Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-27

solution offered incentive TO further revo-
luton as a resalt of the victory which the
revolutionists would obtain through the
action Of the commissioners. Senior Mon
talvo concluded with these words:
only on a basis OF law and justice can
the moderates continue treating for peace"
In the meanwhile Senior DOLE had been
sent for by Secretary Taft. He appeared
at the American legation and made the
following proposition. requesting the opin-
ion Of the commissioners thereupon:
That both sides appoint committees of
ak to treat for peace, but with the prior
condition that the rebels lay down their
arms"
Senator Taft approved OF this with the
exception that II was unfair 10 make the
rebels lay down their arms before the
acceptance by both parties OF a formal
agreement to abide by the ultimate de-
cision. Senior DOLE returned to the assembly
and reported the result of bis efforts.
Moderates Back Down. IS
At the resumption of the meeting and
after hearing and hastily discussing the
views Of Secretary Taft. the assembly pre-
cipitately receded from its various conten-
tons that the rebels must lay down their
arms before negotiations could be reopened
and resolved TO notify Secretary Taft that
they would appoint committee of six TO
meet a similar committee from the liberals
to negotiate peace terms. leaving all points
upon which no agreement was reached to
the arbitration Of the American commits
sioners. The assembly directed that secre-
tary Taft be requested to notify the liberals
Of this action OF the moderstes, to arrange
for the appointment OF q similar committee
by the liberals and to fix time and place
of meeting.
1t was agreed that at the extraordinary
session Of congress called for next Friday
the resignation of President Palma would
be tabled. pending these negotiations, with
the hope Of obviating the necessity Of his
leaving office.
committee of Spanish merchants visited
the assembly during its session and recon-
mended General Bartolomeo Masso for the
presidency in the event OF the acceptance
Of Palma's resignation.
II was the ultimatum issued by Messrs
Taft and Bacon that brought the moderates
to agree to these conciliatory methods.
Taft Describes situation.
In describing the situation Secretary
Taft said:
The moderates yesterday determined to
force American Intervention by the resig-
nation of government officers, thus leav-
ing AFFAIRS in our hands. President Palma
chose to regard our suggestions as de-
mands. and has rejected them emphat-
zayas. the liberal leader with the situa-
ton. and he undertook to induce his as
sociates to consent to the original propo-
sition OF the moderates, namely, that the
insurgents lay down their arms and sub
init the entire controversy to the Ameri-
can commission, but the rebel commanders
and men in the neid suspected insincerity
on the part of the government and de-
clined
NH
on retaining their arms until peace was
assured Zayas report is, indicative of
future trouble with the lawless element
and rebels. I feel certain that a settle
ment of the trouble is possible only along
the lines suggested by us.
After an exhaustive Investigation we
informed both the moderates and the lib |
erals that unless they were willing to
listen to reason the United States must |
Momd be ssSsd
a military government in the island. but !
that this would continue only so long as
necessary to restore order and insure the !
holding of new and fair general elections |
Washington Expects settlement.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2s.--while not
abating In any degree the preparation for
transporting troops to Cuba in accordance
with the wishes of the president, tho
ranking officials here in the army and
navy are still OF the opinion that Secre-
tary Taft will succeed in effecting an
arrangement which will obviate the neces-
sity of landing a single American soldier |
on Cuban soil They believe that events |
In Havana are shaping up directly IN
accordance with the plans of the secre-
tary OF war and that while the situation
appears to be desperate the present as
pect is really only ons-phase of the pro-
gram mapped out by Secretary Taft. 1t
is believed his purpose was to clear the
AL PAw a..
Cuba, but that this did not necessarily
involve Intervention in the sense of armed
occupation of the island by American
troops. President Palmss withdrawal. or
at least that of the conservative advisers
who surrounded him. was however. be-
lieyed TO be essential to the working out
OF this plan.
II is conjectured by the officials here
that the secretarys purpose is to carry
out direct instructions from President
Roosevelt and give the Cubans another
chance to govern their own island. The
only way this could be worked out, they
say. would be for him to call together
some of the most patriotic and Judicious
of the Cubans. without regard to party
Affiliations and ask them to create a pro-
visional government They point out that
the insurgent generals would be asked to
give their allegiance to this government,
temporarily at least, and the military
forces of the Palma government would
be expected 10 support IT, that the pro-
visional government would be pledged to
call new elections under conditions that
would insure the control of the permanent
government by a majority of the Cuban
people, and that II they fail again TO
maintain order and security I'm the island
then intervention must ensue, resulting
in probable annexation.
No DeveIopments This Week.
President Roosevelt Is expected to arrive
in Washington next Monday night and
army Officers are OF the opinion that there
will be no sensational developments In
Cuban affairs before that time. The presi- |
dent has been constantly In communica-
ton with Major General f. c. AInsworth
the military seeretary. and Brigadier Gen
eral ]. Franklin Bell the chief OF stan OF
the army. for several days. All their plans
for preparing to meet any emergency which
may demand the sending Of troops to Cuba
have been approved at Oyster Bay and the
president has repeatedly concurred IN
recommendations by general staff ofhcers
that everything possible be in readiness for
any turn the Cuban crisis may take. At
the presidents suggestions. ofneers in all
parts of the United States have been ad-
vised to prepare for a call to service In