Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-11
ALL QUIET IN Gu B A
The Exiled Patriots Charged With Cow
ardice.
The Insurgents Making n Guerrilla
Warfare and Waiting for Leaders
to Go on With the War.

OF all the queer revolutions that have
taken place on the island Of Cuba during
the last hundred years, says Cuban cor
respondent Of the New York Herald, the
present one is probably the queerest. With
the same cause back Of it--that of unjust
taxation by the Spanish governmental
has not, so far, developed into anything
but guerrilla warfare, and its effect has
only stirred the Spanish authorities into
prompt and decisive action.
Bands of leaderless, chiefless men roam
around the mountains and swamps, AFRAID
to surrender On account of the bullet and
the garrote and afraid to make a decisive
stand because of the lack of, an executive
brain to guide them. Their knowledge Of
warfare consists only of. the firing OF guns
and the welding of machetas. or tactics
they have no knowledge beyond the old
barbaric style of Northumberland trees and
on the run. 81
They are willing to fghta, but do not
know how to go about IT. When patriots
who really have the welfare Of Cuba at
heart gather about such reputed bandits
as Manuel Garcia was, and IS Matagas 49,
it may be understood hDw badly on they
are for leaders. .j-ssn
Generals Sanchez and Roloff, Cuban
leaders. are in Key Vests Fla presumably
waiting for an expedition to be fitted out.
also waiting for something to turn up, and
Maxine Gomez, the aged veteran. and
king pin of them all. is Bald to be In San
Domingo. Being seventy-eeUan years old,
he is now too old to tahst pam in an active
campaign, but the, Cub1n rebels seem TO
think his presence and knowledge of mill
tary tactics would have the effect of brac-
ing up the cause. 50" e.
In fact It seems to be the general
opinion that if the leaders would leave the
various contemplated expeditions in other
hands and come to Cuba, the men who are
now in a state OF vacillatioD would flock
to their standards by thousands. and the
petty outbreaks now going on would soon
take on the aspect of actual warfare.
HesitatinG Exiles.
The big Spanish war ship Infanta Isabella
is now lying at Key West, within almost
stones throw of the docks. She is without
torpedo MEETINGS, or. If she has them, they
are not in use. What other race of men
en- earth except the easy going but pa
triotic Cubans would not attempt to dr1ft
down on some dark night boat load of
dynamite against her iron sides. Key West
Is full of men who are willing to dream CT
liberty, but who are unwilling to scheme
for it. Most of them have heard the cruel
song of Spanish bullets ard felt the ruin
of Spanish rule. Having established bust
ness and made their homes in more peace
full countries, even though they We're once
leaders; they do not feel called ad,s ~ upon to
ond time. Still, they may do 1t.
This is why Cuba Libre is without lead
ers. Those who groan and sweat under the
yoke of Spanish rule have nothing but de-
feats to look back upon. There is no in
centive to other than guerrilla warfare
Their leaders are paaished and they have
20 others to look to. They have lost be-
fore. What hope nave they OF winning
row? Then again, they feel that the throes
CT death-stricken purpose are like those
of dying man. The first gasps and kicks
are always loudest and hardest
Generally speaking, the Cubans are eX-
ceedingly reserved in expressing an opinion
on the existing troubles. They have
wholesome fear Of. Spanish retaliation.
Nevertheless, 1 met by appointment last
night Cuban who was well known In the
last revolution as an outspoken and rad
ical man. Having a prosperous business at
present, and not wishing to lose 1t until
thoroughly satisfied as to the strength of
the cause, he has made his peace with the
government 1t Is only tentative on the
part of the latter, and at the least out
break Of patriotism or incendiary language
he would be sent to the cabanaS to brood
over his indiscretion.
Heavy Taxation.
1.-The real cause of the present uprising"
said he, lies in the terrific taxation i'm
posed upon the people. Spain is very poor,
and Cuba's natural resources are large.
Consequently, Cuba is made to suffer that
Spain may thrive. The total taxation that
falls upon the population Of 100000 is
something like s39,0O0,OO0 a year. OF this,
2S,0OO,O00 is state tax and S11 100000 a
municipal tax for the support of the Off
Gals, the soldiers and the police, who are
here to Cypress us.
There is tax upon everything that an
unholy mental activity gould invent.
rel when 1t reaches the consumer. The
government must have its- tax; to offset the
tax the importer must raise his price The
retail dealer does likewise, md the poor
consumer has to do wibhou bread. For
projecting signs in front of places of bust
ness the government chaEges-5 cents a let
ter. 1t costs a guest $1.26 to be allowed to
take his departure from any hotel. Liquor
they are in ordinary Gases; are almost
eaten up. 3!
THE present outbreak will not end so
easily as the governmenttsupposes. good,
capable leader, like Cespedes was, would
consolidate the patriots In sSantiago de
Cuba into single army that would roll
the Spanish outpostS seaward in hurry.
"Matagas will not do. He loses sight of
pa triotiSm in his desire for plumber Never
theless, his force in Santa Clara is con-
stantly receiving acquisitions. Garcia was
better, but they say Garcia is dead. They
have killed him six times before this by
false reports.
I'VE would get along much better If some
of the leaders in Costa Rica, Honduras,
San Domingo, Key West and New York
W ould come out here and fight"
The most peculiar thing told me by the
reformed reyo1utionist was relative to the
taxation upon slaughtered cattle. The gov
eminent charges so much per stab for the
killing, to begin with. Then they place a
tax on the hide, on the horns, on each of
the four hoofs, and, finally on the tail.
Were there a few other available parts of
the animal the butchers would go bank
rupt.
When I passed through Havana last
week everything was going on, as usual,