Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1897-01-29
THE CUBANS WILL WIN.
An Insuryent Omcer Talks OF the
War with Spain.
The cubans Are corndent OF winning
indepeRdenee-inJury to Busi-
ness Interests in This
Country.


ence of the isMnd from Spanish rule.
The war has practically destroyed the
tobacco and cigar industry of Key
West, Tampa and JacksoDv lille, locking
up thousands of dollars OF capital in
vested in property fit only for tobacs-o
manufacture in some form. and throw
ing out of employment thousands of
men who are unable TO find employ
ment in any other industry. and who
are in the main unsuitcd for any other.
Il am using up my last bale of to-
bscco to-day" said dealer 10 the Sun
correspondent, and shall have TO close
down my factory. | can't get any to-
bacco. How many men will be thrown
out of employment? a very large
number, and when added TO the others
IN this city and the state. will malls,
quite small army whose means of
subsistence have been destroyed by the
war in Cuba. But we all, laborcrs and
manufacturers. bear our losses cheer
FULLY. We feel that il is necessary TO
make the sacrifice that Cuba may be
free, and we feel certain that IL will be-"
The Sun correspondent had the good
fortune TO meet three officers Of the in
surgcnt army, who have just come over
from Cuba upon special mission. One
of them spoke English fairly well. ne
Is n colonel. and looks il every inch.
lie said:
"Ncylcr has under his command in
the island fully 100000 men. II is es-
timatcd that from 10000 TO $4,000 OF
them are laid up in the hospitals The
Al
When they sally forth it is in large
numbers. Are they afraid OF the Gu
bansY' The colonel shrugged his
'houldcrs, and Il comical smile agita,cd
the stiff hairs OF his Inustacbe. The
idea of q Spaniard being afraid OF
Cuban" said he. ironically. NO. IL
must not be that oh. no: some hing
else must keep them in the cities. The
Cubans have fully 10000 armed men in
the field. and fully $4,000 reserves
ready 10 fill up the ranks as fast Us
they are decimated by the cDemy.
We have plenty OF men, II We could only
rquip them. 1t Is estimated that We
have three men 70 every gun.
Every armed column has an unarmed
column following it, and whenever a
soldier falls there is a mud scramble
for his weapon.
Gen. MaXimO Gomez commands the
Eastern department Gen. Antonio
hacco commands the western depart
mont. comprising Las Vegas. Matanzas.
G''ana and Pinar del Rio, where the
principal operations are to-day. The
uaceos have a glorious record" said
the colonel. "There were nine OF the
brothers, of whom Gen. Antonio is the
'nly survivor. All the others were
lilled in battle. fighting for the indie
rendence OF Cuba. This is n record Of
which Spartan would have been
Iroud.
What are our prospects to-day: We
rhall win. We can't fail. In tie ten
years war the insurgents did not in
'ade the province OF Matanzas at all.
They were keptouto il. ButGen Maeeo
has gone further than that, SO TINT
Weyler has not only TO drive us out OF
amaguey and Matanzas, but out of
Pinar del Rio as well. We have The
eastern department in our grip. II is
The more important of the two depart
msnts. and the inability of the Span-
iards 10 collect any taxes there is one OF
the severcst blows the Insurgents have
inflicted upon them.
The industries OF Cuba are para
lyzed. The extent of the paralysis may
he inferred from the fact that il is cs-
t;mated that not one bag Of sugar will
lie sent out Of the island this year.
Last year Weyler ordered the planters
TO grind their cane. The insurgents
acre opposed to their doing 30. Now
he has no power to command them 90
grind. There will be no sugar crop
:his year. All the tobacco that wac col
Iected has been burned, and that which
Remained in the fields has been ruined.
The policy of the Insurgents has
been TO destroy the sugar and tobacco
estates in order TO cripple the revenues
of Spain.
The people of Cuba are determined
10 achieve their independence They
are tired of Spanish eXtortion and tyr
amy, and prefer death TO further sub
mission. The war began February -.
1898. We gained more in the first sin
months of the war than we gained i'm
the whole time of the ten-years' war.
When Spain could not crush the war of
1868. when it was confined TO one prov
nice, in ten years, with the sacrifice of
100000 men. how can she do so now.
when we have the run of the island
from one end TO the other?
Then it should not be over looked
that in the ten-years' war our men
numbered hardly more than 1000 with
frms; to-day we have more than 10000
armed men, with 10000 unarmed re-
serves. The men are so eager TO fight
that they contend with each other for
arms Y. Sun.
Sharp Detective.