The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-10-11
A CLEAR STATEMENT.
OF the Cuban Affair and Insurgents Sue
cess.

Many people hlave only al vague idea
of the Cuban difficulties and the extent
of the insuwection in the island. The
Philadelphia PRESS makes very clear
statement of THE case which will be
found of interest to all:
Few Americans appreciate even the
area of Cuba, the character of the Island
or THE progress which has been made by
the present insurrectlon. If the reader
WIFI imagine a strip of territory forty to
one hundred miles wide or so, extending
from PihIiadelphia to Missouri, he will
understand the extent OF the island III
we imagine Pennsylvania heightened out
as suggested to thrice its cast and west
length, and about sixty niles wide on
the average, we may gain an idea of
the progress of the insurrectlon thus far.
1t began lalAt February in the east of
the island, near Philadelphia, let us say,
In six months the Cuban forces have
fought their way along to the center
of gElnols Havann, near st, Louis, be-
ing sixty Ito elgEhlty miles beyond the Span
lsh outposts. 1t far exceeds the advance
from 1868 to 1873 in the last rising. But
this progress is not, 1t must be remeGn-
bered, a conquest of the island TO this
extent. The Cuban forces have burned
a number of places, but they occupy none
Of the larger towns. The fnsurrection
lies spread out in a long row of Clamps,
small and large, along all the uninhab-
tied center of the island. The Spanish
forces lIoCh every nlhle OF ratroad; they
stlll occupy every city and port, and
they 1Bave nowhere been excluded from
my stretch of terrtltory When they
march out lin force the Cubans retreat;
YLof, 70 otN nj af-
Clements held by the Spanish troops,
Cuban outposts hover about the waits.
In the last rising from four TO six thou
sand Cubans, with a few negroes, man
aged to hold their own in the moun-
tains Through ten weary years, untl one
hundred thousand Spanish troops had
died from fever, and Through 1t a1l the
Cubans were never quite dislodged. Teruns
were proclaimed and the increased au-
tonomy of THE island granted before the
last bands dissolved or surrendered. This
time, owing to the low wages brought
on by cheap sugar the failure of mlany
large planters and the dlsorganlzatdon
due IT, emancipation, negroes In Chrge
numbers have Joined the instruction.
Putting the various reports together and
remembering the territory oveiutun and
there cannot be less than bwenty+two
Thousand men I'm the Cuban camps Their
largest force, under General Maceo, is
put alt six Thousand men. 1t is not prob
ably over three thousand or four thou
and. IT would not be easy In an island
Ike Cuba, wthIIch imports mcst OF it's
tSOd, to feed six thou sand men in one
camp. The hggneglte Spanish force is
about Three times the size of the Cuban;
but by the time the g'arrlsons guards for
1000 miles of railroad and the sick list
are deducted, THE Spanish forces in tho
fed cannot anywhere greatly exceed,
and they have been inferior TO the Cuban
bands.
Opposed by the Iargbst army Spain
has ever lhad in the island, the Cuban
bands have spread In a few mIontlhs from
end to end OF the island. they have filled
the central mountainous core of Cuba,
they have hemmed IN an the small gar
risons, they have cut off considerable
forces. once almost capturing General
Campos they have forsed an exchange
of prisoners, and, but for the Spanish
navy, THEY would have captured "a sea
port. Spain, Vt must be remembered, has
fun command of THE sea, and its broad
est point IS not over sixty miles from this
secure marine base. This is an meal
culaNbfie military advantage but in spite OF
they pleased. They have no artillery,
but they have organize1 q fair cavalry,
as can be etlsiy done in an 1sland whose
official census gives 5Si,725 horses and
mules Their rank and flie is made up
of negroes, and the West Indian negro,
wel fed is u splendid fighter; the jam
alcan negro regiments are, for instance,
among the best troops for tropical SER
vice under the British flag.
Neither party In Cuba, as win be
seen, has accomplished his purpose.
Tho Spaniards have not suppressed the
insurrectlon. The Cubans have not dis
lodged the Spanlards from a single for
tilted position. A useless and sanguinnry
war by amy one who inIterigfby studies
the map, rs wasting and desoratlng with
out result an island in whose tItade we
are deeply interested, and of whose cheap
products we are the chief consumers.
Armed negro bands may easily begin
a ralce warfare under the Cuban flag.
The Spanish policy Of determination
avowed by the Spanish minister. Conovas
del Castillo, must destroy the Cuban
white population, the most intelligent
and valuable inhabitants Of the isJlnd.
At ueaest $500 tons Is the estimate of
the hay output OF Beaver neiellborhood,