The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-08-30
PURSUIT OF PING GUERRA Ava1os in Search of the | / Rebel. Jse GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVE 1 Troops Are Being Armed and Sent
 Forward. Leader of the Insurrectiouists Probably VIII Attempt to Avoid an En- l gagement With the Army | of the Republic.
.,c GOVERNMENT IS ACTIVE

Havana, Aug 29.-The actual pursuit of Pino Guerra began today when Colo nel Avalos, commander of the Govern ment forces in Pinar del Rio. left San Juan de Martinez, in search of the main insurgent body. The latter is now estimated to number 2,000 men.
 If Guerra's recent statements can be considered. trustworthy, there will be no battle if he can help it. He has repeatedly declared that he does not want to cause bloodshed. The general opinion, however, is that he will soon be drawn into battle if. indeed. he does not suddenly assume the offensive. Otherwise, the situation today contin- ues unchanged with the exception that progress Is being made daily in arming, equipping and forwarding Government troops to the disturbed districts.
 The question of the effect of the in- surrection on the tobacco and sugar in terests of the island is becoming of most vital importance. Neither inter- est has suffered to any extent as yet, and both so far as the actual crops are concerned could. survive a continuance of the insurrecticn for some weeks yet without suffering materially.
 lis Marx, general manager of all of the agricultural operations of the American British corporation, said to
 
 '"The insurrectfon could continue for two weeks more and still have no ef- feet on next winters crop. The plant ing of seed beds ought to be beginning now, but no harm will happen If this work is deferred for a fortnight, but after that we must have men to push the work"
 Asked whether the tobacco interests were not considering some sort of in- tervention, privately or otherwise, to induce Guerra to give up the struggle, MT. Marx replied: NO, indeed. The tobacco men are totally unlikely ever tc interfere in such delicate matter. We all need tobacco. especially after the shortage of the last crop, and do not believe that anybody would profit by not having the usual crop this wsrs- | ter But nobody is going to the extent of interfering between the insurgents and the Government"
 Voluntarily Surrendered. The Governor of Matanzas tele- Rraphed this afternoon that General Cara had arrived at San Pedro de Mayabon with Colonel Leiseca and Major Almeida, the two chief lieuten- ants of ex-Congressman Carlos Men, dietas forces, who voluntarily surren- dered
 The escort of General Betancourt. consisting of twelve men. while en- camped at Hatillo, province of Matan- gas, where Betancourt is operating, was attacked by a detachment of rural guards yesterday. The commander of the escort and a sergeant were killed and three men wounded.
 Considerable surprise is expressed that Ofrencio Nodarse has joined the anti Government forces. He was direc- tor of Posts and Telegraphs up to the present month, and President of the Local Moderate Assembly, and was highly complimented by President Palma when he resigned the Postmas- er-Generalship on account of differ ences between the administration and himself over his candidacy for Mayor of Havana, to which office he had once previously been elected by majority of one, but was counted out.
 Captain Pepy Cardenas, Presiden: Palma's personal military aide de camp, started this afternoon with 200 mount ed men in the direction of Guines, with the object of encountering the insur- gent forces Colonel Asbert, who is the leader of the insurgents in Havana province, today said he has orders that if the Government does not accede tn the insurgents demands by September 15. he is to begin an active campaign destroying trains and burning property without respect to foreign ownership. He added:
 we prefer another American inter vention which would guarantee lega elections, for which we are contending TO avoid contact with the troops and therefore. bloodshed we are changing camps every eight hours"
 Asbert's command continues to be about 150 men.