Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1906-10-03

here. He has gone over all the mill.
tary plans, approved them and famil.
iarized himself with the military sit
uation as presented by Maj. Ladd,
who has been here for fortnight.
Among the places visited by Gen.
Funston. was the rebel camp outside
of Havana. Here the American gen
eral met Gems. Guerra and Del Cas-
tillo and other commanders of the in
surgents, some of whom he knew dur
ing the last revolution.
The atmosphere at the palace is de-
cidedly gloomy. Everybody who
energies from President Palma's pri-
vate office wears long face Men,
bers of the cabinet reiterated that
Palma had not receded from his de-
termination to resign.
The moderate national assembly re-
convened Thursday afternoon. The
sentiment of the meeting was strik-
ingly different from that displayed
the day before. After an hour of de-
sultory discussion Alfredo Zayas, the
liberal leader; Gen, Mario Menocal,
head Of the veterans, and Senator
Sanguily, Independent, appeared and
offered a new proposition, namely,
the resignation of the senators and
congressman chosen at the last elec-
tons, new elections to fill these va
cancies, the acceptance of President
Palma's resignation and the getting
together on a new president who
should, they stipulated, be either lib
eral or an independent.
Taft and Bacon Approve.
Senator Zayas asserted that Secre-
taries Taft and Bacon had approved
this proposition, but the assembly was
not willing to consider it without con-
sulting the American commissioners.
A committee was therefore dispatched
to consult with the American. It con-
sisted of Senior DOLE, president of the
senate; Gen. Nunez, governor of Hav-
ana province; Senators Frias and
Fonts y Sterling, and Congressman
Gown:
Secretary Taft told this committee
that he had at first approved the sug-
gestion Of Senior Zayas, provided that
both parties felt it would bring peace
but upon further consideration he had
decided that if It became necessary
to create a provisional government,
the only safe plan was that this be
done by an act of the United States.
Palma or Intervention.
The committee questioned as to
what the attitude of the commission
ers would be if congress elected a
constitutional president, Secretary
Taft replied that such a course would
embarrass the commissioners greatly,
as they felt that any other man than
Palma would not be satisfactory to
all, including the United States.
Therefore, unless President Palma
continued in Office Intervention SEEM
ed the only alternative.
When the committee reported this
to the moderate assembly it resulted
in immediate expressions that nothing
remained but intervention. After a
long discussion, however, it was
resolved to attend congress and re-
fuse to accept President Palma's res.
ignation. Beyond this no one would
make a prediction, and there was but
faint hope Of finding a way for the
preservation of Cuba's sovereignty.
The assembly dissolved amid a gener-
al feeling of depression.
Rural Guards Loyal to America.
ALI doubts as to the loyalty of the
rural guards to the American govern
ment in case of Intervention have
been set at rest by the declaration of
officers that they would support a Taft
government with enthusiasm. One
officer said:
1.-The American government appoint
ed us. If it sees fit again to take over
Cuba temporarily, why should we not
be loyal to it. We are soldiers, not
politicians, and our duty is to support
the established government.
Thirteen hundred volunteers who
were recently brought here from Ma
tanzas to help protect Havana, were
ordered to return to Matanzas by Gen.
Rodriguez.
Fifty extra guards were stationed
at the water works on account Of ru-
mors that the rebels intended to take
possession of the works.