The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-30
HAVANAIN WAR TINE
The Guns of MORO Castle Are
Pointed at the City.
CUBA WILL BE FREED THIS TIME.
Gen. Cau1pos and His stan Burn Cigar
cites, but Gomez Burns Towns
and Plantations.

are really advantages Tor the lhs1f eei-ss'
The great Spanish army amounts 70
vast mob OF sickly, undlscipilhea Dog
matched against fierce. strong men, goad-
ed 10 desperation by a series OF oppres-
ssons and tyrannies.
The outcome is not uncertain. the RUE
OF Spain is over. II IS In the very air
Havana as she lies sleeping apparently
peacefully under the guns OF MORO, = no"s
IT, The once rich and opulent merchant
feels Il: the crowds that idly walk the
streets, hardly daring to speak and never
smiling, hope it. and the poor pray for H.
one wonders has Spain friend here
This rich and beautiful city. the pride OF
the Cuhaus, and actually the last strong
hold OF Spain. lies at the mercy OF the
great guns Of MORO castle. These guns
are nor pointed out across the bay or sea-
ward for her protection, but lie grimly
directed toward the city. constantly
threatening her destruction, and at last il
is openly said by the partisans OF spain,
should the Spaniards be defeated and
the insurgents capture Havana, the city
WIFI be bonlbarded, and not one house left
standing" Such an act would be only
worthy ending TO the tragedy that has SO
long been enacted.
Havana today Ia not much different
from what she is in time OF peace; more
soldiers. less business, the death rate
higher, and a general air OF gloom and
sonberness are all that would impress
one. and that only casually at first.
7 was told the first day by an American
long resident in the Spanish countries that
before my arrival the authorities knew Of
my coming; that ON my arrival had been
spotted" and that during my whole stay
in Cuba I should not be lost sight of. The
idea rather amused me at first: but when
one stands on q street corner talking 10 a
friend and suddenly discovers that his
conversation Is being listened 10. or that a
group OF three or four are peremptorily
ordered 10 move on, or that in the foyer
OF the theater a party of men smoking
their cigarettes between the acts are al
most completely surrounded hy soldiers.
ne begins 10 believe such statements. and
almost 10 adopt the depressed habit Of the
citizen Of this land.
The solder-such as he is. poor creature
is ever present. and seldom occupied ex-
cept ia smoking. In the cool of the morn
ing one is awakened by the blare of brass
and the roar of drums. and. looking forth.
he beholds a company or two OF these SOL
diers struggling along scarcely keeping
step, much less time. Perhaps an hour
win pass. and another company will file
along. Late in the afternoon the perform
ance Is repeated. the air Is filed with mus
&c and the streets with "A mob. by courtesy
regarded as soldiers.
These soldiers are absolutely the poorest
looking body OF men, or boys-for boys
they are-that ! ever saw together: the
average height Is about five feet five
inches and the average weight, at a lib
erai estimate, not over 100 pounds. They
bear the stamp Of ignorance. poverty and
viciousness upon their faces and bearing
and IL strikes one at once that Spain is
now concerned In her most profound poll
icy-trying 10 get rid of her worst eie-
ment. and. in so doing. endeavoring 10 re-
tain her most valuable possession. Never
theless, one can but feel a pity for these
poor unfortunates. sent. as they are. like
so many cattle, 10 fight the battle Of a
thankless mother country: TO die of small
pox. yellow fever. or 20 be cut down by
the machetes OF the insurgents. They land
sick and miserable, and are huddled to-
gether in the midst 81 disease and death.
no sanitary precautions being observed for
their health. As soon as possible they are
sent Off 10 the front-wherever that may
he--and the poor creatures, unused to the
climate and the exposure. die like sheep
with no one 10 mourn for them. Spain is
rid OF them. and the insurgents are rather
glad OF being saved the trouble of cutting
them down.
ten minutes survey Of the scenes in
and around the captain generals palace in
Havana - sufficient 10 convince one Of
the energetic measures" OF Gen. Campos.
The guard walks slowly 20 and fro smok-
ing cigarette: the officer OF the day Tolls
sleepily back in a chair. smoking a cigar
cite: the military attendants stare stupid
" at YOU and answer questions only after
taking long, deep puffs from their cigar
cites and watching the smoke dissipate
Nothing can be done till manyaua. To the
! least request every objection conceivable
! Is advanced and argued IN voluhle Span
/ ish. seasoned and strengthened by many
gestures But at the Jingle Of money there
! comes change. the proud son Of Spain
! begins 10 unbend At the sound he Is your
! friend. az the sight your humble servant,
! and for money you could have the Spanish
! world. Judging from the actions OF the
officials in Cuba.
| These are the men sent 20 crush the re-
| belIion. Actuated as they are ny only the
desire 20 make little money and 10 have
an easy time, is it 20 be wondered At that
| today in Havana the richest planters say
| openly that Gomez Will dictate what they
/ are 10 do9
| had interviews with several OF these
| men. and they an agreed 70 one thing
/ that 10 attempt 10 carry on their business
/ for the next year would be absurd. unless
the insurgents agreed 10 allow them 70
/ plant and gather crops. one planter said
! he had been warned not TO attempt Il. ana
1 he should obey: for. he argued. what
would ne the profit Of making the crop II
ne had 20 maintain q large body or troops
/ 10 protect hirn9 Besides. ne seriously
/ doubted being able 10 obtain any labor
/ While Il may or may not be- true that
( the INSURGENTS have won NO decisive vic
/ tories still IL Is a fact that they are con-
( staDuv gaining ground. instead of losing
n. At the beginning ~ he revolution tho
/ Spanish authorities sought 20 convey the
/ impression that the insurgents were only
( I'm small force iu the province OF Santa
/ Clara. Afterward IL was admitted that
I Ghey were I'm force IN the province 81 San
( tiaeo de cuba. and later ia Puerto Prlu-
! cipe
The fact IS that the Insurgents hv th.{r
/ guerrilla mode ~ warfare. actually held
/ these three provinces. except the scahoard
/ cities. under subsection. and these three
/ provinces moan two-thir3s 81 the whole
/ island The spanish officials would have
/ The wafl' believe that the large cities es-
! reciaNv Havana. we've perfectly safe yet
/ ID rs a fact that Within a month the lusur-
! gents have dictated terms 20 The planters
/ Within n davis march of Havana. and the
/ cf'v its,'f has feared attack
Tne INSURGENTS are rveryW here nrf
( thsre exists among Them Su.h e thorough
I Understanding thar "a dispense thsc, for
I any length ~ tiu1s 's impossible Thf ma
! turs ~ the vegetation makes ~ ElF.lIt
/ fo~ the soldiers 60 work with aivaufal-,
I against then. Cuha is nor. as Is general lis
Z supposed heavily wooded country a
! tttek ana almost inreret~ aIc rnderhrfl4h
/ or ctaparal snplrd<. This is the larktra
+ p'a-e 90 she's, nar's ana .u vala tha
/ spanish bow ealttrrs tr1 to disclose ffer-,
/ Mere the Ctfal ua-h-to is brought active
! IN ana effectively into rlay. for IL 1.s--ar-f
a har3-to-nand conflict. and GUNS are o..
'.ttie use.