The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-09


Another revolution in Cuba! Not al
all strange. for revolutions habitually
vexed that beautiful tropical island
until the American flag supplanted
that of spain over Havana's MorrC
Castle In the old days the revolt was
directed against Spanish authority and
the rule of the mailed hand. The pres
ent revolution is the more surprising as
it is now a civil war with brother
against brother, and father against
son, maybe, and there is once more the
possibility that Cubas soil will be red
dened by the unnecessary shedding OF
blood to satisfy the ambition of hot
headed but misguided patriots
Every ten years or so revolution
awoke Cuba from its climatic lethargy.
and it was the last one of these just
ten years ago in which the writer had
the opportunity to gain experience.
In the month of November. 1896, de-
parted from New York for Havana on
the Ward liner Vigilancia A passport
issued by Secretary of State Olney was
my guarantee of safety should plans go
wrong while in the Spanish-Cuban
capital. I left New York with the in
tention of passing through the Spanish
lines If possible, and across the country
to General Maceo's headquarters, at
that time somewhat indefinite as to
location. Maceo headed the insurgent
army then operating in Pinordel Rio
province in the vicinity of Havana
Captain-Genera1 Weyler, The Butch
err, was in supreme command in Ha-
vana and in Cuba of all Spanish troops.
There was practically no other way to
get to Cuba from New York as filibus-
tering expeditions were few and far
between and SO mysteriously organized
that one was seldom able to get in
touch with them
At that time Senior Palma, now presi-
dent of the Republic of Cuba, was in
charge of the Cuban junta at Sc New
Street, New York city. In that office,
although the intention of the writer
was made clear. yet so closely was news
of filibustering expeditions guarded, no
direct information concerning their
movements could be gained. Therefore,
the determination to join Maceo by the
Spanish capital route.
NEWSPAPER UPSET PLANS
While at sea the writer was in ignor-
ance of the foreordained failure of all
his plans to reach the Cuban army,
failure which resulted in his being
bottled up in Havana. A newspaper
upset things by publishing a statement
of my intended movements. The Span
ish Minister at Washington cabled to
General WeyIer the gist of the news
paper article and on landing a strict
police surveillance was placed over my
every movement ashore. The Washing
ton Post of November 10 published the
story under these headlines: "Quit
Silver for Cuba: A. p. Taylor of Ma
tional Committee off to Join Maceo:
Will Act as Second Lieutenant, which
Position is Promised Him Through the
Influence of His Uncle Then follow
ed the opening paragraph:
Mr.. A. P. Taylor, one of the secre-
taries of the National Silver Committee
during the recent campaign, has gone
to Cuba to enlist in the Cuban Army
and fight for the liberty of the Island.
Mr.. Taylor sailed Saturday from New
York on the steamer Vigilancia for Ha-
yana. After reaching Havana he will
make his way through the lines of the
enemy to the Cuban army. and take a