The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-24
NO LoYALTY FOE SPAIN.
Cuban Patriots Are Bound to Vim, Say.
Mrs. Jose Rodri0Mes.


Cuban Patriots Are Bound to Vim, Says
Mrs. Jose RodriOues.
NEW YORK, N. Y, Aug. 23.-"There
can be no doubt that Cuba will win her
independence" said Mrs. Jose Rodriguez
yesterday to a reporter. Mrs. Rodriguez
is the wife of the Cuban leader who won
fame in the ten years war, She comes to
New York directly from the seat of active
hostilities in Cuba. She continued:
with my mother left Puerto Principe,
the capital of Camaguay, August 10. We
had no trouble getting out of the country.
Trains run as usual, although Puerto Prin-
cipe is invested by the Cuban forces.
Trains run fairly regular and are free from
attacks, except when carrying arms, am
munition or troops. The patriots are gen.
orally well informed in such cases. When
troops or arms are being transported the
tracks are torn up in front and in rear of
the trains, making escape impossible. Sup
plies are confscated and the soldiers are
taken prisoners; but given their choice of
going home without arms or joining the
Cuban army. Usually they prefer the latter.
"Puerto Principe had a population of
$4,000 at the beginning of the revolution.
Most of the able-bodied citizens have
joined the patriots, leaving the city in the
hands of 5000 Spaniards. That is the sit
uation to-day. General Gomez has a cor
don of sharpshooters posted in strong posi-
tions, entirely surrounding the town.
They are well protected behind rocks and
trees, and are carrying out carefully laid
plan of campaign-that is, not to make an
open attack on the city, but to shoot
and kill every man who appears outside
ecity. y Aif
Gomez could capture the town any day,
but he understands very we'll that among
the inhabitants are the wives and children
of many of the patriots in the field. They
would be subjected to unnecessary dan
ger and terror. Nothing would be
gained by such sacrifice. 1t is the men
who are fighting under the Spanish flag
that the Cubans are after.
"Thi consideration for the helpless
families in Puerto Principe and other
places is the cause of Gomez's humane
policy. For instance, he allows cattle and
all kinds of supplies to enter the city.
That saves human life. But as war
measure he will allow neither provisions
nor arms nor supplies of any kind to go
out of the city to the Spanish troops.
1.-THE Spanish outposts are simply tar
gets for the insurgent sharpshooters and
are picked off by the dozen every day.
General Gomez's policy is to make no at
tack on the Spaniards in towns or
strongly entrenehed places. But the mo-
ment they send armed bands into the coun-
try they are wiped out. 1t is impossible
for the Spanish troops to penetrate the
interior and survive, except when they
move in a large body amounting to an
army.
There is no such thing as real loyalty
for Spain among the people n.Cuba. They
have been oppressed beyond all knowledge;
have been subjected to every kind of tyran-
ny that will put dollar into the Spanish
treasury. For instance, if my sister or
brother wanted to visit me in Puerto
Principe they had to so inform the police
and obtain a permit to enter my house.
No friend or relative can stop at night
under the roof of other friends without
notifying the authorities. To visit mem
beers of ones own family in another house
without promptly. sending word to the
proper officials would cause wholesale
arrests of the offenders.
"The yellow fever is worse than has been
represented. 1t is spreading rapidly,
owing to the presence of large bodies of
unacclimated soldiers. They are natu-
rally filthy, and know nothing of the pre-
cautions necessary to prevent disease.
But we are informed by friends in the field
with General Gomez that there had been
no fever among his troops ur to the time
OF our leaving the island. The yellow
fever situation is serious for SPAIN"