The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-21

Direct Charge of All Military Opera
 tions Against the Insurgents--In-
 creases the Rural Guards to 4,OOO---
 Many Men Who Served Against Spain
 Offer Him Their Services.
 Havana, Aug. 2O-The increasing un- easiness over insurrectionary manifes- 'tatlons in the western part of Cuba was quieted to slight degree this evening by a decree of President Palma appointing General Rafael Montalvo, secretary of public works, to be in di- rect charge of all military operations against the insurgents.
 President Palma also decreed the in- crease of the rural guards to four thousand, the number contemplated in the bill introduced at the last session of congress.
 Many men who served as officers in the Cuban revolution against Spain to- day visited or telegraphed to President Palma, rendering him their services for the suppression of the instruction.
 A special train tonight took 100 ru- ral guards from Santa Clara and fifty Iartllerymen from Havana to Pinar del Rio. Not even the railroad officials have been informed of the precise point of disembarkation of these forces.
 It is evident that the Pinar del Rio insurgents are concentrating in the vii cinity of the city of Pinar del Rio, in- tent on occupying 1t for their head quarters.
 Both the government and the Vest ern railway telegraph wires were cut this afternoon between Consolacion Del Sur and Pinar del Rio for several hours Finally a guarded train took worknlen from Pinar del Rio and re- paired the lines. The workmen were not niolested, but it is expected that the telegraph wires will be cut again. Tonight the telephone wires in that region were also cut.
 | Numberless ru'nors are afoat of fighting in the western province of Ha- vana, but the only facts that have ma- terialized are that Bandera's band, which has been increased to seventy, while proceeding near the railroad be- tween Guanajay and San Antonio de Los Banos, encountered eight rural guards, who Immediately surrendered, were disarmed and let go. Other small CT bands have gone out in that vicin- ity, and probably will concentrate with the Banderas force The latter has att tackled and rified stores, and stolen mules and horses at pleasure. The band stopped one railroad train and shot at an automobile
 Many revoluttonists are reported to have left Guanajay, including Colonel Llaneras, who was captured with ne- gro companion, and coach loaded with arms, ammunition, medicines and twenty machettes.
 Several more arrests were made to- day in Havana of persons suspected of aiding the lnsurrection. Some small quantities of arms and ammunition have been seized.
 The house and senate to-day after a conference with Secretary of State o. Farrill, adopted resolutions declaring that the members would endeavor to secure, jointly and personally, the re- establishment of order,
 The mayor of Consolation Del Sur has been suspended on suspicion of as- sisting the insurgents, and other off, cials are suspected.
 A conspiracy has been discovered at Matanzas, and the authorities are in possession of list of names of those alleged to be connected with the plot, several of whom have been arrested,
 There is considerable discussion as to whether in the event of Cuba be- ing unable to suppress the insurrec- ton she should ask the United Sta tes for assistance or whether the United States may not intervene under the terms of the Platt amendment with out such request being preferred In the meantime the government assumes that it is entirely able to cope with the situation, although the condition of unrest many continue for several weeks.