The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-03-17
HE REDWOOD GAZETTE.
BY AIKEN E. SCHMAHL.
THURSDAY. MARCH II, 1898.
GAZETTE BUILDING DIRECTORY.
Thirteen YEARS FOR CUBA.

Thirteen YEARS FOR CUBA.
Gen. Gomez, the commander-in-
chief of the Cuban Army of Liberia
ton, heard of the blowing up of the
Maine during the early part of last
week. When the special messenger,
sent from Sancti Spiritus to LaDema-
jagua, Gomez's camp, reached the lat
ter with the information that the Amer
lean battleship had been blown up.
the old patriot was stunned for the
moment. He read the communication
conveying to him the details, and then
dismissed the messenger for two
hours, asking him to return at the end
of that time, and received communi-
cation to take back to the Cuban ag-
ent in Sancti Spiritus.
The old patriot would not venture
an opinion as to the cause of the hor-
rible disaster, but expressed his horror
in the face of the awful calamity and
his profound sympathy for the victims
and the American people. He was not
surprised, be said, at the general be-
lief in Cuba that a new crime had
been committed by Spain. Cubans
knew too we'll what Spain was capable
of doing to destroy a foe, the ranks of
the Cuban Army having been stripped
of great Generals by means of Span
ish treachery and assassination. He,
himself, he said, was as liable to be
struck down by a stiletto in his back
as quick as he was by a Spanish bull
let IN his breast.
Gen. Gomez has spent Ii years in
the saddle for Cnba, and in the inter-
view he stated that his last years for
liberty are brighter than all others.
Nothing can quench the thirst OF the
people to be free from the Spanish
yoke, and it was criminal for the Unit
ed States to regard the struggle in
any other manner than a sure victory
for his army He contended that if
Cleveland and Mckinley had acted at
the proper time $3OOOOO,OOO of Cuban
commerce would have been saved t.
the United States, as we'll as the Maine
and the men who were murdered in
the Spanish harbor. During his life
in the saddle for Cuba Spain has sent
100000 men against him, and to-day
Spain is weaker than ever. Speaking
further of the Maine disaster, he said
"a people capable of sending to Cuba as
Captain General at the end of the nineteenth
century such man as Weyler and of honor
ing him after his criminal deeds as nation
al hero is capable of anything. 1t would not
shrink from the idea of massacring zoe
American sailors in the harbor of Havana
after it had killed by starvation 100000 de-
fenceless women, children, and old men, and
had exterminated 400, 900 more non-combat-
| ants by fire and sword or by the utter de-
struction of their homes and the inhuman
spreading of famine. More even than that
it cannot have any pity tor the fate of 2OC
American sailors, regarded by Spain, with
or without reason, as her enemies, when it
has had no pity for its own 100000 soldiers
poor and ignorant Spanish peasants, driven
cious and murderous Government, and sent
to certain death in Cuba from the bullets OF
a hostile army and the ravages of a hostile
| climate, in a vain attempt to conquer a
country which is fighting for it's freedom
Yes, we know all these facts well, and per-
haps this knowledge we have acquired in
our lohg experience of Spanish barbarity
may lead us now to belief in a crime which
| if it had been committed, will fill one of the
most shameful pages in the history OF
| SPAIN
On Sunday evening there retired
from Office the best postmaster Red
wood Falls has ever had, and is likely
ever to have for years to come. In an
Office as large as is that of Redwood