Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-22
WHAT CUnA COSTS SPAIN.
War Measures lie
sorted TO Recently.

The we'll informed and accurate Madrid
correspondent OF the London Standard. to
whom the world is much indebted for news
of Spanish governmental doings, gives a
most interesting account OF the strain to
which the government is subjected on be
half of the Cuban campaign. The war min
istcr General AzcarTaga, has displayed great
energy in providing troops, but he has been
forced to resort to some extraordinary meas
mes. At the outbreak OF the war he called
in some 10 coo men Of the iirst-claSs reserve,
and men Of the classes Of 1884 and 1885,
and even some of the class OF 1893, who.
after a few months OF training, had been
dismissed TO their homes in order to lessen
army expenses Then he called fer the 3d.
600 CorsCripts OF 1895 some months before
the usual time. These were boys of less
than 20 years Of age, fine subjects for an
arduous foreign campaign in an unsanitary
country! No wonder many OF these
drafted were found to have fed from the
country. No wonder, too that no less thah
is, 100 of these who remained chose to pay
the gOvernn ent a forfeit of $500 each rather
than to be sent to the Antilean slaughter
pen. This latter fact was, OF course. iina
thing for the well-nigh bankrupt Spanish
treasury. 1t meant a windfall to 1t OF So
0,O0O or enough to pay the cost OF the
war for as much as two or three weehs, !is
But it meant military force of inferior
quality the vacancies being filled with sec
ondratC substitutes.
This year there viii probably be a similar
harvest of forfeit money. The minister mas
called for the 1896 conscripts several monthe
in advance, and thousands OF them viii seek
release from duty which means probable
death The military census shows this year
1872 757 "men"-all lads under 20 years Of
age-liabla to be drafted into service. Oi
these, 20777 are exempted for physical di5a-
bility 213i arc temporarily exempted, b,26S
are missing. 63,O53 are held condtional!y
liable for service, and 90,525 are actually
summoned for active service The places
of such OF these latter as purchase
eXemption-$3OO from home service
and 800 from colonial service--will be
hllcd from the ranks OF those cOndltionally
drafted. No less than 10000 Of these un'
seasoned lads, after two or three months
OF drill, are to be sent to Cuba, the hrst
Of them arriving there before Christmas.
Such are tho troops with which Weyler hopes
to crush tho veteran legions OF Gomez and
Maceo! BY such measures Spain has
swelled her army to 100000 men and boys
In two years. In nineteen months she has
sent 165, ,551 OF them to Cuba. There were
already here some 1900, and 10000 more
volunteers making total of l92,5jl This
number has now been reduced to less than
l50 coo, showing fearful roll OF deaths ard
disabilities on the field and in The hospital.
Beside this appalling drain upon the
young manhood OF the nation, there Is a
corresponding drain upon the treasury. Nlnc-
teen months Of war have cost fully $4,000, =
COS, and tho present rate of expense Is Sll,-
OO0, 900 a month. And still the end Is not
in sight. The insurgents are actually
stronger than ever before, in spite OF all
tho wealth and blood spent for their subjec-
tion, They have says this correspondent,
an unlimited recruiting ground in the ma
iorlty of the Creole population. whites
ana colored people alike, and an inexhaustl-
BILE supply OF arms, money and ammunition
from their friends and sympathizers in the
United states, That Is quite true, and they
will doubtless continue to enjoy th6le ad-
yantages until the waning resources OF
Spain are completely exhausted