The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-02
PATRIOTS IN PERIL.
Their Horses Lame and Their
Ammunition Exhausted.
sPANIARDs PRESS THEM HARD.
Gomez and Maceo in q Desperate Situ-
ation-The Poor People OF the
Island Starving.

operations now being conducted against
Maxine Gomez and Antonio Maceo under
the personal direction Of Gen. Marin. the
acting captain general OF Cuba. II is be-
lieyed that Marin has been aiming TO strike
a deathbiow before the arrival Of Gen.
Weyler. the successor Of Martinez de Cam
pos as captain general of Cuba, and ii Is
understood he has taken steps to accom-
plish this end. But ambition is not the
only spur to Gen. Marin's activity.
1t IS admitted. even in Cuban circles, that
the instruction has reached a precarious
stage from several causes. notably lack Of
ammunition and arms and the want OF
fresh horses and supplies. The steps taken
be the Spanish in gathering in all the
horses and cattle possible have had the
effect of weakening the insurgents consid-
erably. Their horses. as a rule. are almost
worn out. and. being kept almost continu-
ally on the march for months past, they
are not allowed to recuperate. The Span
iards seem TO be aiming to keep the insur-
gents constantly moving from place to
place. night and day, and TO gradually wear
them out. There is little doubt that the
insurgents are feeling the effects OF this,
for their trails are marked by numbers Of
lame horses. whose number is increasing
as time wears on Hitherto the great draw
back under which the Spaniards have la
bored has been the lack OF cavalry with
which 70 pursue the quick-moving mount
ed infantry of the insurgents. This is be-
ing gradually overcome.
There Is no denying that the Spanish
commanders have, up TO the present, sue
ceeded in keeping the insurgent armies
apart With this object In view new mil
itary line has just been drawn north and
south from Mariet. on the northern coast
Of PiEar del Rio. through Guanajay and
Ariemica, to thersouthern coast near Man
gas. ana upon the maintenance of the new
line a great deal is said TO depend
A dispatch from the frontier says Brig.
Gen. Caneio, who is in command of the
military line drawn across Pinar del Rio.
was engaged yesterday with a portion of
the force commanded by Gomez. The fight
took place between Mioraz and San Angus
tine, and is reported TO have resulted in a
repulse of the insurgents. While Canelo
maintains the military line Gen Marin
Is reported on the westward making an at
tempt to engage Maceo. Gomez, when last
heard from, was In the neighborhood of
Paso Redondo, little north of Rafabano,
which would seem to substantiate the OFF,
cial statement TO the effect that he has been
driven eastward from the frontier in Pinar
del Rio, owing to the pursuit OF the Span
iards.
The health of Gomez continues to give
anxiety to his friends. Confirmation has
been received of the report that Gomez has
over two months
A report was current In Cuban circles
here yesterday that there is considerable
dissatisfaction in Gomez camp owing TO
some of the actions of the Cuban junta in
New York, and 1t is said that body is
strongly blamed for the insurgents failure
TO receive much-needed arms and ammu-
milton, and rumor has ii that there are dis
agreements between the insurgent armies
Fat1
known TO have been circulated by the
Spanish authorities in the past, and it may
be that the reported discord between the
Cuban generals is not an actual fact.
Reinforcements of cavalry are being hur-
ried on 10 Gen. Marin from every available
point. His exact whereabouts. however
Is not known, contradictory reports in this
connection having bean rurposely eircu-
lated to deceive the friends Of the insur-
gents, who keep the latter posted, so far as
possible. upon the movements of the Span
ish troops
The exodus of the better class of people
from Cuba continues, and the prices of
provisions continue to go up. In fact.
matters have almost reached the point
where the poorer classes will have to de-
pend on the authorities for relief Iuxu-
ries are worth their weight I'm gold bust
ness Is nearly thing of the past and trade
with the interior may be said to have
ceased, excepting that part of Il which
is carried on by vessels. The country mer-
chants are either bankrupt or nearly so.
and the banking firms are being called I'M
on from all sides for assistance People
who can do so are in very many cases re-
afzing upon their belongings. and every
thing tends TO increase the feeling of de-
preston The worst of Ii is that there ia
no glimmer OF sunshine anywhere The
best that can be expected Is a long. tedious
struggle. with an unsatisfactory ending 10
the business man In any case
The movement of the troops seems 10 10
the only eniivening incident of life In Ha-
yana nowadays. and Ii may be added. that
tho people are getting tired of the military
display. In short. the insurrection is tir-
ing everybody here and running business.
The Matanzas railroad situation here has
become SO had that the company has de-
cided TO reduce the wages of all its en-
ployes. The present schedule of wages
adopted as only 81. %. D and Is per cent, of
the old rate or wages, and some Of the en-
gineers have refused 10 take out their trains
because OF the reduction Lieut.. Gen.
Panfo recently issued notices Offering en-
ployment 10 loco laborers on different plan
tations in Cuba. The general situation is
50 bad here and the suffering has been so
extreme. that hundreds thronged to head
quarters In response TO his offers and he
found 1t impossible 10 furnish employment
for all
II Is now claimed that the wives of the
negroes will be given uniforms and that
they are now allowed TO accompany the
insurgents on their raids. those in com
mand hoping that they viii Initiate the
achievements OF the Amazons In pahornev.
baltimore, Feb. lit has lust been
learned that another steamer has been
bought here. presumably for the Cuban pa-
oiotie party to be iitted for a lnbuster.ng
expedition. The new acquisition Is the
Luce Bros. fishing steamer OF the same
type as the Hawkins the veazev ana the
Mascotte. bat somewhat smaller than any
OF these
Havana. Feb. IA cable dispatcb fron
Madrid reports that the Spanish minister
or foreign affairs. Senior ElfuFan ana
United States Minister TAYLOR have held
a conference regarding the report OF the
senate foreign Affairs committee respect
Ing Cuban belligerency. After the confer
ence Minister Eliugan called on Premier
Canovas and had A long consultation
Both maintain strict silence on the tSnhlac,
but II Is stated that the Spanish cabinet is
grained with the result. Another Madrid
dispatch reports thar al A meeting Of rha
cabinet. the queen regent presiding ~,
action ~ he American senate's committee
on foreign Affairs vas the subject Of Ais
cussion. Premier Canovas does not attach
any importance 10 the committees rsr,srt
u - asserted bOt says the committee has
merely expressed the personal views OF it,
members
Gen Marin has returned with his entire
force from San Antonio 10 Qulsicao ara
san Felipe. or the military line hatvrar-
Havana and katahano \ rebel hans ~,,,
TIE railroad and telegraph between Rps5a
Venture and ou.vican- u Is reported a.
though rot officially confirmed. ina, O.
mez with rs 0Wa forces committed ;he de-
probation IL THIS Is true. X = argued pa.
Ne mas taken alarm from Gen. Marfa's sud