New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-21
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THE VIEWS or CT Bi,

There is no lack Of news from and about
Cuba which may without rasbness be reckohed
credible The patriots are busy. General 90
mez has left Cubitas and the eastern TWO
provinces behind him. and Is making his way.
cautiously but steadily. across Santa Clara
toward the Spanish capital. He Is still. II Is
true, some 80 miles from Havana. But he Is
also about 100 miles from Cubtas. which fact
provOkes the inquiry why the Spaniards make
no attempt to seize the latter place They are
supposed to have a garrison at Puerto Prlnclpe
only n days march distant. and another at
the port Of Nuevitas. Why do they not send an
army up to the hills. seize Cubitas. and pro-
claim to the world that the rebel capital IS in
their hands? Seeing that they have four or
five times as many soldiers as the Cubans. 1t
seems not to their martial credit that they
should devote more attention to defending their
own capital than to attacking that of the en-
emy Are we to understand that the Spanish
troops at Puerto Principe dare 10 make war only
on women. as they are now doing! rare plan
II would be, indeed. to create diversion for
the relief OF Havana. and TO seek TO draw Co
mez back to the east by renewing the atroci'
ties Of Valmaseda's BLACK Brigade
Havana, indeed. seems sorcly in need or re-
lief. The city is overcrowded with refugees
ish soldiers Food IS scarce. and growing
scarcer. and half the people have little or no
money with which TO buy ii at any price.
Smallpox is epidemic. and will doubtless con-
time to ravage the city until the rainy season
brings yellow fever to take lis place. Insur-
gent bands nfest the suburbs. cutting off sup
plies Of milk and vegetables. and destroy
ing plantations and villages within sight OF
Moro Castle 4 wretched plight the place is
I'm. practically besieged, and suffering actual
plague and famine. 1t might better affairs
little If Weyer should send the soldiers ont %
fight. instead Of keeping them idle to consume
the swiftly waning store OF provisions. But he
, is too humane for that. for the troops would
run great danger Of getting hurt. perhaps killed.
The Cubans have a habit Of thus ill-treatinS
Spanish soldiers when they catch them in the
OPEN They blew up Spanish gunboat with
tOrpedO the other day. in the CautO River, and
killed most of its men. And if they would do
that 10 an expedition sent merely 10 reinforce
; "A Spanish garrison In Santiago Province what
| might they not do to an expedition sent against
Cubitas? They are bad men, those Cuban
| patriots: a good deal like the Mexicans OF hai.
century ago. OF whom BrdOfredom Sawin
pathetcally complained that they
--du amazn' lots o things tibet isn't wut they
ough' to-
Be!n' they haint lead they make their bull
let's out o copper
An shoot the darned things at u.s. tn. witch Caleb
aInt proper
As for the rest. the Spanish situation Is not
improving There is unqmestionnbly imminent
danger of a Cabinet crisis at Madrid. the con
sequences OF which might be embarrassing 10
the dynasty itself. The Government has wisely
decided to cease discriminating against Ameri-
can vessels in port charges. but that tardy act
of Justice will he Of little material value to it.
1t will not perceptibly alter the attitude Of the