The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-28
SPAIN ALMOST EXHAUSTED.
Senior Palma Says That Is Why Troops
Are withdrawn.

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Speaking of the reported withdraw
al of part of the Spanish troops in
Cuba, Senior Tomas Estrada Palma,
the Cuban delegate in New York, said
recently:
II am not surprised nor should any.
one who reads The Sun be so, at
learning that Spain intends to reduce
her army in Cuba. Well aware that
she cannot, by force Of arms, conquer
the patriots, Spain Will now try to
tire them out by prolonging the strug-
gle, with the hope that our resources
will sooner or later be exhausted
The Spanish government will not nat"
urally, confess to this. War may con
tinue in Cuba as hard as ever and
Spain will not shrink from making
the world believe that peace has been
restored. But the truth is that the re-
duction of the Spanish army is due to
the fact that Spain can no longer
maintain her present war footing IN
Cuba, the cost of which, together with
that of the islands ordinary obliga-
tons, is something like $12,000,000 a
month. as has been repeatedly declared
by the Spanish authorities themselves.
"The best proofs that Spain will not
in future be able to meet such enor-
nous expenses are 10 be found in the
Spanish press itself. I have here sew
eral clippings which fully explain
why Spain's soldiers 60 back to their
homes. Elpais of Madrid says: 1T
sevident that the policy of sending to
Cuba 100000 men and expanding
800, 100000 pesetas in the war every
year cannot last forever. To ask such
a thing from nation of only 17,00O,-
900 inhabitants, most of whose able.bo-
died men are already under arms,
would be absurd
"Other Spanish newspapers make
similar declarations. If such is the
language used by the Spanish premier
and the Madrid newspapers, I think
that am well justified in saying that
the retirement from Cuba of number
of the Spanish soldiers there, far from
being proof, as alleged, that the in
surrection has been overcome, reveals
that our enemy's resources are at last
near being exhausted. 1t is a fact
which nobody can deny that no Gu
ban leaders have surrendered, despite
the two severe blows which we sus-
tanned in the death of Gen. Maceo and
the capture of Gen. Ruis Rivera. This
shows that no matter what may fall
as result Of the struggle for freedom
tho Cubans to man are now as de-
termined as they ever were to contin.
ue fighting until the independence of
the island has been accomplished.
'The world often admires Spain's
gigantic efforts to suppress the insur-
rection. It would be more logical to
keep that admiration for those who,
like the Cubans, deprived of all ade-
quate means to oppose powerful en-
emy, still hold their own with indom-
liable tenacity.
"Spain may say all she wishes about
Cuba being pacifed; it will none the
less remain true that war exists there
from east to west, as it did in Novem-
Der last when Spain added $4,000 sol
diers to tho already numerous army
in Cuba. There are Gen. Weyler's
daily reports of the war to give the lie
to the story of the paci6cation. These
reports naturally claim victories for
the Spanish soldiers, but whether true
or not they ara evident proof that the
insurrection has lost no ground since
the walls OF Spanish statesmen such as
Senors Sagasta and Moret over the
failure of their army in Cuba resound-
ed all over the world. But if the
Spanish government now thinks that
it is to the interest of their nation to
diminish the number of men to fight
us, I certainly will not regrea that
they should do so, for the task Of our
own soldiers will thus be made cas-