The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-10-23
CUBA WILL SOON Be FREE
Spain Is Soon to Cease Hos
tilities.
THE WAR IS ALMOST OVER
island Will Be Surrendered to the
In. .urgents-spain Cannot Expect to
Hold Both Cuba and tho Philippines

island VIII Be Surrendered to the
,urgents-spain Cannot Expect to
Hold Both Cuba and tho Philippines
Cadiz, Oct, 19.-H Spain has not
put down the insurrection in Cuba by
the 1st of March, it is the intention OF
the government to give up the struggle
and let the island go. The significance
of this statement. coming direct from
an officer Of rank in the Spanish army,
within the week, must certainly be re-
garded as of no little Importance. The
above determination is an open secret
among those who are close to the gov
ernment, and it is said that the policy
is being adopted of exaggeraring the
magnitude of the trouble in the Phil
ippine islands with view of preparing
the people for the ultimate design Of
letting Cuba go.
By way of further corroboration of
this estimate of the situation it may be
remarked that while Spain is sending
more than 200, 900 troops to Cuba. who
are in the main very young and undis-
ciplined, she is carefully keeping her
$4,000 well-disciplined and efficient
soldiers who may be available in case
of an outbreak at home. She is also
keeping in Spanish waters twelve war
ships which are ready for sea, and
which could be Of great service in
Cuban waters in aiding the United
States in that police work which she
now asks that country to do for her.
w. g. Foster, manager of the East
ern Telegraph Company here, speaking
of the situation, said:
''There is no question that che gov.
ernment is trying to use the Philippine
islands troubles to distract the peoples
attention from Cuba. There is no
doubt that Spain intends to do her
utmost to crush the Cuban insurrection
between now and March. Failing in
that, am informed that she will give
up the struggle.
"An Important issue is the fact that
Cuba has a debt of $500, 600. 900, and
that if Spain puts down the insurrco-
tion, Cuba will have to pay that debt,
whereas if Cuba wins. the payment Of
that debt will fall on Spain, who con.
tracted it on behalf of Cuba. Natur.
ally the planters who have been driven
from the half-ruined plantations, how
ever loyal they may appear to be to
Spain, really want to see the Cubans
succeed, as in that case they would not
be taxed by Spain to pay the interest
on the debt. and could then start again
under more favorable auspices.
Meanwhile every one is talking
about Cuba, and little is said of the
PHILIPPINE islands, although the latter
comprises 115, 900 square miles, against
$4,000 for Cuba. In point of popula-
tion the PHILIPPINES have 1886, 900 as
against 2,276, 900 for Cuba and Porto
Rico combined. I am satisfied that
Spain will either have won in Cuba
by March next or have given up the
shrugged"
Governor Abril, governor of the
province Of Cadiz, was next inter-
viewed. In substance he said that
Cleveland had not done much for
Spain, and he did not see how change
in administration could make matters
worse, unless the Independence of Cuba
should be acknowledged. He says he
does not contemplate war between
Spain and the United States. The gov.
ernor would not say that great Cuban
victory would precipitate trouble in
Spain, and did not think that such an
event was likely to take place.
As to the effect of the war upon
Cuba the governor did not seem to
think it had been very grave. He
added that the Compana Transatlan-
tica Espanola was almost altogether o.
cupied in transporting government
troops and munitions Of war, SO that
there naturally had been no falling
off in it's traffic.