The San Francisco call., 1896-01-02
AFFAIRS IN CUBA,

The cuban situation has recently taken
on some new features of great significance.
Not only have the insurgents advanced
almost to the walls of Havana, but they
are Systematically destroying all sugar
cane which growers begin to press, while
giving notice that no cane will be de-
stroyed which is not intended for the i'm
mediate manufacture of sugar. The i'm
portance of these two recently developed
incidents of the rebellion will be appre-
,ciated when they are submitted to anal
ysis.
With regard to the investing of Havana,
the rebels are displaying no hurry. They
are well aware that their present slow and
patient tactics are far better than haste.
W bile the money and power which control
Havana are in sympathy with Spain, q
majority. of the citys population are
friendly to the insurgents. For the insur-
gents to hover as menace in the distance
Is to put the loyalty OF the rich Spanish
adherents on strain and give time for the
love OF freedom among the common peo-
pie to work as a leaven. The natural re-
suit OF such policy, in the absence of one
or two overwhelming victories by the
Spanish forces, will be TO produce in Ha-
Yana such condition of anarchy as that
which Paris suffered after the battle of Sc
dan. That would mean the rising of the
masses against Spanish authority and
gold, and the final opening of the city's
gates to the insurgents.
This end is being hastened by the burn
ing of the cane crops in the interior. 1t
was signal act of diplomacy on the part
OF the insurgents to exempt from destruc-
ton all crops that are not to be manufac-
tured at once into sugar. To heed Gomez
warning not 10 manufacture is 20 Withhold
rich and greatly needed revenue from
Spain, and TO ignore it is an invitation to
ruin. Whatever may be the political lncli-
nations of the planters 1--WE may be sure
they are with Spain), if they defy Gomez
they accomplish their own ruin without
aiding Spain, and if they heed his warn;
ing they lend to that act color of assist
ance to his cause. This is one of the ablest
pieces OF generalship that modern warfare.
has developed. 1t will paralyze business
in Havana and reduce the common people
+ to beggary. From that TO insurrection is a.
very short step. q.
Thus the delay in investing Havana and.
the policy of destroying the sugar crop
under the conditions adopted have COM
mon purpose and in the natural order of
things will produce the result desired by.
the rebels.
!. Minor incidents of the campaign are the
discovery that the. savage tactics of the
rebels oyermateh the. fine military dis.
oipline of the Spanish troops; tha. the ad-
vent of winter, on which the Spaniards
counted so much, has. shown merely that
they have lost ground and are beginning
to face the fact that they must make the
final stand at Havana, where their ener-
gies viii be divided among efforts TO keep
the enemy at bay, feeding the people and
suppressing Instructions within the walls :
that the machete, that terrible knife
ceaver with which the natives cut their
cane and which splits open the man upon
whom it falls, is more formidable in the:
hands OF desperate fighters than the finest
rife that mechanical genius can contrive,
and ragged, hungry and ignorant rebels,
inspired by love of liberty and the in.
herent right of self-government, are
steadily gaining ground against the arms
and prestige~of one of the.oldest, richest
and proudest m onarchies in the world.