San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-12-27

Far from it! The Spaniards fear the
moulIraIn or anlDusn-ngnLlng as mucn
as tue nersiided InacneLe charges oi
the cavalry aud honest history will
tell you they have cause 10.
zine arms consist mainly of the
American Remington, although there
are hundreds OF captured Spanish
| Mausers "a tive-shot magazine rne
accurate as to aim, with powerful pen
etrating powers), and far lot of
Colts and Winchester repeaters. The
officers carry revolvers of all makes
and descriptions-Colts, Smith & Wes-
sons; also the Spanish imitation of
same, as well as their own patents,
etc. CSoldiers and officers alike wear
the dreaded machete, which is used
for everything, from cutting down
trees to similar duties on the Span
| iards
1.-THE uniform consists of white jun
per and pants largely made from
| American flour sacks. / have noticed
| the brand marks of our st. Louis and
Alton millers on every part of either
| article), broad straw hats with ribbon
bands inscribed viva Cuba" "Inde-
| pendancia a Muerte," ETC., with leg
gins, shoes and cartridge bags of in
surgent manufacture.
Rules and regulations are few but
effective-absolute obedience and in
vincible valor is Gomez motto. Dis
obedience means death. COwardice
in soldiers means manual labor in
workshops or mental service to Off
cers-while officers are at once relega-
ted to the ranks. Gomez has a COM
pany composed of officers from major
general down doing duty under n sec
ond lieutenant, who can testify to this.
Tactics are of little consequence.
While instructing company in
flank and column move work a soldier
said to me, We don't want to waste
time drilling-look of what little use
it is to the Spaniards, even with their
iards and we will fight After all,
what else is there in war? Do not
the efforts of drill masters pale into
insignificance in action-is it not en-
tirely question of fight. and some
times is it not well that the fighter is
ignorant of commands like cease fir
ing, to the rear, march, etc.? In al
most every engagement the Cubans'
loss is much less than the Spaniards'
for the reason they pursue the Indian
tactics of skirmishing, requiring accu-
rate aim at inividualS. whereas the
Spaniards fight in military formation.
solid front, squares, ETC., offering good
targets. Then the Cubans are per-
feet hOrsemen, used to firearms from
youth and are fighting desperately for
freedom; their whole soul being in ev-
cry movement. On the other hand
the Spanish troops are largely mex
perienced, having been drafted for the
war, are poorly fed and halfhearted,
forced to do everything, and they
themselves anxious to be rid of the
same yoke they are compelled TO fight
to retain for others. Witness the
trouble experienced in landing each
new draft in Cuba.
1.-The Spanish reports of every en-
gagement are an infamous lie, doctor
ed to shield their loss and magnify
that of the CubansAll dispatches from
war correspondents are revised by
their officers. The deception is COM
plete and the correspondent that
would object or persist in giving the
truth would be unceremoniously ush-
cred on the outer wall. Outrages and
depredations of all kinds perpetrated
by them on pacificos and others are
charged to the insurgents, and so re-
ported in Weyler's doctored press dis
patches. There has not been a single
such depreciation committed by the in
surgents, and any correspondent who
will take his life in his hands and in
vestigate will tell you so.
"The population of Cuba. is some
100000, of which some 100000 are
negroes. A greater prorata of the
latter are in the army and doing mag
nificent work; are fine soldiers and
worthy men, knowing how to fight
and doing so like demons.
Il say here, without fear of success
full contradiction, that without the ne
gro-and he is surprisingly subservent
to white domination-there would be
no insurrection in Cuba. They are
it's very backbone. The G. A. r. of
Cuba, will know no race distinction.
His white comrade fighting side by
side, will be too honest in his appre-
citation.
"Hrere are a few of the reasons for
the revolution: Spain prohibits cult
walton in Cuba of grapes or wheat, in
interest of duties derived on Spanish
wines and foreign -four; usurious tax
alton on everything under the sun,
from being born, marrying, living,
working or dying in Cuba to transac-
tons of great or minor moment. They
exact so per cent of all sales of cattle
and other animals in proportion.
Should pacifico give a steak to his
neighbor the 80 per cent goes, but he
is exempt If he consume it all in his
family. Hence, instead of being able
to butcher alternately with fresh meat
always, they are forced to the Jerk
ed" article, often unfit to eat. An
annual revenue of some S30,000,000
must go TO Spain. Raise it, says
Spain, and her INSCRIPTIONS hirelings
do so with many millions additional
that stick to their own hands. These
are but few reasons for the revolution