Omaha daily bee., 1897-11-16
JAMS VIRTUAL ABANDONMENT OF FIELD
First Step, if Carried Out, Will Surely
Benefit the Insurgents.
FEARFUL LOSS OF LIFE IN THE WAR
spnin's soldiers Die on by Thousa nds
OF Starvation and Disease
Outlook for All Hands
is Gloomy.


blegram Special Telegram.l- General
Blanco has entered upon an almost hope
less task The present Cuban situation is
such that 1t seems impossible to effect by
reforms and suavity what the greatest army
in the History Of the colonial wars has failed
to accomplish.
Spains present policy is announced to be
one OF combined Cancellation and force
1t appears to be, as some Spanish journals
have called it, "a suicidal policy" The pc
culiar and not generally understood condl-
tlons Of the Cuban struggle now make any
conciliatory move to direct play into the
hands Of the insurgents. This is particularly
true of the proclamation OF November 10,
which commands all civil and military au-
thorities to aid ia protecting the sugar prop
critics in grinding cane.
General Blanco's first important act, II car
ried out, will be virtual abandonment
OF the field to the insurgents. 1t will yield
them much money and food and will cause
the further loss of valuable property. II
not put into effect it will incur the sus-
picion OF being a false promise made to
promote the idea Of Cubas pacifcation, and
especially to influence the United States
congress.
CLOSE OPERATIONS.
To adequately protect the sugar estates
likely to operate General Blanco will have
to practically close the operations against
the insurgents. He has not enough men to
do both things.
Only about 20 per cent of the sugar plan
tations of Cuba that operated two years ago
have machinery modern enough or cane In
good enough condition to warrant grinding
at the present price of sugar. The more i'm
portant of them are: Central Lucia, Senado,
Lugareno, Emanuel. Ysabel the Brooks
estate in Manzanilo Zasafn. Lula, San
Augustin Julia Constantia of Sarronzo, San
Trinidad, Teresa, San JOSE Esperanza.
Iatgardita, Sansino. Audreita, Hormiguero,
Zequito Parque, Alto. Trinidad, Caracas.
Ydiez Por Fuerza, Alava, Epana, Stager-
trudes, Algeria, Union Sata Filamena. So
zorro, Ynarquita, Conchta, Toledo. Brami-
les, Provdencia, Constancia Apezteguia
and Soledad. 1t is not likely that any OF
these splendid and uniniured plantations
could run at profit this year, however well
protected but they Will probably cut
much cane as possible to prevent the ground
from going from bad to worse.
Notwithstanding sensational reports of
total destruction of sugar property, only a
very small percentage of the modern sugar
grinding plants have been destroyed by
either Cubans or Spaniards. The long
printed lists OF burned plantations are made
up mostly of useless plants abandoned sew
eral years ago when beet sugar forced the
construction of larger Central factories.
These are almost untouched, and did re-
public OF Cuba wish to borrow money for
war indemnity to Spain she should not have
much difficulty in showing a sufficient and
present earning power to retire the debt in
few years.
GOOD PROPERTIES.
Most OF the plantations were worked last
year for short psrods. All paid their own
guards and most OF them pail The rebels
as well. Those planters who did not pay
tribute-like plucky but indiscreet Mr.. At
kins of Boston-were forced to double or
treble their guerilla guards. AS 4 rule, and
with irst-class msn under their ordoTa the
planters hal to use 100 guards apiece with
Spanish troops on the line at least double
that number will be required BY reason
OF heavy losses of the last .wo years and the
present generous offer of The government II
is not likely that any plan.er will pay fer
guards this year.
General Blanco will have to furnish, esti-
mated moderately. at least 1000 men, or
175 guards to each forty-four plantations.
These soldiers must come from forces now
operating against the insurgents. II is not
likely that General Blanco has forgotten the
lesson of the invasion and will take the reg
ular troops from guard duty in the towns
! to allow volunteer garrisons the opportunity
OF surrendering to the enemy The large
number OF Cubans forced by hunger into vol
unteer uniforms makes such surrendering
more probable now than before
AWFUL Loss or LIFE.
The cost of this war in human life Ia
awful. More than half OF the rural pop
ulaton has disappeared, having been mur-
dered by Weyler and his supporters. The
same men. II men they should be called
are much more directly accountable for the
unpatrictic. thevsh, lnhuman manner in
which their spleHdldly brave soldiers have
been underfed and undercared for. Spain
has paid for good treatment OF her patriotic
soldiers but they have been robbed until
hdlf-stalved and half-cad they have died like
sheep in the alternate ro3sta and ehllls OF
Cuba's days and uights AS nearly as can
be conseryatvely computed from Official
figures little more than half are left alive
and well Of the 10000 vigorous peasant lads
| Spain sent 10 Cuba.
The figures are: Died in hospitals. 80 900; /;
killed and died on the field u OOO; sent back
TO Spain AS "inutile." $4,000. now in hos
pltals IL 600 Total. $1,000
| OF this enormous number It is improbable
that more than 5000 met death or disability
from Cuban bullets. even during the real
fighting OF the invasion and the six montha
thereafter General Maceo estimated that not
more than 5000 spanish soldiers had fallen
In battle. This was in August. 1896, Since
then very little fighting has beeo done
| II General Blanco follows up his procls-
nation and guards sugar making this year
! he viii not have more than q 900 men avail
able for service against the insurgents. OF
the 80 900 troops At his command. eyen al