The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-10
GEN. MARIN INTERVIEWED.
He Says the Troops Are Conquering
and the Patriots Weakening.

New York, Feb. "a dispatch 10 the
World from Havana says: Gen. Marin,
the acting governor general, mas returned
to Havana. In an interview with your
correspondent he said: My campaign
has been nothing but a continuation of
the lines which had been laid down be-
fore / went out. / had some encounters
with both Maceo and Gomez, but can
throw M more light upon them or their
whereabouts than what has been already
given in the public press"
What do you think OF the insurgents
military organization"
Il have not altered my estimation OF
them" he said. THE insurgents can new
er be recognized as a military organiza-
ton, because the first consolidation or an
organized army Is its honor. The insur-
gents think Ii no dishonor to fly from the
enemy and avoid an encounter. A regu-
lar military organization would consider
it dishonor TO attack defenseless group
of soldiers, but the insurgents think
nothing OF capturing men who are acting
as carriers. They do not hesitate TO force
defenseless citizens 10 accompany them,
which, Of course, results simply i'm their
being used as targets for the spanish
army"
'sIt is sad that the Spanish infantry in
the field Is beng rapidly changed from in
sautry TO cavalry"
NO infantry mas been changed into cav
airy Gen. Marin responded, 'but tAe reg
ular cavalry bodies have been mounted as
horses could be procured. IL the Spanish
had had more cavalry the insurgents would
have adopted other measures OF warfare.
Their policy is TO deviate from all hines
OF regular civilized warfare. In other
words. war with them .s mere anarchy.
II we had plenty OF Spanish cavalry they
would have resorted 10 ambush surprises
ami other Ike tricks. They would have
~yaf~ "a eos and
then destroyed them. Whenever Ne have an
encounter there IS no douts OF the Span
feh defeating the insurgents even II the
odds re four to one En tf1e.r favor. The
insurgents run away. There was an NUS
tratson of this day before yesterday IN
the encounter we had with them near San
Crts=-oFzaI. wflen go OF our men we're at
tackled By s.aSa or SO. insurgents ano our
men defeated them
How long Is the revolution likely 10
lastg'
II can hardly say. but believe the In
surrents viii be wiped out, now that
vigorous policy has been initiated Not
policy Of cruelty don't mean that. but a
rigid military policy.
what Is your opinion OF the value OF
the trocha along the railroad line from
here to the south coast
Il never placed much reliance In the
trocha as a means of preventing the In
surgents crossing In either direction. /
have regarded IL only as an observatory
OF the movements OF the insurgents. yalu-
able chiefly as a strategic line fer the
ranfd concentration Of troops at any point
on II. OF course IL II useful as an incOn-
venience to the passage OF the insurgents.
Their crossing Is always attended with
more or less loss
..Teo you think the revolution is gaining
strength"
1T Is losing. We are conqUertng little
by little The great defeat OF the snsur-
gents has been shown by their attacks
upon our weak places. That betrayed
their weakness