The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-09

possession Sehor Casieiar's government fought the
insurreclion as firmly ms mine, aud not half dozen
men IN spain are IN favor OF abandoning tho Island
FooD FOR MEN,
''And even were we TO withdraw the Cubans would
do In the beginning of the insurrec,ion the
population Of Cuba was not much more Than million
belonged to the native white race the blacks
and mestizos or inulattoes were somewhat
more numerous and the balance was made
up Of native Spanish immigrants. Among the co:ored
race were some three hundred thousand native Ain.
VINO had grown TO manhood in a savage state and
were wholly uncivilzed. They did not even possess
he amount OF civilization the American slaves had
acquired With such material II would have been I'M
possible to build up a nation and had Spain been
forced to withdraw the whito would soon have
fallen victims TO the savage passions oil these ba ba-
rians Cuba would have become sccondSt Domingo.
THE voLuSrARIoS
But the success OF the Instruction never was pos
sbe because the Spanish immigrants aiono could have
held the island. You can estimate the importance OF
this element when you consider That the immigrants
able to organize from sixty to seventy thousand
Nearly all the business and commerce of the island
is In the hands OF the spanish coionis's,
d doubt the effect OF climate. You sec tho condi-
tons of successful revolution never existed IN Cuba,
hope OF When the pacincation Of the island
is complete important reforms Will be introduced, as
has been done in The of Porto RICO, when Is now
placed on tho same footing as the Spanish Pcninsuias
provinces.
THE Doys TO BLAME.
CORKEsPovDENr--Yo ur Exceilcncy will pardon mo,
bat II appears TO mat the spanish government Is
somewhat responsible Tor the importance attached by
foreigners to the Cuban instruction. Your .Excel-
Iency just SAID that the instruction is sup
pressed reforms Will be adopted, and as TINS answer IS
usually given to foreign representations Is natural
that tho nsurrection should DO considered OF some
importance.
Tue PRIME MlS,srER-As an instruction tho Cuban
war IS of importance, but II nevertheless gives as
considerable trouble, because We are compelled TO
keep up u large army TO defend our property from
small party of ten or twenty from burning
The plantations of district because 1t IS nec-
AS you probably know, ut some periods of the year
the cane crop Is very inflammablc and one man
with box OF matches can destroy tho property ola
whole district. II is not The lighting element OF the
Cuban insurgents that trouble but these small bands
OF criminals who remain behind our columns and take
advantage o. the absence OF our troops 10 destroy our
property. General Campos. who is remarkably lib
rebels has ucen compelled to adopt severe measures
in dealing with these criminals.
ORDER SHOOT.
CORREsPoyDENr-It Is said that General Campos has
issued IA order To shoot all prisoners
The PRIME MINIsTER-rnere is secret about the
ORDER which has been published in some OF the Amer.
team papers 1t does refer TO the IN the
Eastern or Central departments, where there sort
of government and more or less organ among Inc
insurgcnt band but only 10 the criminals ana maraud
ers who have remained concealed in the villas with
the object OF destroying properly and numbering
deieDceless people We cannot treat these men with
the generosity and cenency that We oxtend TO
the men who fight us in the field PRISONERS taken IN
combat or belonging 20 the lighting element
war, ana most cases simply sent 10
their homes But we cannot treat in this
chvalr0Ls manner the small groups who devote
themselves to page. They are not soldiers or rebels;
they are criminals, and II Is to them that General
Campos' order refers You have proof OF our cleul-
cncy In the way tho called President of the Cuban
Republic has been treated. He has simply been
brought to Spain, with several members OF the CUBAN
Congress- as prisoners Of war, and they are well
treated.
THE rHsunREcroN iMPoTESr.
CoRREspoNDENT--What are the proofs OF the Inn
Tho PRIME MlSIsrna-Fhe best proof Of the inn
p0tence OF The instruction Is furnished oy the sugar
CROP which has been harvested tins year, and which
is the largest ever known II the insurgents wero
able To accomplish anything they could easily have
destroyed largo portion OF this crop ivr the
reasons | have already given you, but the TACT
that they have not succeeded in burning single cs-
tate IN the Villas year is the best proof OF tho
SUCCESS which has attended General Campos' efforts
to suppress the insurrection In tue preceding years
q great many OF the estates IN this district were
burned, but this year the insurgents have not been
able 10 do the least harm. we hope to completely
pacty the island this season and are taking measures
TO drive tho scattered bands into tho Interior,
where they will be surrounded or compelled by hum
ger to surrender. On account OF the nature OF tina
country in tue interior our troops have great din.
Guilty III discovering the hiding places OF the bands,
but should small groups succeed IN escaping the
Even now they dare not attack the smalls
village fortified post held by our troops aud ard
10 reality Lead ting the lie OF brigands.
THE rLiBCsTERs.
commemorative lead the Iusurrection now?
The PRIME MIysrER-Ali the white men OF any
position who went INFO mo insurrccton are dead or
have escaped to tho Unlted States and the present
leaders foreigners ike Gomez and Modesto
Daz who are Dominicans and exercise no influence
in the country The TACT is, tho white CUBAN popua-
ton has been destroyed by the insurrcction
and is dead has cm!grated. What remains are tha
Spanish deserlers, negroes, Cinnamon and escaped
criminals. who dare not SURRENDER on account OF
their ask you what possibility there could
be OF organizing nation out OF SUCH macraly
Tho nope of Cuba IN the restoration
OF peace, tho extending OF her commercial relations
and the reorganization OF labor. The government IS
seriously occupied with this question, ter VIC must
finish with slavery, out the question Is not an easy
one. We wish give the blacks lana aud set them 10
work, bat have TO take prccau ions that tho
enaucipaIcd slaves do not so TO sselt the ranks OF
the Instruction. Only few days ago we received
telegram China informing US that treaty had
signed which will enable US TO obtain coolie la
borers replace the blacks, for white men cannot
work in the fields sugar Is ana must continue
10 be The chief prod of CuDa. AS this
Dor ques settled the future of Cuba Will be
screu
thanking Excellency for tho kindness and ania-
bility OF his reception.