The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-28
PLAN OF CUBAN LEADERS
AN INDEPENDENCE PARTY TO BE OR
CANNED AT ONCE.
Anxious to Hasten Termination of
American Occupation Contract
with Spanish Bank Revoked.

HAVANA Jan. 27.-Dr Castillo is going
to Remedies in order to confer with Gen.
Maxine Gomez regarding the formation of
the projected Cuban independence party.
The plan, which has been discussed at small
meetings here of notable CubanS has one
idea--the termination of the military occu-
patton of the islands as soon as possible.
The Spaniards have been invited to join in
the movement and will be given proper
tonate representation on the committees.
The organization of the new party will be-
gin Immediately in the different towns of the
island. The general purpose is to draw into
the party the educated and wealthy and not
TO allow the military element to control it.
No specific time is thought of for the end
Of the American provisional government.
and several months are considered necessary
to solidify the Cuban people and prepare
them for taking up sef-government.
There are now twenty-seven military post
offices in operation in Cuba. Instructions
have been given to the American postmas-
tiers to work in conjunction with the former
Spanish postmasters. None of these has
been removed. They have all been informed
that they may continue their labors and
that the United States is responsible for
their salaries from Jan l. The Spanish
| lCstmasters, with very few exceptions, took
the oath of allegiance to the United States,
and not one of them has been relegated to
! secondary position. Money order and regis
! try departments are operative in all the pub
| lie and military stations.
| The chief of the Cuban army will learn in
q day or two from the members of the re-
turning commission of the impossibility of
obtaining from the United States govern
ment the sum of $40,GG0,000 or any amount
approaching that to pay the Cuban army.
Consequently, it will rest with the army TO
disband or to continue to hold together un-
til the sum of 100000, which has hereto
fore been regarded as trivial is received.
The military administration has had no
communications with the Cuban command
ers regarding the question of pay; but Gov
ernor General Brooke Is in a position to
learn quickly the purposes of any consider
able portion Of the army. The expectation
is that the Cubans will accept the situa ton,
after complaining a little or good deal,
and then disintegrate
Major General Lee proposes to recon-
mend to Washington as one step in hasten
ing pacifcation and the restoration of order
in the province the formation of a regiment
of one thousand picked Cuban soldiers to
be used as a provincial constabulary. AS a
second step he will recommend the estab-
lishment by the military government of
banks that would loan at moderate rate
of interest on land security. as to en-
able land owners. for themselves or their
tenants, to get yoke of oxen, twenty
chickens, couple of pigs and about fifty
cents a day until a crop could be raised.
1t is reported that quantity of dressed
beef brought here by the United States
transports Michigan and hung upon the
docks last night was found in a Shiny con-
dition this morning. 1t is also reported that
Il quantity of canned beef which has been
issued to Cuban sufferers was canned for the
japanese army in the Japan-China war.
The customs receipts to-day amounted to
SAG 900. The receipts yesterdaT were SAG 900.
The gross receipts for January, including to-
day, are 1924, 900, and Collector Bliss expects
to reach $500 COO with the end of the month
This would be at the rate of 81, 600 600 a year
more than Spain collected annually during
the last twelve years of her regime. The
American tariff is 60 per cent. less than the
Spanish. These figures give idea of the
extent of Spanish official peculation