The gold leaf., 1906-09-27

Who Commands Over 5000 Cuban In
surgents.
Sunday. when it was announced that
the Liberals and the insurgents had
empowered a committee to represent
them before the American GIediators
1t is evident that the business in.
terests of the island have no conf
dence in the ability of the Cubans tC
rule themselves. and now, when it ap
pears too late, they are openly favor.
ing intervention and possibly annexa
tiOn.
Secretary of War Taft is cognizant
of this general opinion that peace can.
not last unless it Is enforced by an
American army, but he considers that
it is the duty of the United States
to give the republic another chance
and believes that it would be bad pol
icy for the United States to keep
force in Cuba longer than was re-
quired to supervise the laying down OF
arms. He said that if the Liberals
and Moderates harmonic their differ.
ences the United States must regard
the compact as made in good faith.
That will come as the result of the
mediation of the United States is now
believed by Cubans, regardless of party
affiliation, but whether it will be on
terms which will insure permanent
tranquility is questioned.
Secretary Taft and Assistant Secre-
tary of State Bacon spent Sunday
quietly, receiving few persons. Repre-
sentatives of the veterans and of the
dimplomatic corps made brief visits.
Senator Alfredo Zayas later met the
mediators at the American legation
and arranged for their first meeting
with the insurgents and Liberals COM
mittee. All conferences hereafter will
be held at the legation on account OF
its accessibility. since all of the visi-
tors to Mcssrs Taft and Bacon reside
in Havana.
When the diplomatic representatives
of the foreign powers visited Mr.. Nor:
gan's villa at MarianaO. Mr. Taft sig
nificantly stated that he could give
them no definite assurances of peace,
for the reason that terms had not been
put forward This statement was in
response to an expression from Gay
tan de Ayala. the Spanish minister,
that the world expected the United
States to settle the turmoil on such
gereous but firm conditions as to main
tain the integrity of the republic
Among the other callers at Marianao
were Generals Meocal and Agramonte,
who congratulated Messrs Taft and
Bacon on their success in bringing the
Moderate and the Liberal leaders to a
realization of the necessity of each
making some concessions. The veter-
ans evidenced sympathy with many of
the principles for which the insurgents
took up arms. They suggested that
the first basis of the negotiations
should be for the revision of the Cuban
constitution, alleging that it confers
too much power and too little response
bility upon the members of the cabi-
net.
The nearest insurgent camp. near
La Lisa, just west of Marianao. was
visited by great crowds of Havanese.
Ensouraged by the reports that peace
was imminent, the people for the first
time dared 10 crafty their curiosity
and to show their great sympathy
with the revolutionary cause. AL
though it was raining this did
not dampen the ardor of those
who wished to visit the insurgents.
Many extra cars were in operation.
and every kind of conveyance was
used by the crowd. but these were in
sufficient, and many persons walked
the twelve miles from Havana to the
camp. II is feared that the effect of
this enthusiasm may be bad in the
event that the peace terms require the
rebels TO make decided concessions.