Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-27
REBEL LEADER CAUGHT
CUBAN CABINET DIVIDED OVER
PLAN TO END UPRISING.

Former Congressman Carlos Mendieta.
chief Of the uprising in Santa Clara prov
ince, Cuba, and Col. Arana, his adjutant
have been captured by government troops.
They were about to leave for the north
and had $4,000. with which, 1t is supposed
they were going to buy arms for the rebels
Maj. Gomez Of the government reports
another engagement with insurgents near
Cascamal yesterday, in which several men
were killed or wounded Details of this
affair had not yet been received at Havana
last night.
A band of 100 insurrectionists entered
Las Lajas, Santa Clara province, yesterday
and got away with the contents of the
local treasury, 5000, and all the horses in
town.
Cabinet Differences.
There are grave differences between Pres
ident Palma and Vice President Mendez
Capote. The latter is suspected Of having
considered with Senator Alfredo Zayas.
president Of the liberal party, the question
Of whether peace could not be restored by
Palma's withdrawal from the presidency,
by permitting Mendez Capote to succeed
him and by giving certain posts to the
liberals. None OF the parties concerned
were willing to discuss this matter last
night, but the source of the correspondents
news is entirely reliable.
A fund Of 100000 has been set aside
by the treasury for defense, and drafts
on 1t are heavy and constant
The situation Is so increasingly serious
that 1t Is tacitly admitted in all govern
ment circles that the enlargement of the
army will not stop at any given number
but will continue indefinitely.
New Insurgent Bands.
insurgent bands had taken to the brush
The growth of the insurrection certainly
seems to keep pace with the preparations
for suffocating 1t.
Next to the progress Of the combatants
the most interesting question at Havana
yesterday seems to be how to end the war
without fighting. Around the discussion Of
this question centers deal of elimination
and recrimination from both liberals and
moderates each side bringing accusations
against the other as to the responsibility
for precipitating the rebellion.
On one phase Of the controversy the lib
erals seem so united as to suggest an I'M
Outstanding among them for taking ad-
vantage of the present situation to press
upon the government proposition that 1t
ought In some manner to treat with them
or at least admit them to a conference Of
some sort While no liberals are in arms
against the government, they admit counte-
nanclng the lnSurrectlOn, though they al
ways deny knowledge of any conspiracy.
Suggestion by Liberals.
Interviews, statements and hints given
out by the liberals all point to the prob
ability that the matter might be settled on
the basis of the admission of leaders of
their party to the councils of the govern
ment and some form Of guarantee that in
the future elections will be conducted with
absolute fairness.
The insurrectionists In the field, who, of
course, are far more radical in their de-
mands. and who are important factors In
this discussion do not think Of accepting
less than the complete annulment of the
last elections.
All the liberals would insist under any
circumstances upon general amnesty for
all rebels. The government at this stage,
does not think of considering any of these
tentatively suggested proposals.
All discussion of this sort leads newt
ably to the subject of American interven-
ton. If the conflict should last for a long
time Intervention is considered to loom as
a tolerably certain eventua1ity. If the gov
eminent subdues the insurrection and chas-
tises, wounds or kills members Of the lib
eral party the feeling of rancor is expected
to continue for years If the insurrection-
lists prevail, 1t Is predicted that uncertain
conditions are bound to continue