The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-11-17
BLANCO' S HARD TASK.
Cuba Left in Such Shape That
Many Difficulties Confront Him.
AN ALMOST HOPELESS CASE.
Already the Policy Of the New Captain
General Il Csmdsnsd BY some.
The Grinding Of Cane l. said
10 Ne Almost Impossible

New York. Nov ia dispatch 70
the World from Havana says
Gen. Blanco has entered upon nn a.
most hopeless task. Tho present Gu
ban situation Il such that u seems
impossible To effect by reforms and
suaviiy what the greatest army In the
history Of colonial wars has failed Ia
accomplish.
SPANS present policy 10 announced
10 be one Of combined Cancellation and
force Il appears 10 be a. some Span.
lsh journals have called a. "a suicidal
policy" The peculiar and not general.
~ understood conditions Of the Gu
ban struggle now make any concilia-
tory move a direct play into the hands
Of the insurgents This h particularly
true Of the proclamation ~ November
10. which commands all civil ans Mill.
tAry authorities 10 aid IN protesting
the sugar properties in ringIng cane
Gen. Blanco's hrft important act "
carried out. will b. a yiriuul abandon
msnt Of the Geld TO the Insurgents u
will Yield them much money aud food
aud will cause further losg Of valuable
property n not put Into effect ii viii
incur the suspicion Of being a false
promise. made 10 promote the idea ~
Cuba's paeihcation and especially io
influence the United States congress
To adequately protect the sugar o.
nsss likely to operate. Gen Blanco
will have to practically close the op-
erations against the insurgents tlc
has not enough men 10 DO both things
Only about 20 per cent Of the sugar
plantations Of Cuba that operated two
years ago that have machinery modern
enough or cane IN good enough oondi-
ton IN warrant grinding AZ the pres
ent price Of sugar
Il 10 not likely that any official ir-
iured plantations could run ~ profit
this year. however well protested hui
they will probably cut a. much zane as
possible TO prevent the ground from
going from bad 90 worse
Notwithstanding sensational reports
OF the total destruction 81 sugar prop
critics. only a very small portion 90
modern sugar grinding plants have
been destroyed BY either Cuhans or
spaniards The long printed lists %
burned plantations are made mostly
OF useless plants abandoned several
yean ago. when beet sugar forced the
construction % larger central fac
tors There are almost untouched and
did a republic % Cuha wish 90 borrow
money for an idemnity 90 Spain sho
should not have much difficulty boz
showing a suffcient and present earn.
ing power TO retire The debt iu a Few
years
Most Of the plantations were worked
last year for short periods an paid
their own guards and most ~ thou
paid the Cubans a. we'll The plant
ers Who did not pay tribute wrrl
forced 10 double or treble their giirr
Ma guards.
A. rule. and With hrst-class men
under their orders the planters had
10 use 100 guards apiece with Span
ish troops o. tho line at least double
I the number will be- required ~ Tea
I son Of the heavy losses % the last two
years and the present generous odr
Of the government Il l. not likely that
any planter Will pay Tor guards thi'
year.
Gen Blanco will have 60 furnish. "a
tlmated moderately. 40 least 10000 o
/ 20 900 from the three nearest prov
inces
More than half ~ the suburb popu
lation has disappeared. having beer
murdered by weylor and his support
ers
The best Informed Cuhans admi
that disease and starvation have 90
duced the rebel army Of able bodies
men from 100. 900 to cocoa Tho rca
figure probably ~ nearer 10000 Sul
there are mare than Gen. nlanco vii
have 10 send against them and thc'
are vastly better armed and have ore
times more experience than when thr
hafied the efforts Of Gen Woyler
should the insurgents continue thci
tactics Of runninEaway SPANS chance
Of keeping the yellow and red owe
Cuba grow less with each soldier takol
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