The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-08-31
REBELS ARE GAINING RECRUITS
GROWTH OF THE INSURRECTlON
KEEPS PACE WITH EFFORTS
TO sUBDuE IT.


President Palma to extend every pos
sible opportunity for peace without
bloodshed, and his desire to permit
those who Joined the insurrection un
der misguidance to repent and return
to their homes unmolested. combined
with the general wish to end situa-
tion fraught with so much loss and
suffering. has led to consideration by
the president and his cabinet of a
project of decreeing a thirty-day am
nesty period, during which the insur-
rectionists are invited to lay down
their arms and return to their peace
ful pursuits. 1t was proposed to issue
the decree to-day, but persons close to
the president strongly opposed the
measure and the matter was deferred
and may be relinquished.
Situation Very Serious.
So far as actual conflict went. Sun
day proved to be day Of inactivity
but preparations proceeded. A fund
of 100000 has been set aside for
defense and drafts on it are heavy
and constant.
The situation is so increasingly Sc
rious that 1t is tacitly admitted in all
government circles that the enlarge
ment Of the army will continue indef-
initely.
While the number of men at present
leaving their regular occupations to
enlist for war is small, employers are
teginning to find that they soon will
be confronted with q considerable
scarcity of labor.
New Bands Take to Brush.
1t was learned yesterday that sew
eral new insurgent bands had taken
to the brush. The growth of the in
surrection certainly seems to keep
pace with the preparations for suffo-
eating 1t. Next to the progress of the
combatants the most interesting ques-
tion seems to be how to end the war
without fighting. Around the discus
sion centers much elimination and re-
elimination from both Liberals and
Moderates, each side bringing accusa-
tions as to the responsibility for the
rebellion. On one phase the Liberals
seem SO united as to suggest an un-
derstanding among them for taking
advantage of the present situation tn
press upon the government proposi-
treat with them.
No Liberals in Arms.
While no Liberals are in arms
against the government they admit
countenancing the insurrection, al
though they always deny knowledge
of any conspiracy. Interviews, state
ments and hints given out by the Lib
erals all point to the probability that
the matter might be settled on the ba-
sis of the admission Of leaders of their
party to the councils of the govern
ment and some guarantee that in the
future elections will be conducted
with absolute fairness.
Rebels More Radical.
The insurrectionists in the field
who, OF course, are far more radical in
their demands and who are important
factors in this discussion, do not think
of accepting less than the complete
annulment OF the last elections. All
the Liberals would insist, under any
circumstances, upon a general amnes-
ty for all rebels. The government at
this stage does not think of consider
ing any of these tentatively suggested
proposals. The fact is that the pal
ace authorities were yesterday In "A
most hopeful mood.
Talk of Intervention.
All discussion of this sort leads in
evitably to the subject of American in
tervention. II the conflict should last
for long time, Intervention is consid-
cred to loom up as tolerably certain
eventuality.
Santa Clara is becoming thorough
insurrectionist province. Some vii
lagos have become wholly insurrec-
zionist, and even large towns, in some
cases, have taken up arms against the
government. The attitude of the peO-
Pile Is entirely question of the atti-
tude of the leaders.
The province Of Havana is still kept
nervous by unimportant encounters.