The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-24
ANOTHER CUBAN CHIEFTAIN.
MuIattO MaceO-President santa
Lucia and Other Leaders-Thc uospt-
tnIity Of People.

The MlIuuIO NlNtto- ''f
Lucia and other Leaders-The Hospi-
tnIity Ofthe People.
Hubert Howard In Contemporary ReHieW'I =
Gen. Antonio Maceo is the moving
spirit of the whole revolt. tie Is Il
tall. broi d shouldered mulatto, with u
reputation of reckless bravery aud u
good knowledge of Cuban warfare,
gained during the last instruction.
He is the hero of the Cubans aud the
terror of the Spanish soldiery, a vol
cano of energy, with a charming man
ner. a kindly disposition, and eyes
that are perpetually smiling through
a pair of gold trimmed eyeglasses.
| first met Maceo on an occasion 81
great state and ceremony. Cuba had
Just elected a provisional government,
which was to watch over the interests
of the country till the struggle should
be ended. The general was mobillz
ing the troops of the east to receive
and do honor to the president and
ministers of the Cuban republic, who
had journeyed very far to meet him.
The president of the republic, the
Marquis of Santa Lucia, is n man very
nearly so years old, a stately ard cour-
teous old gentleman, and so why that
he arrived at the place of meeting
several days before he was expected.
The rest of the government is almost
entirely composed of Young men, who
are almost all under 40: shrewd, pleas
ant fellows they seemed, full Of zeal
and hope in the future, and apparently
by no means oversangiune. From them
| learned how it was proposed abso
lutely to forbid and prevent the grind
ing of the sugar cane throughout
Cuba, and SO to hinder Spain from
getting any financial assistance from
the island. The insurgent forces were
maintaining themselves in the field
without expense, and could continue
to do so, while the Spanish army OF
occupation was an ever increasing
burden, and one which every day Spain
became less willing and able to bear.
The Cuban policy was to cripple
Spain financially while she withstood
her in the field. The insurgents would
be willing to treat with Spain az to a
price for Spanish evacuation, and to
pay freely rather than draw the war
out to the very crd. During the first
three months of the struggle they
would have accepted a free and full
measure of autonomy, but now the es.
Establishment of a Cuban republic can
only be prevented by Spanish victory
and Cuban humiliation.
Wherever we CHANGED to find our
at nightfall, we slung ham
and slept: sometimes it would
be in a shed, and sometimes in the
open air. and once and again unpIeas
near the enemy. We passed one
night in the shed which contained the
press of the Cuban republic,
md around about us lay the copies
IF the gala number of Cuba Libre. the
organ of the Instruction, all printed
blue and red type to commemorate
he governmental election. In the
morning. we would be up and in the
again before sunrise, the only
possible being a good shake.
Everywhere | found the Cubans the
most courteous and hospitable people
conceivable; whatever noun Of the
lay or night il might be. all that the
tuban had and all that he could do
at the service of tine stranger.
n the middle of the night We were
erved with coffee and food if there
HANGED to be any, and no matter how
,oor our host might be il was out of
he question that he should receive
money. From the time | Joined the
Insurgents to the day | got back to
! never spent a penny, {
| have only been five weeks in Cuba. 5
.ut | have seen and heard enough OF
that is passing to wish all success to
he cause of the insurrection, and 10 ;
ope that the United States will not
long in recognizing the Cuban in
urgents as a belligerent power.