Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1896-12-05
OF AFFAIRS ~ CUBA.
The Army, the People and the
country's Future.

GOAAG EAA1hSs
In an interview with Baltimore
Sun reporter. Gen. Bradley T. John
son discoursed freely Of Cuba and said:
1T is impossible to get reliable or
accurate information. investigated
carefully and was never satisfied.
Consider the state of mind in Balti-
more among Southern sympathizers
during the civil war, recall the exag-
gerations of their enthusiasm and the
dreams of their hopes. Then inten-
sity that a thousandfold, and you
have faint idea Of the condition of
things in Havana today. All Span
iards are for the governmental Gu
bans are for the rebellion. Social in
tercourse is divided by that line.
They have nothing to do with each
other. The women, of course, reck-
less, ardent, devoted. run all risks
for the cause they love. Said ! one
day at dinner table, surrounded by
some of the most beautiful women l
ever saw: 1 wish l could get CON-
munication with General Gomez. /
want to ask him question, his an
swer to which may be of vital conse-
quence to Cuba I'll send your let
ter and get you an answer said
lady opposite me at table. 'WhenH
said I. Now said she. I'll be
ready whenever you are and she
flashed at me pair of the most glo-
rious eyes that ever sent man into
danger or to run deadly risks. And
she did it. / think every Cuban
woman is spy, as every Cuban man
is patriot.
"What sort Of people are support
ing the rebellion?'
1.-THE bankers-the planters-the
writers-lawyers --doctors-the pro-
fessors of the University of Havana is
hotbed of patriotism. The boys
run off by the score to join Gomez aud
Maceo, and some of the professors are
ministers plenipotentiary from the
Cuban republic to the South Ameri-
can governments, as Franklin and
Laurens were from the devoted col
onies to France in I777-78. | think
the property, the culture and the
courage of the island is on the side of
the rebellion. The great number of
Cuban refugees resident in the United
States and in Europe support it liber
ally with money, and more money
than we have any conception of.
Many of them have been rich people,
with incomes OF from one hundred
thousand to one million dollars.
They have been for. years gradually
accommodating part of their fortunes in
the United States and Europe. One of
Z my friends escaped week or two ago,
J and heard in New York that he had
) $500, 900 in bank there. The insur-
rection is supported by wealth direct
ed by intelligence and conducted with
Z genius and courage. think the reb-
els Outright and outmaneuver the
Spaniards, and they will wear them
out"
'Of what is the army OF the insur-
recticn composed how is it organized,
and how is it armed, clothed and .d?"
II tried very hard to get some re-
liable information on these points
you cannot rely on the statements Of
either side-but by collating and COM
pairing them you can make an esti-
mate. l think they had in July Co.,
600 men in the field, about "a, 600
negroes and SO, white. They are
unclad, barefoot, undisciplined, and,
of course, undrilled. They are well
fed, for the woods are full of cattle,
hogs and sweet potatoes, and there is
no possibility of their being starved
out, as the Contederates were. They
will always have plenty to eat They
are armed with Remingtons, Spen-
GERS, Mansers, every variety of car
bine and revolver and all of them first
rate, but their calibers vary, which
is terrible disadvantage. In war all
cartridges ought to fit all guns of the
same kind They have since I left
got some dynamite guns, cannots
worked by compressed air and some
guns for smokeless powder. They
have few American and foreign ar
tillerists, who will rapidly instruct
other foreigners in the service, and as
their artillery is reinforced skilled
men will be ready to use the new can
7 1x,a,,tJ COW ,.,if bft,f at4x def