The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-02-05

THElNsURGENTs GAINING ADVANTAGE
N Recent ENGAGEMENTS They Have
WON signal MISUNDERSTANDING
Worsc on Than Cubans'

New York, February 4.--A dispatch to
the Tribune from Havana says: General
flanco has returned from a trip TO the
sastern provinces, which, put IN the best
possible Light, has failed to come UP TO
tho expectations raised in Madrid. The
eagasta ministry can not longer delnde It
self with the false hope that the adhesion
or a few minor insurgcnt chiefs IL evidence
that the instruction Is disintcgrating From
within. It's power OF resistance Ia shown
BY the fact that in such military opera
tions MS have taken place during the last
fortnight the advantage has been With the
insurgents. Briefly. the situation. which
BY this time must be understood by the
ministry. Is that persuasion has failed to
win the insurgents to autonomy and tnat
the army has had no better success,
The intransgentes have their remedy
They are not making threatening demon
situations against the captain general ana
telling him that the situation Is insup-
portable and that the only practicable
solution ds for him TO go home. For the
present they are contcnting themselves
with advising Madrid OF these Afacts What
action they VIII take later IN the matter
OF dissatisfaction can not be toretoiu.
They realize tho recall OF Blanco would
be confession that the policy he was
sent out TO lridorsc Ia q failure. They do
not expect that the Sagaata ministry VIII
confess itself out or office in this manner.
They talk vaguely that the army must he
made a.prenle IL enforcing peace. 40
though The army mad not been supreme Tor
years
1t Is the frank Judgment Of competent
military Judges that ti- Spanish troops
in Cuba today are In worse condition than
the Insurgents. though both the strength
and tho resources OF the Inter may he eN-
nggerateil Weyler failed in his campaign
in Santiago. pando criticised Weyler. hut
he has done no better. In two months the
sole achievement OF his forces has been 10
rescue the survivors of the garrison OF
Guanna. Thsi General Luque should be
driven into Holguln from Que direction and
General Llnarez should seek refuge in the
town from another direction Indicates q
fair degree OF actively on the part OF the
insurgents In Santiago, under the command
of Calixto Garcia and Rabl'
General Pando has had the extra am
munitiop for which he asked. Everything
was done chat the authorities could do for
the soldiers. Nevertheless the sickness T.
very great.
General Blanco's time nj Mnnzanillo ana
SANTIAGO de Cubn was taken up with in
epection OF the hospitals AZ the season
advances the fevers stili grow worse The
probability OF successful campaign In
the Orient this year e now eliminated from
tho events which might help bring thu IN
surroction to an end and secure the az
ccplance of autonomy This has somo Inn
portance when the plan Of placing gTcuter
dependency IN the army Is preached,
Az for the prescntndos, they can mol he
magnificd info Importance onSAeh 10 have
amy influence in weakening the insnrgcnts'
militia.
A tow officers. some ranking rs hirh rs
colcbols. do not constitute lie, backbone
OF the insurreetIon. and the nNhih'r of fol
lowers they have hren ,bic 10 bring N an |
not be SAIL 10 have lesscuod materially |
IT, strength.
II Is not 10 be cxpertad that General |
Blanro viii nerml disappointment ., be |
manifest In his actions. The importation |
Of autonomy will go forward so far a. NJ |
fieial proceedings can make Il appear 10
do so.
Preparations for election viii continue
in the leisurely manner that hos hereto
fore marked them
The conservatives are charging that tnr |
government. In itR anxiety 10 prevent The |