The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-04
A Cause that Gathers Strength.

n Nhube TIM OAtntTb obECIkbhs
Some of the arguments put forth In Con-
gress against according belligerent rights TO
the Cuban insurgents are fast losing what
ever virtue they may once have been thought
to possess.
IL has been urged that the patriots have
no capital, and that the seat Of government
of President CIsNERos Is in the saddle, pro-
tected in its migrations by the forces OF
GOMEZ or MACEo, as 1t may chance to be
nearer the one or the other. But as a fact
there exist the most positive assurances that
the capital Of the Cuban Government is es-
tablished on Cubitas Mountain, only about
twenty-five miles from Puerto Principe,
and that it has been there ever since last
autumn. 1t has no doubt been migratory
in the sense that when the Cuban armies
were operating in the eastern end OF the
island IL was also, Of course, temporarily es-
tablished there, and afterward was removed
elsewhere in the province Of Santiago de
Cuba. But with the march Of the troops
westward the seat of civil government
has followed. The very fact that rumors
nave lately sprung up Of a proposed
movement Of Spanish troops from Puerto
Principe against Cubitas suggests this
new question whether the Cuban patri-
OTIS have n capital or not. Up to this time,
however, Cubitas has hardly been threatened
by WEYLER as much as Havana by GoMEz
In fact, Spain has not troops enough to pre-
vent the operations of the field forces Of the
republic, to say nothing of sparing any for a
move against this stronghold. Her purpose
Is perhaps better served, so far as our Con-
gress Is concerned, by ignoring the existence
of Cubitas, and so lending a shadow Of excuse
to the few who still cry out that the Cuban
cause has no established seat Of government.
We also sometimes hear 1t said that the
Cuban republic has no seaports. Neither
has the republic of Switzerland. We are
not called upon to recognize the existence Of
an insurgent navy. But that does not pre-
vent our according to the Cuban cause such
recognition as it deserves.
From time to time we hear the complaint
that the insurgents carry on only q guerrilla
warfare, or q war Of devastation, so that they
ought not to be recognized as belligerents.
Yet in our own Revolution partisan leaders
like SUMTER and MARION were accounted
good patriots and true soldiers, while in Cuba
the necessity of the case requires that the
Cuban leaders should destroy the resourceso of
opdlu. L bucy lay WdSJc IL CIOpS, IL 10 hou
through wantonness, but with a deliberate
purpose. The Cubans have waRed war
against railroads, bridges, houses, and plan
t~ations, as we'll as against the armies of
MARTINEZ CAMPos and WEYLER; and in at
lacking Spain's revenues they are simply
gripping her sinews Of war.
Every day may now be said to add to
the strength Of the patriot cause, so long as
It continues to make head against Spain,
because the season of practicable campaign
ing is nearing a close. When it ends, with
substantially nothing accomplished to put
down the revolt, what will the people Of
Spain themselves sayi They will see that
from 100. 900 to $50, 900 soldiers have been
sent to Cuba, and scores Of millions of
money have been laid out, with the result
of transferring the war from the east, where
the insurgent cause is known to be tri-
umphant, to the west, where Spain pretends
to hold control.
In our Congress. too, the cause of Cuba is
palpably gaining an element Of strength.
What the friends Of Spain wanted was q
delay for a few months, in order that they
might show what could be done in one
more campaigning season under q new
General. That time Of probation is fast
passing away, mt thus far the S~paniards
are worse off thar ever.