Evening star., 1897-01-19
COMETS WESTWARD .MARCH.
What is Said About the Purpose of
the Cuban General.

1t is still insisted in Havana that Maxi
mo Gomez recently wrote to the New
York junta informing them that he must
have additional supplies of arms and am
munition shortly or else the insurrection
would die of consumption but this is
not credited in insurgent circles; and 1t Is
emphaticaily denied that he has notified
the junta that the insurgents who are un-
Ger arms are prepared to accept autonomy.
As previously stated. a peace party does
nxfst among the insurgents; this party,
however, is in tie minority al present
The insurgents admit that some active
demonstration upon their part will be aD-
solutely necessary in the near future, if
they are to retain the sympathy aroused
for them In the United States, and for
this purpo Sc Maximo Gomez was ordered
10 advance westward and finally consented
to do so much against his will. as he is
fully alive to the difficulties of the task
In the first place. the movements of the
insurgents can no longer be made with the
remarkable rapidity which characterized
their first march through Cuba. for they
no longer nave horses. as they had in
TIE first raid. when the insurgent cavalry
so frequently outwitted Martinez de Cam
pos and his lieutenants. Then. again, the
weather has had a depressing effect upon
the insurS' nts as well as upon the Span
iards and this feeling increased ma
terially by the death of Maceo and by the
TACT that the supplies OF ammunition are
running short
The scenes of suffering destitution and
ruin which Witnessed on all sides in
Cuba have also left their mark upon the
minds of the really patriotic Cubans, al
though their desire for independence is
as strong as ever. They believed, how
ever. that the object of the insurrection
would have been attained long before this.
and, consequently, there is growing de-
sire to allow the American authorities to
settle the degree of autonomy which may
be accorded to the Cubans.
All talk about the Willingness of Co
10 surrender is classed as utter
nonsense by the insurgents, and even the
Spaniards pay no heed 10 it. although il is
possible that Gomez may be desirous of
seeing the end of the insurrection ap-
preaching He is said to have admitted
that he Gid not think Spain would have
been able to make the sacrifices she has
made In any case. Gomez seems to be
pushing westward ard the Spaniards
hope to bring about pitched battle before
long
A friend of the insurgents who is usual
ly very well informed was heard to re-
mark that he did not believe that the main
body of the insurgents would advance
further westward than the city of Colon in
the western part of the province of Ma
tanzas, Gomez would be taking too
great risk In doing with the resources
at his command Nevertheless, the gentle
man quoted added it would, perhaps he
best for hin. TO do so in any case as it
would tend to raise the dropping spirits of
the insurgents. WHO in addition to Maceo
have lost a number of other important
leaders.
In these conditions a really energetic
general with thirty or forty thousand men
under his command might be able to make
short work Of the insurrection, but Weyler
Is not of the class of men who ACCOMPLISH
anything brilliantly.