New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-25
BISHOP NEWMAN ON CUBA.
HE TELLS WHAT HE SAW AND HEARD
DURING A BRIEF VISIT THERE.

THINKS THE INSURGENTS ARE SURE TO WIN
HOW A SPANISH REGIMENT DESERTED IN
RoDy-pEopLE IN HAVANA IN sYMPA-
THY WITH THE REVOLUTION
fry rrLEGRAPR TO THE TRIBuNE.l
v-osbincton Feb 2i-B!shop John F. Newman
of the Methodist Episcopal Church Is III 'n's ''
of,or . trp to Mexico and Cuba. To local inter-
.,.or no rave to-day some interesting impressions
y, tho real condition Of things in the Cuban capital
When the steamer which he arrived from MtN'oo
,ouchcd at Havana. the American Cohsui-"c"eia'
mo ON board ard invited him 10 spend DAY Ut 80
an shore The Spanish authorities were cour
20 him when he landed. Martial law prevailed III
the city, but far he could see there was "'''e
mood for II on the surface, majority OF the IN
hoh,tants kent at home as much "A possible ana
o,.orvhodv wore an air as II something was ABOUT
IN happen Those that he talked with ana anont
them were some OF Spanish BIRTH eXpreaseo "'eP
evr,pathy with the rcvouton!sts ana al Seei"'u ~
mink that the rebellion would end favorabiy 10 ther
cause H.. ,h
,-,,.,,ts ,cere thcn-two weeks ago-in the PROV
,o ~ Havana itself and Bishop Newman THINKS
that the press dispatches or the last TWO ot '"'o'
DAYS Indicating that the insurgents are wI'''' 'o
miles or so OF Havana city, are correct Inc S''''
- ,b fceliuc I'm the city and the nearness OF 'acco
nadf
cted UPRISING In the city is about to occur troops
~ rstrolling the streets constantly. and 1t doesn't
,al. them long to break up group OF 'i'lZe's o
street corner. In the opinion OF the blshop' no"
aver those troops do not amount to much' ior 'hcS
are mere boys dressed in blue jeans and straw hals'
thoueh the uniform is very sensible one LOT 'ie
climate The officers only serve to render the age
~ ,hc soldiers more apparent. for they were az a
rul. nn.-looking men, and many OF them intehl-
gent and well educated. OF course IL was HhpoS-
sihle 10 see the kind OF men who comp - the CUBAN
army but from what Bishop Newman could learn
both from talking with those who had friehds Win
Gomez and Alaceo and from observing the class
OF Cubans SIN in the city, be THINKS tna' thcy are
much superior
In his opinion. what the insurgents need now Is
not SO much arms ana ammunition as moral sup
port from me Governments OF the world ana es-
uerially from the United States In reply 10 "a
question as to how Gomez obtains his arms, the
81 hop cited an Interesting piece OF news, OF "hich
persons In the United States have heard little or
nothing IN the incagre dispatches. About hfteen
DAYS aso a Spanish regiment. numbering 100 men,
under The command Of a Spanish colonel. was sent
oui from tie uc.ghborhood OF Havana 20 capture
an insur,eul force. then SUPPOSED 10 be moving an
the vicinity. The sight " the Insurgents when me
TWO armies approached each other was enough iof
the spanish regiment, for II went over 10 the
Cubaus has and baggage. with the exception OF
the colonel. lie was possessed OK a rather eXas-
geraieI sense of honor. and - returned TO- havana
ana wAs Immediately shot Tor his pains. The story
OF ils wholesale dcstri.op-a d,setuyn which II Is
slrn...od "a" more Tor love ~ Tree c9uHiry .aai
i.s been diligently suppress by the authorities
fof the help ~ would g.Ve to the cause
BISHOP &ewiuAn said hc VA not able TO learn
tn" name OF either he regiment or the colonel put
considsing Tho source itvm which he oDtained
h.. Information. De- believed < 10 ne correct rms.
Dr. ...d. IS olly orc OBJ. many means - Which rhes
are obtained. but oven IS ms gne Hcs.iNon W
good Manscrs Were obtained and he same NUN
Der of wel-ir,iioi men The Sranaids. on ne
contrary. have ). ger o''n SO lucky; ahd t"'y even
are SLOW u handling VIA hey hay. - IL IN
stained hy ne faci that me i.a.op. when ne ar
NIX n position a. Immense gun. ana when H. he
parted thc gun Was In about the same position.
ani ctiabl" 81 do.ns Just about az much Marin
theu a. 10 had nccn before.
The number Of Insurgents cannot hc learned
some placing their armies at about hiieon thousand
and some "a double that number. and. strange "a
the number OF men they have In the field Trust
" rthy Information %: any k'nd It Is impossible to
has 10 Use iif eyes Tor all they are worth Tho
Bishop iusianc"f case IN point as emanaiins
b. leaving he steamer he wa tod that Gomez
had boon snot IN battle ana was killed An hour
a in the log. Finally The rumlr resolved itself
into 81 more hosh wound. and then wound at all
the health Of Gomez. the Bishop said thar. IA.
o. h" could learn, &, Hez WAS as sound as any man
any s,nriard.
Those in a position to know say Spain cannot
carry the struggle much longer without the aid
II taxes from cuba. and II this - the case the Bishop
does not how she can hold out. because as the
for hardly half dozen barrels Of sugar were
brought aboard and practically no cargo Mt all Of
any importance. The general staCnatiOn OF business
is equally true OF commerce I'm the city Itself
About the only people vino doing any business
are tho NEWSPAPERS ard they ia fair way
TO reap harvest The same Is true OF the cable
companies.
In reply to = direct question to whether the ma
jority Of the reports coming from Cuba to be
| relied upon when unfayorabe To the Spanish. the
| Bishop said he DID not think they were In fact.
u, bccvcs-so strict Is the censorship OF the ca bic
Office and 40 highly colorcd the reports in the lIa-
pa ted
Spanish victories the names OF the Cubans and their
| generals could better be Inserted. As the steamer
ak.rtcd the coast only gunboat passed. and
| Judging from this and from reports. he Is OF the
opiniOn that Spain has not nearly many warships
| engaged may be supposed and those she has are
employed in protecting the towns. and therefore the
coast IL not much patroilcd against hbuste-s. IIa-
vana ls strongly guarded especially by Moro Castle
but the Bishop believes hat the Cubans II they
get inside the city. viii be able 20 hold IT, all reports
| "a the contrary Notwithstanding
Before taking q look AT Cuba lshop Newman had
| visited Mexico. where h presided at the Mexican
| Methodist Conference. This conference has in II
six Of our ministers and about thirty Mexlcans one
| ~ whom Is Of Spanish descent. The others are
| Aztecs and Indians but all are well educated