The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-07-25
GOMEZIN THE SADDLE
The Cuban Napoleon is Again
Moving Toward Havana.
MAcEo COMFORTABLE IN CAMP.
The Trocha Not Bcthering the Patriots
"A Very Gloomy Outlook for
the span,ards.

Cuba - now being repeated IN an aEgTA-
waited form The end OF May signals the
close or the dry season. and for several
months sfterward active military opera
tons viii be almost iapracticsble- Few
Hnimpo-tant skirrnishes during the past
month mark the total achievements Of the
Spanlarsis since my arrival IN Cnha- There
II NOT cne word 10 be said IN defense OK the
Spanish generslship. With an army Q,
1850 men. unlimited supplies OF all kinds,
perfect weather. little or no sickness
among the troops. indeed. with everything
ia his favor. Gen. Weyier has been eonte nj
10 act purely on the defensive and see
anarchy and destruction sweep over the
whole country
Nor can the excuse be now urged that
the rebels are never sufficiently concen-
trated 10 allow OF any serious engagement
taking place. The answer for any sacn
Plea OF justification is to stand In the
midst Of the Spanish entertainments ana
look toward the mountain ranges IN the
northern part Of the province OF Pinar aei
Rio.
Within eighteen miles OF the center OF
the Spanish line the rebel general, Antonio
Maceo. and his army have been eneamped
since March last. There the rebels -ie al
most within sight Of eo.eee spanish troops.
No pretense is made that the position Oh
Maceo Is unknown or In any doubt; indeed.
Slf-iaiSi pO&4-ACA SA~ ~ 49, -
location OF the rebel camp.
The oft-repeated statement that Maceo
cannot cross the Spanish lines has now
become wearisome, stale, and unpFortaoie'
no doubt when his own time arrives the
insurgent leader viii make an attempt 70
break through the entertainments, ana In
the meantime he Is content 10 stay where
he Is and hold on the defensive more tnan
a third OF the Spanish forces
weyIer has sacrificed all his resources
to the one Idea OF defending the small sec
ton OF the country in the neighoorhood or
Havana and even this is by no means eHi-
cIentiy done. as Is proved by the presence
OF groups OF insurgents, some or these ="
toI9o strong. constantly appearing with
IN a few miles of here and between thts
city and the Spanish entrenchinents-
Only yesterday enc OF these groups tore
up a section of rails on the Western rail-
way. cutting the communication between
Havana and Artemisa, the headquarters
OF the Spanish defensive line. From the
windows OF my hotel frequently see the
sky lurid with the reflection or burning
villages and sugar cane plantations Wheh
the work OF destruction Is complete coli
umn of troops IS sent to the spot only TO
find that the rebels have moved on else
where.
Is II for the pursuance OF this anaemic
and disastrous policy OF military inaction
that Spain ia called upon 10 sacrifce her
life bIoodr Ignorance OF the true condi-
ton OF affairs in Cuba can alone explain
the apparent apathy with which the span
iards at home regard the metho1s en-
Moved in the conduct of this campaign.
Snsfn must awake if she would save her
self from ruin and her soldiers from dis
graceful and ignominious defeat IN this un-
happy struggle The Spanish people must
be IN and doing without loss or time or
they will find at no very distant date that
they have lost Cuba.
We are told by cable from Madrid that
fo.0oo more troops are to come here in An-
gust II Is not more men, but more com
petent generaiship that Spain needs IN
Cuba. The Spanish army outnupbeFs that
OF the rebels in the proportion OF four 10
one: an additional 40.0oo. or ten times
that number, viii not help Spain TX the
present method OF conducting the military
operations is adhered 20.
Maxine Gomez, with large body or
rebels is again moving westward. The ad-
vanced guard OF this force crossed the
frontier OF the province OF Matanzas two
DAYS ago, while a cloud Of skirmishers
have already penetrated some twenty miles
nearer 10 Havana This advanced guard Of
the rebels Is commanded by a prominent
Cuban. by name GARLIC: the right flank
by Coliazo. the left by Manuel Rodriguez,
the main body by Maxine Gomez. and the
rear guard by Zayas. The men have
been served out 100 rounds apIece--a much
greater supply of cartridges than Is usu-
ally given. from FIVE 10 ten being as rule
the maximum number allowed
The insurgent leader Is very reserved as
70 his object in again marching westward,
bat the generally accepted Interpretation
of the movement Is that he means 10 as
sist Maceo In breaking through the Span
ish lines. From the present position OF
the rebels 70 this city is a distance of some
80 miles. and IL is unlikely they can put
in an appearance in this neighborhood for
fully a month 70 come. No special efforts
are being made by the Spanish commander
in chief to check this advance OF the
enemy, and. II We can Judge by past
events, Maxine Gomez will be In the out
skirts Of Havana before any sffectual at
tempt Is made 20 cope with the situation.
One cannot withhold admiration for the
extraordinary knowledge Of guerrilla tao
ties and warfare displayed by Maxine Co
reg during the past fifteen months. With
a badly armed rabble. lacking In supplies
OF ammunition and war material OF every
kind. ne has marched through districts
held by 10000 Spanish troops; he has de-
fed the Spanish generals on all sides. anil
everywheTs shown himself their absolute
superior IN the strategy adapted TO the
topography of the country and the con-
dltlous prevalent in Cuba The Spaniards
fail into the error OF undertaking their foe;
Maxine Gomez has never yet made such a
fatal mistake. Not once have the Spanish
forces inflicted a decisive check on the
rebels. and the Widespread knowledge OF
this fact makes the movement more popn-
lar fn the country ana more difficult for
Spain 20 suppress as every day slips away
The economic condition grows daily
worse and more acute. In the province OF
Pinar del Rio the Inhabitants have left
the country and crowded IN the few towns
held by Spanish sarTisons. or have joined
the rebels under Macso. Poverty and mis-
cry are everywhere apparent Throug aoat
the length ard breadth q Cuba FIa-
s-ana has not yet felt the fail forsa OF
the storm. bit there arc signs on every
side to show that the acute stage s rapid
Is approaching Cor this ones rich and
prosperous city. dow long VIII this isstg
IS the cry on everyboay's .ips. Families
who weTe ln comfortable and even
weaItav circumstances year ago now
wonder where they can obtain the where
wEhaf 20 buy the usEessar2eS 81 ife. TIE
number OF homeless and hungry IS in-
sreassnE every day. IL is truly period
81 1arnantslfon and sorrow FOR Eil: and,
As VET. there - no veStiga OF a freak IN
ths clouds. rather, indeed. the pext few
months faresha50w naugh. but famine
and pestilencs throughout the whole
country.
Even = Srain ultimately wns. many
years must slarxe before the recou slruc-
ton and development OF me TOW ruined
ts,seaa industries can ptaes thsm In a
sufficiently noarishing stats 70 adni. ef
a revenue being raised THAI ggiii cover the
aE%s NJ ~ I. -s-zf