Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-05-01
The War In Cuba.
summary of the situation 20 Dnte---
Small Success OF the Government In
OmeIIIng the RebelIiOm.

summary of the situation TO Date---
small Success OF the Government in
QueIIing the Rebellion.
Those who have attempted to follow the
accounts of the Cuban instruction pub
lshed from day to day know the unrelia-
BILE character of much of the news, es-
pecialy of that which is officially promul-
gated. That the Spanish troops, although
numerous, have made no Roadway against
the rebels, is evident from the prolonga-
ton of the instruction and the fact that
the Spaniards really remain on the defen-
sive, for the protection of the province of
Havana. The remainder of the island is
either given up wholly to the rebels or is
debatable ground.
According to the opinion of j. Frank
Clark, staff correspondent of the United
Press, who is a disinterested witness, con-
cerned only to acertain the truth, Cuba is
surely slipping away from Spain. Mr..
Clark spent two months in Cuba at the
opening of the rebellion and four months
this year. When be left Cuba in June, 1895,
Gomez and Maceo were in the mountains
of the Eastern district, with small bands of
insurgents. When he returned in January,
1896, he found that they had advanced
600 miles, recruiting their forces, and that
they were actually threatening Havana.
A week ago, he says, the instruction was
larger, more formidable, and, apparently,
more promising of success, than at any
time in the II months since its inception.
Moreover, the rainy season is rapidly
approaching, and the death rate from
yellow fever among the unacclimated
men of the Spanish army is likely to ex-
coed their losses in battle. The war itself
is carried on in desultory fashion, for the
Cubans, though skillfully led, are not
strong enough in numbers or sufficiently
well armed to engage in open battle.
They carry on a guerilla warfare and
occasionally destroy property that
would, if left undisturbed, enrich their
foes. A late despatch reports that rebels
have destroyed by fire 300 houses and 49,
600 bales of tobacco on the plantations
belonging to Pedro NIuras, causing loss
of over 100000 Three thousand
persons, it is said, have been rendered
homeless This unnatural warfare is
probably in retaliation for General Wey-
er's course in executing the rebels taken
in battle. Little mercy is exhibited on
either side, and will not be until Spain
shall be forced to acknowledge Cuban bel
ligerency.
The outlook for the island is very
gloomy. Unless there should be foreign
Intervention of some kind the war is
likely to last for many years, and Cuba
will be impoverished, whether the Spaniards
again obtain military control or the Cuban
insurgents force an acknowledgment of
their independence. Neither party is at
present willing to listen to overtures for
peace, yet it would be to the advantage of
both to arrange for formal purchase of
the liberty of Cuba. The Cubans could
well afford to pay handsomely, with the
aid of loan, for permanent peace, for
they will have to pay quite as much for
war, and Spain would profit by selling the
island, which can no longer be relied upon
as a source of revenue. But the Spaniar1s
are proud, and the Cubans have no dispo-
sition to buy what they think they can
win by force of arms.