The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-04
CUBAN RECAPITUATION.

The dispatches in yesterdays Eagle
lead Us to believe. even in view of the
many Enthusiastically reports sent out
from that part of the world, that the
Cuban war is nearing an end. Gomez
with segregated following is march,
ing steadily west, the rear of the army
protected by Maceo, and together they
are slowly surrounding Havana.
This army of some say 5000, others
5000, men is devaSta ting the country.
If the Spanish claim that it is impos-
sible TO get an open engagement with
the insurgents were true, the Spanish
army would at once put stop to this
destruction of property and growing
crops. But the truth is that the Span
ish army is either afraid TO confront
the insurgents, or recognizes the utter
futility of it.
AT any rate the Cubans are doing
about as they please, and the Spanish
are not preventing them. This cannot
last forever, and with the enemy
around Havana completely, intermural
diSsenSion will win the war.
That war has not yet lasted year.
The Cuban rebellion began in the pro-
vince Of Santiago de Cuba, at the east
ern extremity of the Island of Cuba,
about February %, 1885, soon after
the landing of bands of Cubans from
nj
adjacent islands of the West Indies,
many of whom had participated in the
rebellion which ended in 1873.
At the eastermost extremity Of the
Island of Cuba in the Province of San
tiago is Cape Maisi. near which the
American steamer Allianca was fired at
by Spanish gunboat on March Is, on
a suspicion that the Alliance had been
landing incendiary rebels and war ma
terials. West Of Santiago come in
order the Provinces of Puerto Principe.
Santa Clara, MatanSaS. Havana, which
contains the city of the same name,
and at the western end of the island,
Pinar del Rio. The progress of the
rebellion has consisted in the gradual
extension westward of the operations
of the bands Of insurgents under their
several leaders Their operations have
consisted chiefly in the destruction of
sugar plantations and other property.
with the idea of stopping the payment
of taxes TO the Spanish authorities. No
towns have been taken. No permanent
camps or StrongholdS have been estab-
HShed. The Spanish continue 10 hold
all the Important towns both on the
coast and in the interior of the pro-
vinces entered by the rebels. They
attack the guerrilla bands of the rebels
when they ascertain their location. but
the latter. having no fixed headquar-
tiers, manage to elude their ASSISTANTS.
and finding their way through the
dense forests and difficult mountain
country, continue their work of de-
suoying Cuba's chief industry. The
provinces in which they have Success
sively operated have been. after San
tiago. Puerto Principe. Santa Clara and
ManCanZaS. Marching in small bands
they easily escape observation in ad-
yancinS and retreating. and their pres
ence in province is important in pro-
portion TO the amount OF property they
destroy. The patriots lack the means
OF maintaining large armies and forti-
fed posts. against which the larger
forces Of the Spanish might concen-
trate their energies.
On May 5 the Cuban republic was
proclaimed by the insurgents. on Sep
temher II. Al Camaguey. at a meeting
OF deputies drawn from the various
bands. 4 government was organized as
follows: President. :. c. Betancour1:
vice president. Il. Naso: secretary az
war, Carlos Roloff; Seneral-in-olief of
the army, Maxine Gomez; lieutenant
general. Antonio MacAo. This GOV
eminent has. however. no fixed hahi-
tation and Is strongest in its military
departments. Gomez is white man.
a native OF San Domingo. BAT a Cuban
in training and feeling. Maceo Is a
man OF much culture who won
distinction in The hast rebellion
Antonio and Jose Maceo and Gomez
landed at Baracoa early in the present