The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1897-02-24
ACTUAL STATE OF AFFAIRS
FROM A RELIABLE SOURCE.
Spain Can Never Win and the lnsur-
gents Can Maintain Themselves
For an Indefinite Period.
ANNE xation With the United States
FavorabIy Looked Upon.

Sr LOUIS, Feb. 22.-The first of
series of letters from Cuba by T. NJ.
Rogers, who was sent to the island by
The Globe Democrat, with special in
structions to get at the facts of the war,
has been received. 1t bears Havana
date, Feb. 10.
There is but little reliable news in
Havana. Outside of the soldiers on
dress parade there is little evidence of
war. The local papers contain nothing
of importance. Every suspicious letter
that is sent out is inspected. No tele-
graphic news is allowed to be forward
ed. The newspaper correspondents, to
get anything, have to go out into the
field and take their chances, The
World correspondent went ont to inter-
view Gomez and find out what he
thought of the proposed reforms i'll
Cuba. He is now languishing in pris-
on, but it is said that he is not badly
treated
Il have met and had long talk with
Thomas II. Damley, representative of
Harper's Weekly. He has been arrested
a number of times and while i'll Moro
castle took views of the prison cells with
q pocket camera.
There are some things you can now
find out here with greater freedom than
ever, and one is the general sentiment
of the people. Even the Spaniards are
disgusted with the general condition of
affairs. They look upon Captain Cen
eral Weyler as complete failure
When they see the mountain of. debt
that is being piled up that will have to
be met by the Cubans or Spanish prop
erty holders III Cuba, they tremble tor
the future With devastated planta-
tons and general decentralization in
business, the future of Cuba is dark in
deed, whatever may be the outcome.
There is a marked change in the feel
ings of the people toward the United
States.
You hear no expressions of hatred
against our citizens. Even many Span
iards will now quietly tell you that the
only solution is annexation. In that
case they expect the immense war debt
would be assumed by our government,
and then Cuba would march on to pros
perity.
There is no question as to the feeling
OF the native population The advent
of the insurgents in Havana would be-
hailed with the greatest delight. The
Spanish government does not trust
them. There are comparatively few
Cubans in the Spanish army. Out of
the 100000 soldiers sent here from
Spain about &c, 900 are now in Havana
A large number of these are mere boys,
and there are among them men on the
shady side of life. Those here ON dress
parade present a creditable appearance,
hrf | int
the country districts show every evil
dence of having had hard time.
II had talk with two proprietors of
plantations i'll the insurgent district
The last battle about Santa Clara, where
General Weyler is supposed to be in
command, took place few days ago ON
one Of these plantations. The proprie-
tor started out yesterday morning to see
what there was left. He did not expect
to find much This proprietor told me
that before the advent of the Spanish
troops he had no trouble. But now
they have cleaned out everything. He
started out, also, i'll the rear of the
Spanish army to survey the ruins and
see what can be done about putting in a
crop. He had 400 laborers employed
General Weyler claims he has fori.
fled the provinces Immediately abo It
Havana, commencing on the west. He
formed line across the island, and
commenced to drive the insurgents east
ward with all the forces at his COM
mand. But there are more than 5000
insurgents i'll this western province
now, and as the army advances east
ward the Cubans scatter and turn up in
the rear. They are hanging about Ha-
vana now, and small squad of soldiers
is not safe on the outskirts of the city.
Only short time ago a number of OIL
GERS were taken off a suburban train
One of them, a Cuban. was taken out
and shot as a traitor. The rest were de.
prived Of their arms and valuables and
allowed to 60.
1.-The general opinion now is that
Spain will not be able to put down the
rebellion. IL this climate the insur.
gents can maintain themselves almost
indefinitely. Sickness has set in among
the soldiers, and a goodly number of
the we'll ones are detailed to take care
of the sick. Then the rainy season will
soon comme"c &C, and that will put an
end to all operations in the field for a
time.
sickness exists not only among the
troops, bat there is general epidemic
on the island. A paper reported last
evening that in one of the towns in an
adjoining province there were not
enough well people to take care Of the
sick. Six thousand smallpox cases are
reported here in Havana. TO get or
of Havana now is a most difficult un-
dertaking. The board of health OF
Florida has quarantined against Ha,;
vana. All ere have To be vaccinai ed
hxr al Init.