St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1897-01-09
WHAT CUBA cosrs SPAIN.

WHAT CUBA COSTS SPAIN.
Eitraeeaiaaly War Measures Bssertsd
Te Rseeatlv.
The well-informed and accurate Ma
drid correspondent Of the London Stand
ard, to whom the world il much In
debted for news of Spanish govern
mental doings, gives most interesting
account Of the strain to which the gov
eminent il subjected on behalf OF the
Cuban campaign. The war minister.
Gen. Axcarraga, has displayed great en-
ergy in providing troops. but he has
been forced to resort to some extraor-
binary measures. At the outbreak OF
the war he called in some $4,000 men Of
the first-class reserve, and men OF the
classes Of 1894 and 1895, and even some
of the class of 1893, who. after few
months of training, had been dismissed
TO their homes in order to lessen army
expenses. Then he called for $4,000
conscripts of 1895 some months before
the usual time. These were boys OF less
than 20 years of age. fine subjects for
an arduous foreign campaign in an un-
sanitary country. No wonder many Of
those drafted were found to have feel
from the country. No wonder. too. that
no less than 1900 Of those who re
manned chose to pay the government =
forfeit Of $500 each rather than be sent
to the Antillean slaughter pen. This
latter fact was, of course, fine thing
for the well-nigh bankrupt Spanish,
treasury 1t meant a windfall to it o.!
$3.50. oc0. or enough to pay the cost OF
the war for az much as two or three
weeks. But il meant a military force
of inferior quality. the vacancies being
filled with second-rate substitutes.
This year there will probably be a
similar harvest of forfeit money. The
minister has called for 1896 conscripts
several months in advance, and thou
sands OF them will seek release from
duty which means probable death.
The military census shows this year
1S2,757 "men'-all lads under 20 years
of nge-liable to be drafted into the
service. OF these 20.777 are exempted
for physical disability. 2,134 are tenn
porarily exempted, 6.26s are missing,
e3.053 are held conditionally. liable for
service. and 90.525 are actually sum-
moned for active service. The places
Of such Of these latter rs purchase ex-
emption-$3OO from home service and
$500 from colonial service-will be filed
from the ranks of those conditionally
drafted. No less than 5000 of these I'M
seasoned lads, after two or three
months of drill, are to be sent to Cuba.
the first of them arriving there befor.
Christmas. Such are the troops with
which Weyler hopes to crush the veter-
an legions of Gomez and Maceo! BY
such measures Spain has swelled her
army to 100000 men and boys in two
years. In 10 months she has sent 1861
ISL of them to Cuba. There were al
ready there some IL, 900 and Is. 900 more
volunteers. making a total of 1851
This number has now been reduced to
less than 10000. showing a fearful
number Of deaths 9hd disabilities on
the field and in the hospital.
Besides this appalling drain upon the
young manhood of the nation, there is
corresponding drain upon the treas
ury. Nineteen months Of war have
cost fully $4,000. 600 and the present
rate Of expense is $11. 0OO. 900 a month.
And still the end is not in sight The
insurgents are actually stronger than
ever before. in spite of all the wealth
and blood spent upon their subsection.
They have. says this correspondent,
m unlimited recruiting ground in the
majority of the Creole population.
whites and colored people alike. and an
inexhaustible supply of arms, money
and ammunition from their friends and
sympathizers in the United States.
That is quite true and they will doubt
less continue to enjoy these advantage.
until the waning resources of Spain are
completely exhauStcd.-E. Y. Tribune