The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-22
An Exact Statement of Facts Made by One of the
Most Trustworthy of WitneSSeS---The Span
iSh Policy of "RecOncilatiOn" Starving
the PaCifiCOS in the OtieS---The
Black and the Yellow Death.

ume that all military operations, at
least as far as the Spanish army is
concerned, will have come to q stand
still. 1t is then n proper moment to
sum up the results of the campaign
and of General Weyler's policy, which
he announced upon assuming command
of the island fourteen months ago.
During the period 250,000 men have
been sent by Spain on the lines sug-
gested by him. The results of this ex-
hausting effort, which has ruined for
all time the resources of the mother
country, are almost microscopic. = =
In the four western provinces the in
surgents maintain their guerrilla war;
fare, generally with considerable suc-
cess; and Gomez, against whom Weyler
marched two months ago with three
columns of 40, 900 men, has, instead Of
retreating across the trocha or allow
ing himself to be compelled to fight
overwhelming numbers under unfavor-
able conditions, turned up and given a
good account of himself by operations
in General Weyler's rear.
ANOTHER PROVINCE RUINED.
The net result of the Santa Clara
campaign, from which such great re-
suits were confidently expected, has
been the complete devastation of an
other fertile province, and a great re-
duction of the visible food supply, upon
which the Spanish troops are more de-
pendent than are the Cuban forces. 1t
is only fair to state some of the difficult
ties of campaigning in Cuba, which are
hard for any one to realize who has not
visited the island; it is only fair also to
admit that never was an army so ILL
prepared for the work that was cut out
for them to do. The troops were cloth.
ed in linen, while the experience of all
the European powers who have colon
ial armies, such as Great Britain,
F1Tnce and Holland, points to the alb
solute necessity of clothing men with
flannel when campaigning in the trop-
les. They have been furnished almost
| exclusively with alparagatas, or straw
shoes, which are excellent footgear for
the dry Biscayan highlands, but which
| become as heavy as lead and go to
pieces after a day in the Cuban
swamps. There is not a commssariat
train in the whole army of occupation,
and not a single battery of mountain
guns. Owing to these circumstances,
whether the Spanish win battle or
not they must within twenty-four
hours of sallying out of the town re-
turn from whence they came for pro-
visions, and however desirable may be
| the strategic point which they carry
with their impetuous charge, sooner or
| later, generally within a few hours,
! they are compelled to retreat to their
| base of supplies. In this way, of
! course, no headway can be made.
STARVATION VS.. FIGHTING.
In the country which the insurgents
! command-that is. in at least four
| fifths of the island-into which the
| Spanish columns do not venture except
in large force, food grows on every
| bush and every root is edible for the
Cubans who know how to prepare it.
| There are hill-locked valleys which the
Cuban forces hold, and where their
cattle Craze in safety. Here they have
even planted quick crops, like sweet
potatoes, which ripen five or six times
a year. Gomez and his leaders have
one and all, availed themselves of the
advantages presented by the nature OF
the ground to the fullest extent -
The campaign has been one OF
starvation rather than of fighting, and
out of this the patriot forces have
emerged successfully. They have with
them cattle sufficient for several years
to come and crops growing in places
where the Spaniards are unable or dc
not care to go to destroy them. In the
| Cienaga de Zapata, or the great salt
swamps on the south coast, which the
Spaniards have never dared to pene.
trate, the Cubans maintain their hos
pitfalls, their factories for the repair OF
rifles, their depots of stores, their tan.
neries, and their salt wells. Indeed
with the exception of the question OF
ammunition, which is not overabund
ant, they could stand isolation from the
outside world much better than coulG
the Spanish forces. Were Cuba to bt
blockaded by hostile power, withir
two weeks the Spanish army would be
compelled to evacuate or to surrender
as almost everything that is necessary
for the support of the army, ever
in the wretched condition that is main.
tanned, is brought from abroad, from
Spain, the United States or Mexico.
DEPoPULATIoN.
The following proclamation, which
outlines the plan of that campaign
which now threatens the very existence
of the Cuban race, and which falls with
especial severity upon the peaceable in.
habitants of the island, is without par,
allel in annals of modern warfare:
I, Don Valeriano Weyler Nicolan,
Marquis of Generic, governor gem
eral, captain general of this island
and commander in chief OF the army,
etc, etc, hereby order and COM
mand:
/. That all the inhabitants of the
country districts, or those who reside
outside the lines of Notifications of
the towns, shall within a delay of
eight days enter the towns which are
occupied by the troops. Any indiyid-
ual found outside the lines in the
country at the expiration OF this per-
iod. shall be considered a rebe; and
shall be dealt with as such.
q The transport of food from the
towns, and the carrying of food from
one place to another by sen or NV
land, without the permission of the
military authorities of the place OF
departure, is absolutely forbidden.
Those who infringe upon this order
will be tried and punished as aiders
and abettors of the rebellion.
The owners OF cattle must drive
their herds to the towns or to the inn
mediate vicinity of towns, for which
purposes proper escort viii be given
them.
4. When the period of eight days,
which shall be reckoned in each dis
trict from the day of publication of
this proclamation in the country town
OF the district, shall have expired, all
insurgents who may present them
selves will be placed under my orders
for the purpose of designating a place
In which they must reside. The fur
nishing OF news concerning the enemy
which can be availed OF with advant-
| age will serve aa a racopouanda No., o.,