STATE WITHLN A STATE.
£L Slav Community in the Duchy
of Saxo-Altenburg.
Although the Altenburaera Blow
Speak the Urrnian l.aniiiiiic,
The)' Cllnir to Ancient
ltuclul Cuiluma.
(Special Berlin Letter.]
Years ago I once stood in front of
» bookstore on the Rue Madelaine,
Paris, and looked, like a throng of peo
ple beside me, at the display of photo
graphs in the show window. There
were the "lions" of the day, the
celebrities of the hour, the successful
politicians, the most enticing dans
euses at the Folies Bergires, the noted
actors and actresses, all at so many
francs each —their likenesses 1 mean, of
t ■
AN ALTENBURG BEAUTY.
course. There were also views of fine
scenery, of the Alps and Apennines and
sll exotic countries. There were, be
sides, pictures of Turks, of Samoans, of
Circassians in their native costumes,
and among them all there were also a
few which showed people of a different
type than the rest, people who looked
civilized, to judge by their faces and
their expressions, yet in clothes that
had a queer air, to say the least. It
THE MARKET SQUARE AT ALTENBL'RO.
amused one to listen to the comments
of these blase Parisians anent these
last-mentioned pictures.
"They're Turks," said some.
"No, they're a wild tribe from the
Caucasus," said another.
"You're mistaken, monsieur, those
-ire natives of Holland," quoth a third.
And so the guessing went on. None
->f them guessed aright. None knew
the truth. -I said nothing, though 1 did
know. For these pictures showed
types perfectly familiar to me, since I
had once been in the little country they
hail from. The pictures are not those
of Turks, nor of anything like them.
They were, on the contrary, the faithful
reproduction of the features and cos
tumes of a small people domiciled in the
very heart of Germany—a duchy of
about 4(30 English square miles, called
Saxe-Altenberg, highly civilized at
this present day, though it is inhabited
by an alien race which has preserved
many odd customs as well as their pe
culiar dress.
Curious Altenburg! Its population
is purely Slav, as much Slav as is that
ifluj
KJj
A GROUP OF ALTENBUUGERB.
of Poland and Itutsia, yet COO years of
German domination has driven out the
Slav tongue once universally spoken
there. The soil of the little land is ex
ceptionally fertile, so much so that all
the dire oppression of centuries ago by
the then autocratic lords of the manor
has not been able to destroy the prop
erty of the peasants of this region, who
count among the wealthiest and most
purse-proud of all Germany. On mar
ket days, when the peasants flock to
the big square at Altenbu/g or Iton
neburg, it is a sight to watch them.
They came driving four-in-hands, or
comfortable-looking coaches, Jrawn by
horses that show coats shining as silk.
They sell their w heat and rye, their fat
ted oxen and calves, their pigs and their
wool at prices over which they never
allow any haggling. Then, business
concluded they rfepair to the beer
houses and old-fashioned taverns close
by, carrying their bagfuls of gold and
silver —they never take paper—with
them. And then you may see the an
cient Slavic vice. If gambling is in
dulged in—with a passion and perslst
euce, a cold-blooded daring, which can
not be overtopped even by the most em
pert poker fiend in America. They're
proverbial all through Germany for
that. Often, very often, they play for
such high stakes that not alone the
proceeds of the crop just sold are lost
at a protracted sitting, but thousands
of marks besides When., they play
they always have the cash piled up on
the table, gold and silver, and for new
resources they goto those inexhausti
ble bags of theirs. A week ago I read
of a case where one of these Alten
berg peasants, a wealthy one, lo:-.t (iC.OOO
marks (or about $10,000) at one sit
ting lasting from Saturday noon until
the following Monday. And they never
"flunk," these fellows. Nexer a case
known where they have appealed to the
courts or to the police afterwards. The
game played all through AI ten burg al
most exclusively is "skat," the most in
teresting of all card games. They are,
iu fact, the inventors of the game of
"skat," and such is its hold on those
once acquiring a knowledge of it (for
it is as difficult to learn as it is varied)
that they are hardly ever known to
abandon or forswear it again.
To-day "skat" has spread all over
Germany and wherever Germans re
side in other countries. National con
gresses are held to fix or alter the rules
of the game from time to time, and the
man who is known as the first inventor
of the game will have a monument ris
ing in his honor on the city market
square of Altenburg itself before long,
as the money for the purpose is already
collected and the sculptor is now work*
ing on it.
Queer, isn't it?
Another odd feature of Altenburg
life is the costume of the peasant
classes. From the accompanying pic
tures an idea may be gained. But a
few words in further explanation may
not come amiss. There are visible dis
tinctions in the get-up of the married
and unmarried females, of the peas
ant owner class and of the mere farm
ers or rural laboring masses, these dis
tinctions consisting in the hue of their
apparel, in the form and numbers of the
buttons, and in the headgear. The lat
ter is, perhaps, the oddest feature, for
it eonsis*s of three parts —two gayly
eolored silk scarfs worn round the head
itself, and a high turban-like arrange
ment, made of stiffened gold brocade.
etc., worn over them, with long, fin«
ribbons to tie around the chin, l'bea
oil the women, too, wear not skirts, t»nt
a blouse and knickerbockers in one,
fastened in front by buttons, and an
apron, usually of striped silk, hangs
down from waist '(o knees, but not cov
ering the back.
It cannot be truthfully maintained
by the present scribe that, judged from
the aesthetic point of view, this is a
very becoming costume, and 1 have
often seen the small boy following such
Altenburg women (who are much
sought after for wet nurses by the
wealthy merchants of Leipsic) in the
streets of large cities, hooting and yell
ing at the droll aspect. Nevertheless,
it is true that many of the Altenburg
girls are quite pretty, despite their
dress. The peasant boys and men of
tliis part wear a costume which is very
much like that of the well to-do Polish
peasants, with a curious little, round
felt hat and a long coat, nearly alwaya
in black or brown.
He who thinks that these Alten
burg peasants are fools—perhaps be
cause they sometimes look a lit
tle that way in their strange gear
—labor under a misapprehension.
On the contrary, they are shrewd
er and brighter than the aver
age peasant in Germany. Many of
them take a course in the higher schools
of Leipsic, or perhaps a year or two
at.the university,and then they content
edly return home to till the paternal
acres for the rest of their days, as their
forbears have done for lo! these many
centuries back. Isut in their homes,
old-fashioned and rustic as they look,
you will miss few evidences of a higher
civilization, and while their daughters
often play the piano to perfection and
sing well, their brothers and sons have,
in the library or in the parlor, a store
of good books to inform their minds,
and politically considered, the little
duchy is among the most progressive
and liberal in Germany.
WOLF VON SOHIERBRAND.
Very iterate.
Mrs. 15eeson—Georije, what makes
you so quiet when you're out in com
pany? You sit around like a dumb
person. Why don't you taik more?
Mr. lie«sou—My dear, 1 do talk when
lam out alone 1 was quiet this even
ing because I thought it wouldn't be
just the thing for one family to monop
olize the conversation. —Washington
Post.
Not I.OSIIIK Time.
"Did you win dat cake by walkiti' foh
it?" inquired Mr. Erastus Pinkley's
friend.
"No,'ndeed," was the answer. "Walk
in's too slow foh me. I picked de cake
up an' run."—Washington Star.
Ilnril to UiitlerMtniifl.
Mrs. Heacon —I do not see how Eve
ccukl ever have married Adam.
Mr. Beacon —Why not?
Mrs. Heacon—He was positively with
out ancestors, —Ilarlem Lite.
CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 1898.
HIS YANKEE THRIFT.
CTnclo Sam Will Use It in Buying
Ships.
tie Is Not Looking for Had llargalns 111
Foreign Shipyards-Plans for Kqulp
inent of Auxiliary Cruisers
Machinists are Madly
Needed In the Navy.
Washington. March 11. —The I'nited
States government has not yet acquired
a single additional ship for the navy.
This is not because of a lack of offers
of warships from abroad, but for the
reason that the navy department is
proceeding with circumspection in
looking after the qualities and prices
of the crafts. There is a strong dispo
sition to refrain from being drawn into
bad bargains and to insist on getting
good vessels at prices not extortionate.
Secretary Long was in receipt of a
large number of cablegrams Thursday,
almost all relating to offers of ships.
There was a good deal of talk yester
day about the assignment of officers to
the command of auxiliary cruisers, the
St. Paul and St. Louis being specially
mentioned, but Secretary Long set
these stories at rest by the statement
that he had not made any such assign
ments and had only progressed to the
point of informing himself of the pos
sibility of getting the ships officered
and manned quickly. While looking
after new ships the navy department
is not neglecting the old vessels, and
arrangements have been made to make
short repairs on several ships that in
the ordinary course would not be
treated in that fashion, but would re
ceive a thorough overhauling. Thus
in the case of the Philadelphia, which
has had rive years' hard work and has
never yet been done over, as is the cus
tom, orders have gone to Mare Island
to put her in shape for sea within 40
days.
At Norfolk the Newark is set down
for 30 days' repairs, and as a good deal
of work has already been done on her
she will be almost a new ship when
she comes out of the yard. The big
monitor Puritan has practically com
pleted her repairs. The monitor Co
manche at Mare Island has been exam
ined and found in tolerable condition.
At League Island the monitor Mian
tonomah and the ram Katahdin went
into commission yesterday, although
they have not yet had their orders.
The torpedo boat Dupont has sailed
from Mobile to attach herself again to
the flotilla at Key West. Again it was
said at the navy department that noth
ing had been heard from the court of
inquiry at Havana nor from Admiral
Sicard at Key West.
The presence in the city of several
persons connected with steamship lines
and steel works led to the circulation
of a number of sensational stories, but
perhaps none of these had the persist
ency of one that found currency at the
capitol, until it met with a denial from
Assistant Secretary Day, to the effect
that Minister Wooelford had notified
the Spanish government that the
president intended to send to congress
a message announcing his recognition
of Cuban independence. Commander
Hawley left Washington last evening
for the south with Chief Engineer
Webster and Surgeon Persons to enlist
machinists for the navy. During the
elay the board changed its plans and
finally started for New Orleans. It lias
been informed that there area number
of good men to be had on the gulf coast
and Commander Hawley will open
temporary recruiting offices in the
gulf cities.
A conference was held in the office
of Assistant Secretary Koosevelt to
map out plans for arming l and equip
ping merchant vessels as auxiliary
cruisers. Those present were Mr.
Roosevelt, Capt. Crowninsliield, of the
bureau of ordnance; Chief Hichborn,
of the bureau of construction, and
Commander Bradford, of the bureau of
yards and docks. This meeting had
been preceded by a call from President
Griscom, of the International Navi
gation Co., which owns the four ships
St. Louis, St. Paul, l'aris and New
York. The board meeting brought
out a general discussion of the work
the various bureaus would be called
upon to perform in making these and
other vessels ready as auxiliary cruis
ers.'
On the question of manning the
auxiliary fleet, the navy department
feels that the most effective step would
be to enlist into the United States
naval service the present merchant
crews of the several ships. These crews
are thoroughly familiar with the ves
sels and could handle them with far
greater effect than green crews. The
ships would be officered from the regu
lar navy.
The proposed batteries for the auxil
iary cruisers consist in tiie case of the
steamships St. Louis and St. Paul of
eight 0-inch guns, four <)-pounders and
four machine guns; the Paris and New
York twelve 6-inch, six (V-pounders and
six machine guns. It is designed to
give vessels of the Caracas and Seneca
type a main battery of eight 4-inch
guns, and from six to eight rapid fire
machine guns.
The navy department finds itself in
comparatively good condition as to the
supply of automobile torpedoes, which
constitute one of the most deadly en
gines of naval destruction. The White
head torpedo is now in general use, al
though a few of the Howell class are
still on hand. Fifty Whitehead tor
pedoes were secured a short time ago,
and with these there is a total of about
850 on hand.
Force lil ll I'HHSOI Over the Governor'* Veto.
Frankfort, Ivy., March 11. —The sen
ate yesterday passed the (Joebel elec
tion bill over the governor's veto and
the house will do so to-day. This bill
puts the entire election machinery of
the state in the hands of three demo
cratic commissioners to be elected by
the legislature.
WHS Not a I.aw Until Signed.
New Haven, Conn., March 11.—Judge
Townsend, of the United States court,
yesterday decided in a customs east
that the Dingley tariff bill did not be
come a law until President Mclviuley
had signed it.
WOULD LIKE TO KILL THEM.
Spaniards In Havana Manifest the Utninal
Hatred of Americans—lnngrrHHiiirn Ar
rive In RUnro'i Town.
New York, March 10.—A Special to
the World from Key West, FJa., says:
Among the passengers on thtl Olivette
frotn Havana yesterday was Senator
Proctor, of Vermont, who has been
making a study of Cuba and the Cu
bans. With him was Col. M. M. Par
ker. of Washington. Senator l'rootor
called on Admiral Sicard and was
closeted with him for two hours.
Col. Parker said: "We were just
about to enter a hotel one day with
our party, in which were several ladies.
A group of Spanish officers were stand
ing at the door. As we passed one of
them he said in Spanish:. '1 should
like to have an order to kill these
people.' Every American in Cuba now
is watched as though he were a crimi
nal. The Spaniards hate us and do not
hesitate to say so. Every one in
Havana now knows that the Maine
was blown up. Spaniards no longer
deny it. Thay do not seem to be very
sad over it, either."
Havana, March 11.—The court of in
quiry into the loss of the Maine is
quietly continuing its work and its
members are as secretive as usual. So
far as can be judged there have been
no important developments recently.
The yacht Anita arrived here Thurs
day. She had on board Senator Gal
linger, Senator Thurston and Mrs.
Thurston, Senator Money with his fa
ther, mother and sister; Congressmen
Cummings and Smith.
A QUAKER CITY SCANDAL.
Philadelphia Count ilm«*n are Accunnl of
Kecelvlng Bribe* for Their Vote* on Cer
tain Meaturea.
Philadelphia, March 11. —The rumors
of lobbying in connection with the
bills before the city council for the
transfer of the city water works to pri
vate corporations, which have pre
vailed for some time, culminated in a
direct charge of attempted bribery
made by a member of the common
council at a meeting Of that body yes
terday. The meeting was a special
session, called for the consideration of
the measure known as the Schuylkill
Valley water bill. Shortly after it had
been taken up Walter N. Stevenson,
member from the Thirty-second ward,
declared that he had been offered 85,000
to vote for the bill. He further stated
that he was reliably informed that
members who were voting for the bill
were getting from SI,OOO to 85,000 for
their votes. lie asked that an imme
diate investigation be made.
The declaration of Mr. Stevenson
caused a great sensation in the hall
and has no doubt proved a death blow
to the bill. Other opponents of the
bill followed with remarks corrobora
tive of Stevenson's charges and amid
great excitement a motion was adopted
by a vote of 157 to 61 to indefinitely
postpone the consideration of the bill.
The special session was then adjourned.
At the regular session later in the
day a resolution was adopted providing
tor an immediate and full investiga
tion of the charges.
NEW WIRE AND NAIL POOL.
It Is Proposed to liull<l One oil the Kulnn
of One that l>ie<l In Infancy.
Chicago, March 11.—That the pro
posed amalgamation of the wire indus
tries of the country lias been a failure
is admitted by .lohn W. Gates. presi
dent of the Illinois Steel Co., who was
one of the promoters of the proposed
combine. Mr. (iates said yesterday:
"The attention of all concerned in the
former plan of combination is now
being directed toward perfecting a
consolidation of some of the companies
which were among those in favor of
the original project."
The companies which are to form the
present combine are: Consolidated
Steel and Wire Co., which controls
seven plants—one in St. Louis, two in
.Joliet, 111., one in Cleveland, one in
Beaver Falls, Pa., one in Pittsburg and
one in Allentown, Pa.
I. L. Ellwood, l)e Kalb, 111., who con
trols the Ellwood Wire and Nail Co.
and the I. L. Ellwood Manufacturing
Co., both of De Kalb.
American Wire Nail Co., Anderson,
Ind.
Salem Wire Nail Co., which controls
one plant at Salem, 0., and one at
Findlay, O.
H-P. Nail Co., Cleveland.
American Wire Co., Cleveland.
A RAILWAY FEDERATION.
The Trainmen, Firemen, Telegraphers and
Conductors Form a New Organization.
Chicago, March 11.—An organization
to be known as the Federation of
American Railway Employes was per
fected here Thursday. It seeks to
bring all organized railway employes
into one central body which shall,
under certain conditions, act with one
accord, but without interfering with
the individuality of each organization.
The movement has been pending for
two years. It culminated in the meet
ing of F. P. Sargent, grand master of
the Brotherhood of Locomotive Fire
men; P. H. Morrissey, grand master of
the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen;
W. V. Powell, grand chief of the
Order of Railway Telegraphers, and
E. E. Clark, grand chief conductor of
the Order of Railway Conductors. They
elected the following officers: Chair
man, E. E. Clark; vice chairman. P. If.
Morrissey; secretary, W. V. Powell.
The four organizations represented
at the meeting are the only ones at
present which will take part in the
federation.
A KIIHII to Ki|ul|l the Forts.
Portsmouth, N. 11., March 11. —Every
effort is being made to carry out the
rush orders which have been received
to arm the fortifications at Newcastle.
The floating derrick Trilby has arrived
from Boston and will at once begin the
removal of the heavy guns from the
cars to the forts at the mouth of the
river. An extra force of men is at work
at the forts making preparations for
the mounting of the guns, and it is
likely that the battery will be in po
sition within a few weeks. The
schooner George Berry has arrived at
, the navy yard with ammunition tor the
steamship Alliance
WITHOUT ANY LIMIT.
Gon. F:ar< r May Buy War Ma
terial.
The lloufte Committee on Naval Affair*
Will Recommend Construction of
Three New Hattleahip* A
New Military Depart
ment Created.
Washington, March 12. —Hoping for
the best and prepared for the worst
about represents the situation in the
war and navy departments. The most
important developments Friday were
the decision of the house naval com
mittee to place in the naval appropria
tion bill a provision for three new bat
tleships, and a conclusion by the secre
tary of war to issue to-day an order
creating a new military department,
including within its confines that pari
of the country which would be in al!
likelihood nearest to the field of hos
tilities.
The order will create a commotion
in the south. The present Department
of Texas is abolished and the head
quarters, which has been at San An
tonio, Tex., for many years, is aban
doned. In place of the old department
is created a new one, the Department
of the South. Gen. Graham, at present
commander of the Department ol
Texas, will command the new depart
mcnt. This department will include
South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana and
Texas. All of these states save the
last are at present attached to the De
partment of the East, under command
of Gen. Merritt, of New York, who it
fully compensated for the strength oi
the command which passes away from
him by the addition to his forces of the
two regiments of artillery now recruit
ing. Headquarters of the new depart;
ment will be at Atlanta, Ga.
Yesterday for the first time, war de
partment officials admitted that t.hej
were straining every nerve to improve
that pari of the defenses of the coun
try confined to their care. It is an un
usual mark of confidence in an execu
tive officer to empower him to give or
ders without limit for the purchase oi
war material, yet this is what the pres
ident and Secretary Alger have done
in the case of Gen. Flagler, chief oi
ordnance. This officer has instructed
every concern capable of supplying
war material, such as rapid-fire guns,
shot, shell and ammunition, togo tc
work at full capacity.
The navy department has reason tc
believe that it has secured the two war
ships Amazonas and her sister ship,
now building in England for Brazil.
It was stated at the cabinet meeting
Friday by Secretary Long that the
naval attache at London had almost
completed the negotiations for the sale.
So far, however, the final notification
from him that his offer has been ac
cepted has not yet reached the navy
department. The day passed again
without word from the court of inquiry.
In anticipation of a rupture between
the United States and Snain many
naval om~-rs on the retired list hav
notified the secretary of the navy oi
their willingness to perform any duty
in tile line of their profession that hi
may deem suitable for them. There
seems te> be a misapprehension on the
part of the public as to the availabili
ty of officers on the retired list for ac
tive duty in times of war. Section
1403 of the Revised Statutes provides
as follows: "No officer on the retired
list of the navy shall tie employed OL
active duty except in time of war."
The president has penver to assig'
any retiree! officer of the navy to
during the progress of war, but he
can only assign him to the command ol
squadrons or ships by and with the ad
vice and consent of the senate. There
are many officers oil the retireel list
in the full enjoyment of health and
mental vigor, despite the fact that
they are now 03 years of age. whose
experience would uneloubtcelly be oi
great advantage to the nation in case
it proved necessary togo to war.
PATRIOTIC ENGINEERS.
They Offer Their Services to President
McKiuley In Case of War.
New York, March 13. —The Herald
says: George Uhler, president of the
Marine Engineers' Beneveilent Associ
ation of the United States, has gone
from this city to Washington to offer
President McKinley the services of
33,000 marine engineers in the event of
war. Only such engineers as are Amer
ican citizens are members of this asso
ciation. At the request of many prom
inent members of the body an explan
atory circular was sent to all local as
sociations just after the Maine affair.
Each local organization was asked
to report to national headquarters in
Philadelphia at the earliest possible
moment the number of men who would
be willing to enlist. Local association
No. 33, of New York, was the first to
respond. Gut of the 1,308 members it
was announced that practically all
could be relied upon in the event of a
call to arms from President McKinley.
President Uhler said he had heard
from all local associations except a
few at distant .places and that each lo
cal had offered all its members.
Ordered to Man the FortH.
Washington, March 13.—Orders were
issued at the war department Friday
for manning the newly established for
tifications on the Atlantic eroast. from
Boston down to Galveston on the gulf.
They include the organization of the
two new artillery regiments author
ized by a recent act of congress.
I'eral Tells of the Wreck.
Havana, March 13. Capt. Peral,
president of the Spanish court of in
quiry into the Maine disaster, in an in
terview Friday said: "Our divers are
hard at work examining the hull of
the Maine. Great difficulty is experi
enced, owing to the deep mud in which
the hull is burieti and the condition of
the wreck. The whole forward part
of the ship is a mass of iron and steel
debris. We cannot believe there was
an external explosion of a torpedo, be
cause a torpedo following the line of
least resistance must have blown a
great hole in the mud at the bottom of
he harbor. No such hole was found."
ROSECRANS IS DEAD.
Eternity'* (intra Siring Open and Ailmll
Ike Ifuro of Many Campaign*.
Los Angeles. Cal., March J. 2
William S. Rosecrans died Friday
morning' at his home near Rondo. The
ol<l warrior's death was peaceful. For
several days he wavered between life
and death and at times was conscious
and again in a comatose state. At the
bedside when the end came were a son
and daughter of the general and a
number of friends of the family. <ien.
Rosecrans was stricken with no partic
ular disease and the end came through
a general weakening of the system.
The place where he died is called
Rosecrans, in honor of him, and is near
a station on the Rondo railway and
about 13 miles from this city. The
general had made his home on a large
ranch devoted to fruit raising.
Gen. Rosecrans was born in Kings
ton, Delaware county, <>., Septembero,
1819. He was raised on a farm and ed
ucated at the public schools. Heclerked
in a store and in 1837 applied for ap
pointment to West Point military
academy, lie was appointed and grad
uated in 184:2. He entered the engineer
corps as second lieutenant. He re
signed from the army in 1854 and went
to Cincinnati, where he engaged in
business.
At the beginning of the war he of
fered his services to Gov. Dennison and
was requested to act as engineer and
lay out Camp Dennison. He went to
Washington later and was commis
sioned colonel of the Twenty-third
Ohio regiment, entered the field and
within three days was commissioned
brigadier general. He took the field
in West Virginia. His first important
action was at Rich Mountain, which
he won. (ien. Rosecrans succeeded
(■en. McClellan in the department of
Ohio. He had command of the national
forces and defeated Gen. Floyd at Fair
fax river, September 10, 1801.
He participated in the battle of
Corinth, and afterward defeated (Jen.
Sterling Price and pursued him for 40
miles. He was made commander o£
the Department of the Cumberland,
which position he held from October
27, 1862, to October 10, 18153. He com
manded in the battle about Murfrees
boro, one of the bloodiest of the war.
He drove liragg out of Tennessee in 15
days. Gen. Rosecrans commanded at
the great battle around Chattanooga
and held Chattanooga, the objective
point. The battle was a victory for
the Confederates.
He was mustered out of the volunteer
service in 1800 and resigned from the
army in 1807. He had been breveted
major general. He was appointed
minister to Mexico in July, 1808, and
held the office' until June, 186!). He
mined in Mexico and manufactured
powder in San Francisco. He was
elected to congress from California in
1881, served two terms and was ap
pointed register of the treasury by
President Cleveland. His wife died in
1878. Three children survive him.
A PEACE PROPOSITION.
A Plan to Stop tin- War in Cuba ami (Jive
a Measure of Bclf-t»overnuiciit to tli«
l*eopl« of tlie Island.
Washington. March 12.—Projects for
the settlement of the Cuban question
are numerous, but most of them are re
garded in official circles as unworthy
of serious consideration. One plan,
however, has been presented to the
president which has received the ap
proval in a general way of men whose
counsels have weight with the admin
istration, and there is reason to believe
it is the subject of reflection in the
cabinet. The proposed plan gives to
Cuba all of the rights and priviliges
enjoyed by Canada. Spain reserving to
herself only such privileges as England
exercises over her colonies. The state
ment as presented to the administra
tion is as follows:
'•lf we insist upon immediate Cuban
independence we must back the de
mand by force, for neither Spain nor
any country with any self-respect
could tolerate such interference in her
domestic quarrel without resistance.
"Suppose we say to Spain that in the
interest of humanity and peace, and
for the preservation of our own com
mercial interests, we insist upon a
cessation of hostilities, and that we
will infofm the Cubans that they must
concede something. Spain's plight is
a critical one, and she could honorably
listen to such a proposal. The Cubans,
on the other hand, would certainly
hear respectfully any views we present
to them in regard to a settlement, and
could not fail to follow them. The
precise terms can be worked out later.
"It is not unreasonable to expect
that should Spain offer such self-gov
ernment as the world would recognize
as fair, putting Cuba in the same con
dition as an English colon}* and with
drawing from the island, as soon as
quiet is restored, all but a nominal
military force, we might properly in
sist on its acceptance. This would be
a victory for Cuba, would leave Spain
to retire with self-respect and would
leave Cuba better off than though now
made independent.
"If it should be shown that the
Spanish government and its officials
are innocent of any complicity in the
disaster to the Maine and a prompt
disavowal is made, with an expression
of regret and an offer to arbitrate
the question of responsibility and the
amount of indemnity, if any was found
due, the United States could hardly
resist the principle of arbitration in
settling the question. The Maine dis
aster, however, is a distinct incident
and should be considered by itself."
The I'liillipplno Rebellion.
London, March 12. —Dispatches from
Shanghai say that there is little doubt
but the prospect of trouble between
the United States and Spain lias caused
the rebellion in the l'hillippine islands
to break out again and has increased
the fierceness of tlie insurgents, who
have captured Atarri and Camarag,
important towns connected by railroad
with Manila. It is further announced
that the whole of the northern prov
inces have revolted; the inhabitants
have refused to pay taxes and they
have destroyed the telegraph lines.
The insurgents appear to be well sup
plied with arms and ammunitiou.
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