The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1896-03-24
NO. 81
WILL THE INSURGENTS VIM

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A Newspaper Correspondent Who Has Spent
Four Months in the Cuban Camp Thinks
They VIII Win.
The News and Courier prints an In
terview with Sylvester Scovel, the
war correspondent OF the New York
World, who has just returned from
Cuba, and Is the only non-combatant
that has been actually in the field with
the insurgents.
In answer to the question, "Will the
Cuban's win ?" Mr.. Scovel said.
An impartial survey of the progress
OF the war and the actual condition OF
affairs in Cuba to-day seems to point
to u speedy victory for the insurgents,
They are cavalry, and the Spanish
have none but the infantry arm Of the
service. The Cubans obtain willing
and unpaid guides from the friendly
pacific inhabitants of Western Cuba,
while the Spaniards find it hard to get
guides, and those they get often pur-
posely mislead them. The Cubans
have supplies of food laid up in safe
places. The Spaniards, when the
small supply in sight gives out, will
be forced to transport food by OK train.
This will cost much money and will
umns. How can an infantry force be
expected to catch cavalry, when it
(the Infantry is limited to the speed
OF Its train-or about two and half
miles an hour? The long ox-traips
will also be easy of attack for the Gu
bans.
Taking into consideration their
superior knowledge Of the country,
their enthusiasm, their horses and
their superior leaders, it is safe to say
that the Cubans can't very we'll loose,
unless all the latter are killed. They
can keep away from the Spaniards
(even in fiat Western Cuba) as long as
they want to.
The question is,, How long can
Spain find the money?' This money
question trebles in Importance when
the fact develops that soon the half
million OF peaceable and hitherto tax
paying Cubans OF Western Cuba will
be without food. They must be fed,
and by the Spanish Government, as its
armies have SO far lived off the coun-
try as we'll as the Cu5ans. The diff
Guilty OF transportation (the railroads
being disabled,) will raise this food
question into an extremely enormous
expense. How long can Spain find
the money?
The Cubans have regularly Or
ganized Government, consisting of
President and Cabinet, elected by the
Legislative body of twenty electors,
representing the twenty divisions Of
the'lsland of,Cuba from one end to the
other. This Government never moves
more than five miles from certain
point in the province of Puerto
Principe, and can,be as certainly found,
If not so quickly, as that of our coun-
try at Washington. Maxine Gomez is
general in chief of all the Cubans in
arms He receives ords and dis
patches from the Government every
two weeks. The couriers on their way
stop at all department commanders
and each courier consequently brings
to Gomez reports from most of his
officers. These he reads and his secre-
taries write replies which are at once
sent back all over the Island.
Maceo is the second in command.
He has the title of "chief of the army
OF MOasion," the army which has
from the Eastern clear to the
Western end of Cuba. All native born p,
Cubans are patriotic. The Spanish
private soldiers are much Drawer than
the Cubans. Their officers are much
worse.
my opinion, from four months in
the field, is that the Cubans will win
by tiring Spain out, even If they don't
get cartridges, or if they are not re-
cognized by the United States. See If
this is correct"