The Philipsburg mail. [volume] (Philipsburg, Mont.) 1887-current, 1896-01-09
FIRE AND FLAME IN CUBA
The Torch and Sword Cause Devasta-
tion on the Island.
Why the United States Should RecCg.
nize the Belligerent Rights Of Cuba
in Her Battle for Liberty.

For days past our dispatches from
Cuba have brought the news of fire
and flame, as also of battle and blood
shed. BY the torch and the sword
there is devastation in the unhappy ISL
aud.
In view of the new features and in
cidents of the war there, it seems to us
that our country has duty in the case
which ought not to be shirked.
Either of the belligerents in war
is justified III destroying an enemy's
property not less than in taking an
enemy's life. The loss of property
weakens the side that suffers it, and
the destruction of property III war
times has always been regarded as Il
Legitimate means of bringing an en-
emy to terms. In every war both COM
batants strive to destroy or to seize
each others property and so it has
been in the case of the War in Cuba.
Gen. Maximo Gomez, the commander
of the patriot forces there, spoke his
thought upon the subject in a letter i'll
the New York Sun recently. Il
know he said, THAT unfavorable
comment is made on some of the meth
DDS we have been forced to employ in
this revolution but we cannot listen
to it. No sugar crop must be made
this winter. under any circumstances
it is the source from which the enemy
still hopes to obtain the necessary rev.
enue. - 1t has been Gomezs design
from the first to carry out this policy.
a During the campaigning Of the past
week near Matanzas the ravages by
fire have been Of a magnitude not often
seen in war; and have involved the
destruction of property valued at many
millions Gas we approached Can
as, - said the writer of Havana letter
which we printed the other day, says
the Sun, "great clouds of black smoke
rolled up from the burning cane fields !;
giant tongues of flame could be seen
from our left. - "The whole province
of Matanzas, said another writer,
appears to be on fire, and the sky is
black with the smoke of burning cane
fields. - The cane fields and woods all
the distance between Colon and Perico
We're burning, and many parts of Co.
lon We're on fire.
The town OF Ell Rogue was afire. Col
umns of smoke could be seen from
JOvellanOs. The sugar plantations
near SanVicte and LA Antonia, includ
ing the largest one of them in Cuba,
were burned. Dozens of plantations
lying southwark from Matanzas have
been destroyed, and everywhere can be
seen the smoke from the burning cane.
Bridges have been blown up, railway
depots have been burned. The combat
ants have fought each other in blazing
cane fields during the recent operations
in the west.
1t has become war of desperation
for both sides, as Maxine Gomez pre-
dicted it would become when he took
the field if Spain persisted in her at
tempt to destroy the liberties of Cuba.
"We will leave to the Spanish Gov
ernment,' he wrote the Spanish COM
mander, nothing but desolate fields
ana ruined cities.
Hundreds of miles of Cuban territory
have been licked by the flames, as
they have been made wet with blood.
Before the westward expedition of Go
mez had been begun, the sugar estates
in the eastern half of the island had
been largely destroyed. Now it is in
the richest region of Cuba that the
work of war is carried on. \ number
been ravaged.
1t looks as though the prediction of
Gomez would be fulfilled, unless the
hands of Spanish madness are stayed.
| The news here dwelt upon has come
to us, not from the insurgent side
| alone. but from both sides, and part
of it from the Spanish Minister at
| Washington. The truth of it we do
not question. 1t is many year since
we printed such dispatches as those
we have recently got from Cuba.
Meanwhile, the Spanish commander,
Martinez Campos, seems to be impotent
as against the revolution. He strug-
giles vainly. His powerful army and
navy have been unable to prevent Co
mez's advance toward his chief citadel.
We have had a report the past week
that he has begun to strengthen the de-
fences of Havana, in apprehension
that he may there have to make his last
stand in case Colon, or Cardenas, or
Matanzas should be lost to Spain.
Cuba is in flames, and the smoke of
the fires has reached Havana. The
troops Of Martinez Campos have
fought in the blazing cane fields not
much more than hundred miles east
wardly from the Cuban capital. From
place to place rides the revolutionary
commander, armed with sword and
torch, weapons both of which are ack-
nowledged to be legitimate in war.
But is the American Government to
stand unconcerned while Cuba is burn
ing, Cuba but few leagues from our
shores? Has it not duty to remon-
strate against Spain's conduct in driv-
ing the Cubans to resort to desperate
measures in defence of their liberties,
and in resistance to Spanish terrorism!
Has it not duty to recognize the bel
ligerent rights Of the Cubans at war
with Spain? Has Congress nothing to
say in the case? Are we to wait for
the fulfillment of Gomez's prediction Of
ruin?
The American people have made their
voice heard for Cuba. To that voice
Congress ought to give response with
ont further delay.