The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-09-18
PEACE PLANS HELD UP
Cuban Rebel Leaders Resolve to
Reject President PaIma's
Proposals.
GUERRA NOW MAJOR GENERAL

Chosen to Command First Division of
lnsuraent Forces, General Castillo
Leading observation-disclosures De-
sire Permanent Peace, Says zayas.
Denver's Officers Fired Upon.
Havana, Sept 1S.-What may be
severe jolt to the peace plans or
mere bluff by the insurgents to obtain
better terms from Secretaries Taft and
Bacon occurred in an unexpected quar-
ter when in Bejucal the leaders of the
insurrection resolved not to accept
President Palma's proposals.
The resolution was the outcome of
council of war held in the town hall
1t was attended by all the rebel chief
tains In that part Of the island, and it
was one of the stormiest meetings even
the revolutionists have held. Speeches
condemning insurgents who showed a
disposition to believe PaIma's promises
were made, and the generals were
urged to give no heed to anything COM
ing from the government short of full
| acceptance of the terms demanded by
the Liberals. 1t was declared that Pal
mas policy had been one of evasion
and promise breaking from the first
and that the best hope of the insur-
gents to obtain needed reforms for
their country lay in making firm
stand now
Rely on United States.
Several orators spoke in milder tones,
asserting that the impending interven-
ton of the United States would guar
antee fulfillment of all promises that
might be made by the Cuban govern
meht. They said the reyolutionsts
might trust the American government
| to use its best efforts for the good of
| the Cuban people and advised that any
terms the United States might be will
! ing to indorse should~be accepted by
the insurgents. But they were swept
off their feet by the impassioned utter
ances of the radicals who carried the
| meeting in fury of oral patriotism.
The ranking general of the war coun-
| Gil put the question of accepting Pal
mas proposals to vote amid an up
roar that almost drowned his voice, and
| the resolution to hold out was carried
by acciamation.
| How far the Bejucal war council
will be regarded as binding by revolu-
/ tionary leaders who did not attend it
none can say. Pine Guerra, perhaps
| the most aggressive of the rebel chiefs,
was chosen as major general to COM
| mand the first division of insurgent
troops in meeting near Ell Cano, 10y
naz del Castillo being elected major
| general of the second division Com
| missions as brigadiers were voted to
| Generals Asbert, Minoa, Arenciba and
| Guas. That meeting also was eloquent
of defiance to the government, al
| though the insurgents said President
| ROosevelt's letter of warning and ad-
| vice had made a favorable impression
| on them. Satisfaction also was ex=
| pressed in regard to President Palma's
| decree suspending hostilities pending
| the inquiry by Secretaries Taft and
| Bacon. Nevertheless the chleftains re-
| fused to commit themselves in respect
of peace terms
| Taft and Bacon Guests of Morgan.
| Upon reaching Havana Secretaries
| Taft and Bacon will be taken by Unit
| ed States Minister Morgan to his home
| at Mariana, a suburban resort on the
shore about ten miles from Havana.
Il, with many other Moderates,"
said Representative Chibas of Santa
| go. "am willing to resign my seat If so
doing would bring peace. The real
head of the revolution is Juan Gual-
berto Gomez, who has no property and
| who, like others, would be unable to
live on the government If there were
American intervention
"The rev tionists unitedly desire
peace sal Alfredo zayas after talk
with General Menocal, "but the treat
ment of the question must proceed
slowly in order that there may be solid
and lasting conditions. All will be set
tied by a group not yet named Re
garding the terms, nobody can yet say
what they will be. l myself do not
yet know what conditions will be of
| fered"
/ There was battle in Santiago prov
ince recently-just when is not known,
/ but it is understood it must have oc-
Cured before President Roosevelts ut
terance. Meager information of the
engagement reached here in a round
/ about way. Rural guards fought Colo
! mel Dubois battalion of 400 rebels
The list of casualties was not forward
ed, nor was the result of the battle
| given.
American Officials to Decide.
One thing seems certain-peace can
not be patched up by tomorrow, on
which day the American secretaries Of
| war and state are due Secretaries
! Taft and Bacon therefore will have
n reasonable opportunity to judge con-
i ditions here.
It is reported that officers of the
/ cruiser Denver were fred on by insur-
4 gents as they were riding outside Ha-
| vana in an automobile. No one was
hurt, and the rebels apologized when
4 they learned the officers identity.
A violent explosion here wrecked and
set fire to two brick buildings. Six
persons were killed and many were