New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-02
CUBANS STILL OBSTINATE.
MILITARY ASSEMBLY DECIDES TO POST
PONE DISSOLUTION.
DISPATCHES OFFERING A LOAN OF TWEEN
TY MILLIONS AROUSE HOPE FOR
ULTIMATE TRIUMPH
my cARLr TO THE TnIBrYE.l


IBY CABLE TO THE TRIBuYEl
Havana. April 1.-The Cuban Military Assem-
bly, has decided to make good the loss to the in
surgent army Of the S3.000.0OO now stored on
the Burnside rather than yield at once the little
shadow remaining to 1t of political importance
and authority Though the radical leaders IN
the body had faithfully promised 10 the more
moderate members that no further opposition
to dissolution would be made should the mis-
sion of Seflors Villalon and Hevia to Washing
ton prove unsuccessful discussion of the dissou-
tion motion was again postponed on the soothihg
pretence that there is still a chance of the AS
sembly's ultimate triumph over BROOKE ana
Gomez. vote favorable to postponement was
only secured however after Manuel Sanguiy
had read to his colleagues remarkable series OF
dispatches from Washington. predicting the
prompt assent os the President to the wildcat
scheme to which the Assembly had adhered so
hopefully and strenuously.
The name Of the American hacker Of the
project to raise a loan OF S2OOOO0O0 and give 1t
to the Assembly leaders to distribute among the
soldiers from lists OF their preparation was
cautiously withheld. but the sangune char
acter of his assurances that. though Seniors
Villalon and Hevia had been turned away with
cold comfort by the Secretary of State, the
soon secure the authorization needed. convinced
the more moderate wing in the body that there
might yet be some virtue in waiting. and 1t was
agreed after much talk to do nothing looking
toward dissolution until the negotiators in the
United States made further report
DISPATCHES CAUSE SENSATION.
The dispatches to Sanguy made a decided
sensation, for few of the members present sus-
pected that substantial assistance in the Assem-
blys fight TO defeat the plans of the military
government. Of the Administration and OF Cen
eral Gomez could be obtained anywhere in the
| United States 1t is believed here that the dis
patches read to-day are a mere ruse to gain
time. and Will be found to be based misn-
| formation.
The continued appreciation Of Spanish silver
and the consequent dlslocation Of local values
have created urgent demand for some
staber system of currency than that legalized
| by the military government A month two
ago the rate OF discount set by the Governor
| General for Spanish silver was 40 per cent. and
silver coins are now received in all official trans
| actions at 60 cents on the dollar. but increasing
exports Of silver to Spain. and the prospective
| initiation Of the Cuban currency through the dis
bursement of the S3,OOOo0 in standard money
/
of the cheaper metal that the local exchanges
will now give only 81 90 or even less. for an
American dollar. which formerly brought from
| 81 80 to 81 81.
ONLY BENEFITS EXCHANGE DEALERS.
! Suct dustdaions Ia silver when prices are
! accommodated 10 40 per cent discount have
| the uniform effect of sque ezing the consumer,
| with no appreciabe benefit TO any but the deal
| ers in exchange. 1t is suggested that the Gov
! ernment at Washington take steps to relieve the
situation here by Withdrawing far posi-
BILE the Spanish silver received for customs
duties instead Of paying 1t out at the varying
rates fixed daily in the exchanges The gradual
substitution Of a stable American currency
would at once DO away with the evils and en-
barrassments of a shifting and deprecated
money standard and tend to strengthen the po-
! litcal and commercial ties which now bind
| Cuba to the United States.
| II is estimated that about SlOOOoOOO In span
ish silver is still in circulation in the island.
The flow of pesos TO Spain is a steady drain on
this total however. one Spanish steamship the
| Montserrat sailing to-day with thirty thousand
OF these Spanish dollars consigned 10 Barcelona.
rather novel plan for disposng of the
| $3O0000O to be paid to.the Cuban soldiers mas
! been put forward by Senor Leonardo Cha. a
railway official in Sagua La Grande Senor
CHA thinks that greater benefit would be de,
rived both by the island and by the Individual
soldiers II the $3ONOOO were used in lump
sum as capital. instead of being dispersed III
small separate sums He has proposed. there
| fore 10 General Gomez that the fund allotted to
! the army be employed 10 start a cooperative
! bank two cooperative sugar factories, a cigar
! factory and a stock farm. Shares in the enter
prises would of course be distributed instead
! Of cash. General Gomez is said to favor the eX-
pertinent on these similar lines, and the CO.
| operative scheme may be seriously discussed by
Army officials. but success would be extremely
| doubtful. and trial might result I'm some such
unsavory and colossal failure as the Freedman's
|