hat end it was desirable to raise the state of siege in
at least the three western provinces, and on March 8 Weyler issued an
order which he hoped would conduce to that end. The civil guard, or
rural military police, was to be restored to duty, amnesty was offered
to all insurgents who surrendered within fifteen days and who had not
been guilty of burning or confiscating property, and all others were to
be treated as bandits, to be put summarily to death. All loyal
inhabitants were required actively to assist in repairing railroads,
telegraph lines, etc. A similar proclamation was issued for the other
provinces.

The elections were set for April 12, and were then held. The Reformist
faction of Spaniards refused to take part in them, not approving the
policy of Weyler. The Cuban Autonomists also refused to vote, or to
nominate candidates, excepting for Deputies from the University of
Havana and the Economical Society of Havana. They did this at great risk
to themselves, because Weyler after trying persuasions resorted to the
most ominous threats against them if they would not take part in the
elections, and there really was much danger that at least their leaders
would be arrested and imprisoned for treason. The outcome was that only
Constitutionalists voted, and only their candidates were elected;
representing an insignificant fraction of the Cuban people.

Meantime the war raged unceasingly. Having failed to keep the Cubans
from invading Pinar del Rio, and then from emerging from that province,
Weyler again formed a trocha from Havana to Batabano to prevent them
from moving further east. But both Gomez and Maceo broke through, the
former marching into the heart of Matanzas and playing havoc with the
sugar plantations, and the latter going southward to the Cienaga de
Zapata and thence into Santa Clara, where he received strong
reenforcements from Oriente and Camaguey. Then, when Weyler was massing
his troops in Santa Clara, Maceo with 10,000 men swept back to the very
gates of Havana. With the adoption of Weyler's policy as announced in
his proclamations, the war became a campaign of destruction on both
sides, each burning towns in order that they might not be occupied by
the other. In this fashion in a few weeks there were burned or laid in
ruins in Pinar del Rio the towns of Cabanaz, Cayajabos, Vinales,
Palacios, San Juan Martinez, Montezuelo, Los Arroyos, Cuano, San Diego,
Nunez, Bahia Honda, Hacha and Quiobra; in H