Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-24
THE INSURGENTS CAUSE
Bishop Newman Says They Are Winning
Steadily.
The Wholesale DISCRETION Of a Spa nf.h
acknowledgements Completely
Stngnnted by the Conflict.

Newman of the Methodist EPISCOPAL
Church. The bishop has always taken a
deep interest i'm the welfare of Cuba be-
chewing 1t to have a great future when lib
Grated from Spain, and since his visit TO
Havana two weeks ago he is more con-
v:rced than ever that Cuba mus: be lib
Grated TO enjoy intellectual and CONNER
cal advancement
When the steamer on which he arrived
IRON Mexico touched at Havana the Amer
lean consul general came on board and in
Vited him to spend a day SO on shore,
and even the Spanish authorities were very
courteous to him when he landed. Martial
law prevailed i'm the city, but as far as the
bishop could see there was very little need
for 1t on the surface. majority of the
inhabitants kept at home as much as pos
sible. and everybody wore an air as if
sImething imminent was about to happen.
Those that he talked with. and among
them we're some of Spanish birth, express
Ell deep sympathy with the revoiutionists,
and all seemed 10 think that the rebellion
would end favorably to their cause, and
that In not very great time. All reports
to the contrary, the insurgents were then,
two weeks ago. in the province of Havana
itself, and Bishop Newman thinks that the
press dispatches of the last two Or three
Gays indicating that the insurgents are
within ten miles or so of Havana itself are
correct.
The state of the feeling in the city and
the nearness of Maceo and Gomez would
seem to indicate that the long-expected up
rising in the city is about to occur. Troops
are patrolliEg the streets constantly, and t
Doesn't take them long to break up a group
of citizens on street corner. In the opin-
ior of the bishop, however, these troops do
not amount to much, and it is really nom
sensit al to dignity them by the names of
troops at all, for they are mere boys, dress
ed in blue jeans and straw hats, though the
uniform is a very sensible one for the eli.
nate. The officers only serve to render the
age of the soldiers more apparent, for they
were as general rule ffne-looking men
and many of them very intelligent and we'll
educated. or course, ii was impossible TO
see the kind of men who compose the
Cuban army, but from what Bishop New
man could learn. both from talking with
those who had friends with Gomez and
Maceo, and from observing the class OF
CubanS still in the city, he thinks that they
are much better off. Ia his opinion, what
the insurgents need now is not SO mucn
arms and ammunition, but moral support
from the governments of the world, and
especially from the United States.
Whole Regiment Deserts.
In reply to a question as to how Gomez
obtains his arms the bishop cited a very in
teresting piece of news of which persons
in the United States have heard little or
nothing in the meager dispatches. About
fifteen days ago a Spanish regiment num-
bering 400 men, under the command of a
Spanish colonel, were sent out from the
neighDorhood of Havana to capture an in
SUI gent force then supposed to be moving
IN the vicinity. The sight of the insurgents
hen the two armies approached each OF her
was enough for the Spanish regiment, for
they went over to the Cubans, bag and
baggage, with the exception of the colonel
Sa1 nf t,1~
sense of honor, and so he returned to
Havana and was Immediately shot for his
pans. The story of this wholesale deser-
tor, deserton which it is surmIsed was
more for love of a free country than hatred
OF the way Spain is treating her own sons
has been diligently suppressed by the au-
thorities for the help it would give to the
cause. Bishop Newman said he was not
able to learn the name Of either the regi-
ment or the colonel, but considering the
source from which he obtained his informa-
ton. he believes it TO be correct. This, he
said, is only one of many instances ly
which rifles are obtained, but even by this
one desertion 200 good Mausers were OBJ
tanned, and the same number Of ,well-drilled
men.
Spanfards Poor Fighters.
The Spaniards, on the contrary have
never been SO lucky, and they even are
very slow in handling what they have, as
is instanced 10y the fact that the bishop,
when he arrived in the harbor, observed
the engineers placing in position an i'm
mense gun. and when he left the gun was
IN about the same position and capable ct
DONG just about as much harm then as If
II was not there. The number of insurgents
is Impossible to be learned, some placing
thelr armies at about 15,GyU and some
double that number. and, strange as it
may seem, the Spanish are very retcent
about giving the number of men they have
IN the field. Reliable information of any
kind is impossible to be obtained from the
Spanish. and consequently one has to use
his eyes for all they are worth.
The bishop instanced a case in point as
emanat!nS from Spanish sources in regard
TO Gomez. When he was leaving the
steamer, he was told that Gomez had been
shot in battle and was killed. An hour
after the report came that he was serious
~ wounded in the leg. Finally, the rumor
resolved itself into mere flesh wound,
and then no wound at all. When question
ed about the reports flying about in regard
to the health of Gomez, the bishop said
that far he could learn Gomez was
as sound as any man in either army and
probably even healthier than any Spaniard.
Business Paralyxed.
Those in position to know say that Spain
cannot carry on the struggle much longer
without the aid of taxes from Cuba, and, if
this is the case, he does not how the
struggle can be prolonged much longer, be-
cause as the steamer on winch ne lett was
making ready for sea hardly half a dozen
barrels of sugar were brought aboard and
practically no cargo at all of any impor-
lance. The general stagnation of business
is equally true of commerce in the city itself
About the only people who are doing any
business are the newsdealers, and they are
in fair way TO reap a harvest. The same
is true of the cable companies. In reply to
a direct question as to whether the majority
of the reports coming from Cuba were to
be relied upon when unfavorable to the
Spanish, he does not think they are, and, in
fact, believes $50 strict is the censorship of
the cable office and so highly colored the re-
ports in the Havana papers, that in many
instances of Spanish victories the names of
the Cubans and their generals could better
he inserted and then they would be far more
correct.
Use of GunbOata.
AS the steamer skirted the coast only one
gunboat was passed, and judging from this
and from reports, he is of the opinion that
Spain has not nearly SO many warships en-
gagged as may be supposed, and those that
are are employed in protecting the towns,
and therefore the coast is not much patrolled
against filibuSterS. Havana is strongly
guarded, especially by Moro Castle; but the
bishop believes that the Cubans, il they once
get inside of the city, will be able to hold it.