The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-09-19
No PEACE BASIS IS
 IN EVIDENCE YET
INSURGENTS WANT CONSPIRACY PRISONERS RELEASED BEFORE
 NEGOTIATIONS ARE OPENED.

Taft and Bacon Reach Cuba TO-day and
 They Are Likely to Take Up Work
 With Little Regard to Past Griev-
 ances-GOvernment Forces Not Equal
 to nsurgents-SmaII Guards About
 Havana's Suburbs.
 Havana, Sept. 1S.-Nothwithstanding some appearance of activity no decisive progress was made to-day in the peace negotiations. A few peace seekers went westward in automobiles with the idea of reaching and conferring with Pino Guerra, the insurgent leader in Pinar del Rio province, and others visited Loynaz del Castillo, the commander of the insurgent forces in Havana prov ince, but the only definite thing report ed is that the Insurgents in the field are not willing to enter on negotiations until all the conspiracy prisoners shall have been released. While it is proba- ble that those most highly responsible may reach a basis of agreement in time to present it to Secretary of War Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Ba- con when they land here tomorrow, there is nothing to show that such a basis has been reached as yet; while there is every evidence that if it has been reached it will not be accepted by the insurgent following,
 The impression is general that Secre- tary Taft will take up the work of .peacemaking with small consideration for past grievances, the main idea be- ing rather constructive measures for the future
 The newest feature of the revolution is disappearance of Americans from the Isle of Pines, complaining that officials of the courts of the Isle of Pines are searching the homes of all Americans for firearms, and seizing all arms which may be found.
 They will appeal to Minister Morgan and Assistant Secretary of State Ba- con tomorrow with a request that a United States naval vessel be sent to the Isle of Pines to safeguard the lives and property of Americans.
 Stories of the latest encounters show that the government forces are not equal in number to the insurgents. The latter consequently, had the advantage in the last fight which took place at Los Palacios between government l force under Colonel Avalos and insur- gents under Pilo Guerra. This fight was stopped by the timely appearance of Guerra's brother and others on a peace mission, but not before Pino 1 Guerra had occupied the town and his 1 followers had done some footing.
 The insurgents In Havana province are resting quietly and awaiting devel- | opments. Whether those in Santa Clara province are doing likewise is not | positively known on account of the irl- terruptjon of telegraphic communica- I ton.
 An Associated Press correspondent this afternoon visited three tnsurgent camps west of Havana. He found all the towns from Artemisa to Arroyo Arenas controlled by insurgents. Col onel Galvez, who was penned up Satur- day, September 15, with 100 volunteers, in the town hall at Guanajay is still there, surrounded by insurgents who are deterred from dynamiting the building because of the fact that Gen. Loynez del Castillo's wife and family are held there by Colonel Galvez.
 Pino Guerra $ force is believed to be camped tonight at Artemisa and it is expected that tomorrow it will unite with General Casillos force outside Havana.
 There is only a small detachment of government forces guarding the Lisa bridge. the entrance to Marianao, which is the nearest suburb to Havana. i Between Marianao and the city of Ha- vana there are a few hundred rural guards and militia guarding the roads. The guards stated to the Associated Press that if the insurgents should ad- vance in large numbers they could not be expected to resist them.
 Late tonight news was received that all was quiet at Cienfuegos.
 Alfredo Zayas, the president of the liberal party who has just returned from an automobile trip to the west, in the course of which he consulted with several of the insurgent leaders, stated that he had prevailed on them not to come within twenty miles of Havana Senor Zayas positively declared that the insurgents will not negotiate for peace until the government releases all those who are held in prison on charges of conspiracy. Senator zayas is very anxious to talk with Secretary of War Taft and Assistant Secretary of State Bacon personally.
 1 t Train Went Through Bridge