The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-05-06
severa1 thousand stands of arms and


battles of these successful campaigns
are those of Jobito, Nal Temple, Cali
mete, Ratabano and Candelaria, all
described in the report OF Brlgadler
Miro, chief of Maceo's staff, published
in The Sun. In the mean time Gomez
moved to the Orient, making also a
successful cam paign in Las Villas. He
attacked Salta Clara, capturing a
large supply of arms and ammunition,
but abstalning from harm to the city
for the sake of the Cuban families liv-
ing there. >.
The present situation is as follows:
In the province of Pinar del Rio is
Maceo. with more than $4,000 men,
encamped near the trocha or military
wall made by the Spanish from Mariel
to Majana to prevent him from pass
ing into the province of Habana.
Gomez is marching to the Occident
probably, with the intention of attack.
Ing the trocha and aiding Maceo in
passing it. Great concentration OF
Cuban forces are being made in the
province of Habana, and an impor.
tant engagement is expected at any
moment. The battle of Lechuza, which
was fought a few days ago, was a
brilliant triumph for Maceo as Perat.
ejo, gives hope for result equally
satisfactory to Cubans in the future
encounter.
From these facts it will be seen that
the Cubans have accomplished impor'
tant results, even if they are not in
possession of any important city.
Now, as to their ability to defeat the
Spaniards, although fewer in number
and under many disadvantages. 1t
can be explained by two principal
facts. First, the superiority of the
Cuban generals over the Spanish com
manders, and, second, the superiority
of the Cuban soldiers over the Span
ish rank and file. The Cubans are
fighting for an ideal and the Spanish
because obliged to do SO by their gov
ernment. Gen. Martinez Campos was
bitterly attacked in Spain for his fail
ure to stop the revolution. Notwith'
standing this, be was a brave soldier
and an able political leader. But
Gomez is undoubtedly a military ge-
MUS, and Maceo has proved the pos
session of no less skill and courage.
After Campos, Weyley took com,
mand of the Spanish army. He has
demonstrated his cruelty upon de,
fenceless and peaceful people, but has
not shown talents as military leader:
What he is doing is considered proof
of his incapacity by some critics. In
the former Ten Years War trochas
proved to be a failure from military
standpoint. The formidable trocha OF
Mormon was passed by Gomez in
1875. In this war it was passed again
several times by Gomez and Maceo.
The same trocha from Mariel to Maja,
ma was passed before by Maceo him
self and other Cuban leaders with
small forces, and by Gomez three
months ago. Now Weyler has con:
centrated there his main forces, and
to do this he has been obliged to aban.
don the other parts of the island,
while Maceo, in possession OF the Pinar
del Rio province, does not intend to
sry to pass until he can do it with sue
cess. Nothing can be better for the
Cubans than a trocha, the patriots
say. While the Spanish are kept in
one small line, the Cubans, on one side
and the other, without the least dis
turbance, levy their taxes and en-
force their laws over the whole coun-
try.
The formidable army which Spain is
obliged to keep in Cuba is one proof
of the strength of the Cubans and
their control over the country. An
other proof is the fact that they stopp'
ed sugar grinding throughout the is,
land. The first order to stop the grind
ing was issued in July.
Then the purpose of Gomez was at,
tanned. To some complaints OF sugar
estate proprietors he replied in another
proclamation under the date of No
vember IL, in which these words oc-
cur:
"I therefore place the responsibility
for so great a ruin on those who look
on impassiyely and force us to the ex-
treme measures which they then con-
denim like dolts and hypocrites that
they are. After so many years OF sup
plication, humiliation, contumely,
punishment and death, when this peo,
pie, of it's own will, has arisen in arms
there remains nothing else to do but to
triumph; it matters not what means
are employed to accomplish it."
The severity of these measures was
palliated to some extent by the provi
sional government of the republic, and
for the sake of the Cuban families liv'
ing in the interior towns, beef and cat
tie, as well as some other provisions
were allowed to enter upon payment
of a war tax. Furthermore, as stated
in the proclamation of President Sal.
vador Cisneros, issued at Najasa in
last February, those sugar plantations
were allowed to grind whose proprie-
tors had made special arrangements
with Cuban chiefs before the decree of
Gomez of July, and had paid heavy
contribution. AS stated in the letter
of T. Estrada Palma to Richard Olney,
secretary of state, under the date of
January z, of this year, and reprinted
for the use of the senate at Washing
ton, "the reasons underlying Gomez's
orders are the same which caused this
country to destroy the cotton crop and
the baled cotton in the south during
the war of the secession" The effect
of Gomez's order is clearly seen at pre-.
sent. The island is ruined and Spain
is obliged to furnish all the money re-
quired for the war out of her own ex-
bausted treasury. For one year, for
two years perhaps. Spain may be able