temper is an ugly one.
The report on the Maine disaster had
been so thoroughly discounted In adj
vance Of Its publication caused no
demonstration here. Nevertheless.
violent and passionate objections are
made to It and ignorance IS played on,
inhaming minds to believe that the
finding OF exterior explosion was made
by the American board for the pur-
pose of giving the UnitedStates griev-
ance against Spain. The falsehood
that Captain Sigbee and his officers
were not on board is repeated. This
is sample OF the way Spanish preju-
dices are invoked. However all classes
recognize that the Maine Incident in IT.
self is not going to cause war between
the two countries.
The irritation OF the ultra loyallsts
shows itself in another manner. The
who say they are Civ
ing the government patriotic support
because Of the aggression of the United
States, are demanding that succor 10
to the reconcentrados be stopped, and
that II aid Is necessary. which they
profess to deny.it be given by their own
authority. No heed win be piad to this
Gen. Blanco could not heed