Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-19
Condition Of Things in Sagua La
Grande.
rHE FINEST LITTLE CITY IN CUBA
Terrible Condition of the Recon-
centrados There.
INSTANT RELIEF NEEDED

Copyrfght, 1888, by Charles NJ. Pepper.)
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
SAGUA LA GRANDE, Santa Clara
Province, February Is. 1888.
Sagua is one of the good places in which
| to study the future of Cuba. 1t has
prosperous past and a depressed present.
To me the sky seems a deeper indigo and a
deeper blue appears to tinse the horizon OF
| the hills than in other parts of the island.
Sagua Is known one of the finest little
cities in Cuba. Its streets are broader and
better paved it's buildings are fresher, and
| there is less the air of decay than in other
Cuban towns. In the palmy days of old
Sagua was called progressive. 1t had what
| is known in the United States as public
| spirit Most of the sugar raised in Santa
Clara province was exported from the port
| at the mouth OF the river twelve miles
away.
Sagua also offers advantages for studying
| the existing political conditions on the
Island and cleaning the prospect OF au-
tonomy. If any prospect remains. The
| insurgents in the surrounding country have
| not been so numerous elsewhere, but
they have been very resolute in the contest
| they have made against SPANS sovereignty
Inc flower of some of the best Cuban
families has gone out from here to fight in
the ranks by the side of the blacks from
Santiago II the promises of liberal gov
eminent and the invitation to share in II
| would tempt the old Cuban families the
| evidences that the temptation was winning
converts might be found in Sagua and
vicinity.
Stronghold of Spanish Sentiment,
Moreover, this has been a stronghold of
| intransigente or ultra-loyal Spanish sentf-
| ment These intransigentes in the early
| days OF the instruction believed that soon
er than make concessions to the Cubans.
spain should keep the mastery of a desert
| they thought they would rather see the
| yellow and red standard of CASTLE and Ar
| ragon floating over an ash heap than to
see the Cubans enjoying equal rights and
privileges with themselves under that flag.
| AS for the United States, tine hint that II
| had concern In what took place in this or
| any other part Of Spain's dominion gave
| them the rabies. The maidstone had to
| De applied to quiet them. They insulted
| the American consul, and at times they
were with difficulty kept from mobbing the
| consulate. In the conduct Of the war
| against the insurgents they were uncom-
promising champions of Weyler and wey-
| lerism. The farmer alcalde who when per
| mission was sought for the pacificoes to
go out little ways to cultivate the land
| ferociously replied that the only cultivation
| lit for them was I'm the cemetery reflected
the feelings of all these intransigentes
| Ample time has been given to test both
the insurgents and the Spanish loyalists.
The immediate effects of Captain General
Blanco's visit have also worn off. If the
| visit had left lasting influence that would
be plain. Nor would its results be mat
| re- of OHIO nf ,nd3
ions. About opinions, it may be briefly
said that have gathered enough of them
in Sagua and other towns in the prov
ince to ballast an empty ship. The au-
| Economists think that Governor Marcos
| Garcia is making progress with autonomy
| and those he has put in office are certainly
| exerting themselves to gain acceptance for
| the policy that is to keep them in office
The intransigentes are of the opinion that
| autonomy is demonstrated failure and
they see no cause for giving support to it
| now, since they refused their support
| when 1t was an experiment which might
| have had chance of success. The in
| surgents are of the opinion that they have
won their struggle for independence and
that 1t is only question of endurance
until Spain is forced to admit that Cuba
| is forever lost to her.
| This much for the opinions of interested
parties. Now for the conditions and the
| facts on which disnterested Judgment
may be formed. AS to the acceptance of
autonomy by the prominent Cubans who
have been identified with the insurrection.
| a brief statement is enough. There are no
such persons in this locality. A few Cubans
have embraced autonomy, but they were
not in the field themselves and they have
| not been able TO bring insurgents from the
| field. The presentations have not been
| many. In Havana 1 had heard the name
| of young Lomo as that of a prominent Gu
ban who had presented himself. 1t turned
| out that his presentation took place a year
ego. He was the son of Maj. Lomo. the
Spanish military commander of the district,
commander after Weylers own heart. 4
Cuban mother was the explanation of young
Lomo originally taking the field, as it is
| the explanation of mary other sons of
| Spanish fathers in the insurgent ranks.
In the market place fine-looking young
fellow, who had a vegetable STALL was
pointed out to me as recent presents do.
think he had been lieutenant, but he
was not able to induce any of his comrades
| in arms to surrender with him. Such other
preseutadocs as there had been were ma
jaes,' snakes in the grass, as they are
called. There are no snakes in Cuba, yet
| the term seems to fit this class Of insur-
gents. They are not regularly organized.
| They glide over the country stealthily and
are more an irregular force of camp fol-
| lowers than of real fighters. Some of them
| took the Inducements offered and embraced
| autonomy. They find themselves no better
off than when they were in the hills, the
| woods and the swamps. They want to get
back. The insurgents will not receive them.
That is all there is to be said about presen
tations in this district.
Do Not Trust One Another.
As to the intransigentes. they are not a
talkative class of persons. They do not
trust one another. But their actions speak
for them. When Captain General Blanco
was here they gave him a cold reception.
Everybody tells me that. Some of them
forgot to decorate their houses until the
military officers rode up and gave them a
hint. The widow de Ona, whose splendid
home would grace NeWDort washington