The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-04
IN CUBA.

informing article from The Contemporary
Review, entitled, "Bive Weeks with the
Cuban Insurgents" 1t Is written by an
Englishman who got through the Spanish
lines n back again and visited the in
surgent camp.
Since the time that other Of the colo
mics Of spanish America broke from the
rule of the Madrid government, Cubans
have engaged i'm five desperate attempts
for freedom, the fifth being as yet un-
suppressed. Cuba was loyal when all the
other Spanish American States were in
revolt, but the reward for. this faithful
ness has been long years Of oppression.
Deprived of her other ~colonies Spain had
the Cgban isle alone to squeeze, and the
squeezing process has been terrific. The
last outbreak, which the Cubans main
tanned for ten years, was ended in 1873,
when Gen. MARTINEZ CAMPos made terms
onte mplating reform that the Home gov
eminent never carried out. The present
outbreak will not be so terminated. ON
fidence in Spanish good faith is n~ot.1ikely
again to influence a Cuban army In the
field. The leaders of.the insurrection today
were among the patriots who were fooled
in 1878, and preparation for the present
struggle has been going or since the day
Of those broken pledges.
As the article before us points out, little
is known to the outside world OF the ac-
tual state of affairs in Cuba, although to-
day we know something more about 1t
than we did late last fall when this En-
glish investigator learned in person the
condition. But even now much OF this
information is i'm the nature of news as
showing beyond question the prevailing
sentiment on the island.
We know now, though details OF the
history OF the movement have been lack
ing, that the Cuban instruction has
swept from the far eastern end OF the is
land up to the gates OF Havana. But be-
fore IL had proceeded anything like so
far, or furnished any such evidence Of sue
cess, this English tourist among the
camps found popular sentiment through
out Cuba strong for the republic. He
found the country districts i'm complete
possession of the army OF insurrection, a
few hundred men being powerful to hold
points of vantage against big forces of
the Kings troops sent against them. He
found the insurgents in possession of the
agricultural resources OF the island, confis-
eating the crops and paying for them or
destroying them where Spanish battalions
threatened and SO cutting off the main
source OF Spanish revenue. Little of the
crops have reached the coast as We actual
ly know. He found Spanish troops in
possession of many of the towns, but he
found public sentiment in those towns
ready to express itself in favor OF the re-
public at every opportunity and the peo-
pie welcomed every insurgent force that
succeeded in capturing an occasional
small place and they swelled the ranks of
the army OF the republic. Everywhere
were aid I'M succor furnishded the Cuban
soldiers. Many Of the so~called Span-
ish volunteers, recruited from sup
posed Cuban sympathizers with Span
fish rule, were found TO be ready to
desert their spanish officers and join the
insurrection. Indeed, today, we hear ru-
mors of just such a revolt among the vol
unteers in Havana, OF which this English
writer saw such plain signs.
The observation OF this English writer
inevitably leads the discriminating reader
TO the conclusion hat II is practically
impossible for the Spanish troops in the
towns TO conquer and hold for any length
OF time the island OF Cuba. The vast ag-
ricultural areas are in possession of the