San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-10-15
A FREE CUBA.
SPAIN TO GIVE UP THE STRUGGLE
IN MARCH.
The Fight Will Not be Longer Prolonged
So Say Spanish Officers At.
Home.


Herald from Cadiz, Spain, says:
IF Spain has not put down the in
surrection in Cuba by the first of next
March, It is the intention of the gov
eminent to give up the struggle and
let the Island 60"
The significance of this, statement,
coming direct from an officer of rank
in the Spanish army, must be regard
ed as of great Importance. By way
of further confederation of this esti-
mate of the situation it may be re-
marked that, while Spain is sending
more than two hundred thousand
troops to Cuba, who are in the main
very young and undisciplined, she is
carefully keeping her eighty thousand
well disciplined and affective soldiers,
who may be available in cases of an
outbreak, at home. She is ALSO keep
ing in Spanish waters twelve war
ships, which are all 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 this country to do for her.
w. G. Foster, the manager Of the
Eastern Telegraph company, here,
speaking of the situation said:
There is no question that the gov
eminent is trying to use the Phillip
pine troubles to distract the peoples
attention from Cuba. There is no
doubt that Spain intends to do her
utmost to crush the Cuban insurrec-
ton between now and March. Fail
ing in that, am informed that she
will give up the struggle. An i'm
pOrtant issue is the fact that Cuba
has Il debt of some $500,000,000 and
if Spain puts down the instruction
Cuba will have to pay that debt,
whereas if Cuba wins, the payment
of the debt will fall on Spain, who
contracted it on behalf of Cuba. Nat
urally, the planters who have been
driven from their half ruined planta-
tons, however loyal they may appear
to be to Spain, really want to see the
Cubans' success 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 aus
pieces.
Meanwhile, everyone is talking
about Cuba and little is said of the
Philippine Islands, although the lat
ter comprise $4,000 square miles as
against $4,000 for Cuba. In point
of population the Philippines have g.
100000 as aginst a population of q
276,OOO for Cuba and Porto Rico
combined. l am satisfied that Spain
will either have won in Cuba by
March 1 next, or have given up the
struggle"
Governor Idaleclo April, governor Of
the province of Cadiz was next inter-
viewed. In substance he said that
Cleveland had not done much for
Spain, and did not think that such an
change in administration could make
matters worse, unless the indepen-
dence Of Cuba should be ac-
knOwledged. He says he does not
contemplate war between Spain and
the United States. The governor
would not say that a great Cuban vic
tory would precipitate trouble in
Spain, and did not hink that such an
event was likely to take place. AS
to the effect of the war on the COM
merce of Cadiz, the governor did not
seem to think it had been very grave.
He added that the campaignia Trans
Atlantica EspanOla was almost alto
gether occupied in transporting gov
Crnment troops and munitions of war,
so that naturally there had been no
falling off in its traffic.