New-York tribune., 1896-01-29
A FIGHT TO THE BITTER END.
CrHANs REALIZE THEY MUST JOIN THE
prREr.s OR LEAVE THE ISLAND

n.n,,p,c VAR EXPECTED on THE COMING OF
GENERAL. wEYfER-GoMEzs ARMY PRAc-
rrcNIy EQUIPPED AND ARMED At THE
EXPENSE OF spAIN-GREAT WORK
ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED BY TIE
INSURGENTS PRESS CENSOR MORE
SEVERE As THE SITUATION
BECOMES MORE DESPERATE.
Havana Jan 25 Via Tampa, Jan S-There ~ no
talk now OF compromise between SPAN ana '''e
Cuban insurgents. II Ia TO b" hsht 20 the oi.'''
,d Martinez Campos. the pacihcator. has ialed'
and has been recalled mainly because OF ms ih'A
Of severity In the ireatment Of 'ubans VINO nh''
taken up arms have aided the rcoc''on III o''''
,,evs Carnpos was honest. upright. earnest. active
and possessed Of great military genius pu' ne ""S
humane Campos. the pacihcator' - on 'h' "N'
seas bound for Spdin where n" VIII n""p''"'' -"
some plain truths and make some politicians regret
his recall General Weyler who Is !f many respects
the opposite OF Campos. Is on his way 20 assume
sunrome command lie has reputation FOR sever
ity and harshness which he may not deserve ie
announces that he comes 10 meet war WIN wal '
has nothing do with reforms
srcb teranccs coupled with the stories in circu-
,a,ion here az TO his alleged harsh and lnhuman
do,ngs in the war OF Ss-7S have resulted In sHdd
oxodus Of peaccablc Cuban residents oi this and
other cities The practices. which ar" ascrlp'u 10
General Weyler belong 70 the wars OF 'nrhhtl'
times Cubans Of the better classes say tha' oi>
two courses are open to them -"iihcr to nee ioih
the Island Of cuba 10 Join The r"o" array ~
every steamer to Key West and Tampa sine" IN
re,iremen, OF Cainpos has been crowded. the IN
dicatons are that Will 20 70 th" lnit'a states
from this city than to the field
Gomez and Macco are widoly separated. no. be-
cause the sparish troops have driven them apart.
,n,ss g1Ip *
tend the rebellion into Inar del RIO 'hc western
mos, provnce. and Gomez shOu!! walt fof MS To-
turn IN the Province OF Havana. Maceo has gone
as far Yves: as towns of importance exist. has sent
de,achments along the north coast. WIN" he went
along the south coast and visited the great tobacco
region OF Vueiia Ahato.
WHERE REBELS WE'RE WELCOME
In no province Of cuba have the rebel armies
been received "a they were I'm Pinar del RIO Town
after town welcomed them with open arms White
nags nu,,ered from houseiors IN token of surrer-
der and In only few Instances dii SPANS" No'uh-
teers or Spanish regulars Oppose them opposition
resulted In a fight. In which the SpahHr'" so"''
times held the fort barricad~ I'm which they "ef"
in,renched but the Cubans burned the re'A ~ The
town In many instancea the volunteers snrren-
dercd their arms and ammunition, and no one was
harmed on either side. The local bands OF insnr-
gents united with Maceo's column OF 700 men, ana
| \ safe estimate OF the rebels under arms now in
The railroads and te!egraphs have been s'opped.
pu, little other damage has beer reported Tobacco
I'm the field has not been injured. ana warehouse
tobacco has not been burned. The rebels nave
friends whom the tobacco Industry supports IN 'ne
United States
Meanwhile General Marin has no, been IDLE The
rauroad line across the island from Havana TO
Ratabano has been turned into a 'trocha or wall
Of men, and officers high in authority deciafS ma h
Maceo is penned up In the west eng Oh wv & .a.
nd nd wi
join Gomez. who Is east OF It, - . c,,,.oo
and Camaguey. under Jose Maceo, Rabi Gespedes.
Garlic and Agurre are moving rnIs fnp'S y, ,hcr
junction with Gomez is daily expected. Nearly ~ ~
are momnsd ana "r m ola PISTOL The operations OF
the last four weeks have replenished the annnuii ai
thousand additional rifles These have beer taxi taxi
from volunteers and IN sone ins,ar's u,s ~ arh
ing for their lives agains; heavy odds so many
rifles have been surrendered In this manner ina
the authorities ore dlsarming volunteers al & cH
equipped ard supplied Itself at the cxpensse OF
which, by-theway Is not hgnly esletl'.b ,h ur" .,
nrrT nrI the armies of the east join Gomez near this
fought.
WHY THE REBELLION FIDvRIslEd
There are many reasons why the Spanish army
has not crushed ont the rebellion before ms 'me'
In the first place the size and ability Of the enemy
have been underestimatcd. General Gomez has had
the country people with him. with their al ana
possessing a superior knowledge OF the topography
he easily escaped being cornered ana comptil'a 10
stand up and fight. Again. IN an th' W M'stctn c,
operations the rebels have been mounted, ana SPAN
has had only infantry to send in pursuit OF thein
There are today only 90 mounted guerrIleros or
cayalrymen in service. 1t Is said that l5oO more
are being sent from Spain. The rebels nave iuliy
10 900 mounted men. The Spanish soldiers nave no
heart in this fight They are not defending their
own soil from Invasion. They are not In conquest
a foreign nation. They nnd mat me Cubans SPEAK
the same language and are prnctoilIy bfotnefS.
who rebel through oppression which they themselves
have felt The Spanish officers are not inclined To
overyork themselves. They receive double pay
while in Cuba and for tnat reason are said 70 be
In no hurry TO bring the war To an end. There are
good work under great tisadvantases but there
are many who dilly-dally around the cafes In the
cities while the rebels raid towns and hamiets
within hours ride.
| From Cape Mays the east 20 Cape Antonio
on the west. the rebels occupy the productive in
terror and hundreds OF towns are In their hands.
| In harbor. and such inland towns as have been
strongly garris0ned hold out against the Insurgents
! Maxine Gomez demonstrated his power By order
| Ing that the grinding Of cane should ceas". campos
threw thousands OF troops In the rich districts
OF Santa Clara Matanzes and Havana. but Gomez
punished all who failed 20 obey his order by burn
day the only estate In operation Is the Toledo. IL
| Is almost under the walls OF Havana and has "A
special garrison OF so, troops ~ stopp!ng the
grinding of the sugar crop Gomez hopes to dcp.ete
Spains resources by cutting OF her revenue from
Cuba. The cost of Span'g army IS enormous and
| the question OF how lonG men and money be
poured into Cuba IS that should Sc. Euronean
fnanciers thinking Spain endeavors TO blind the
world the actual condition OF affairs by a
press censorship which has been made more strict
as the situation here has become more grave. Tae
last change In censor practically closes the cables