The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-04
THREE YEARS AND NOTHING
GAINED.
New York Tribune.)

Let lis take from Spanish sources the
news of recent fighting in Cuba ana see
| what it means.
Lit Lrlcha, Il Havana newspaper that
rdcntly supports Span, reports bat
| tie in the province of Puerto Prlnclpe
on Feb. IS and 10. The Spanish troops.
numbering 2400 infantry and 400 cay-
airy were commanded by Gen. Jimine2
Castellanos. The insurgents numbered
3.yyJ. According to the official dispatch
printed by La Lucha the insurgents left
eighty-sevcn dead on the field, several
officers being among the slain. The
Spanidrds lost one officer and seven sol
d.ers killed, and three officers and sew
enty-three soldiers were wounded. They
captured from the insurgents many
weapons, a large quantity of ammuni-
ton, and thirty -nine horses"
That must have been q lively engage
ment. IL the official dispatch tells the
trutA, the Spanish troops fought brayely
against slightly superior numbers ami
repulscd the foe. From unofficial sources
the report comes that two determined
cavalry charges We're made by the Gu
bans, and that the losses were about
equal; also that there has been great
deal of fighting in the east of late, and
that the insurgents held fortified posi-
tons along the road leading east from
Santiago de Cuba. But we will leave
that out of the reckoning, and stick 10
La Luclla's official dispatches.
What does the official report show
1t shows that three years after the be-
ginning of the Cuban fnsurrection the
insurgents are still able TO put an army
Of 1900 men in the field, well equipped
with weapons, ammunition, and horses,
as is proved by the Spanish reports OF
captured war material. They We're i'll
such spirits and under such discipline
that they fought with great courage and
determination. That is Shown by the
fact that the fighting lasted two days.
And the insurgent army lives to fight
another day. 1t was not captured or de-
stroyed That is one of the most I'M
p3rtant of the facts we have to consider.
And this is not the only army the ln-
Surgents have in the field.
The nature of the showing is not a.
tered by the probability that the two
DAYS fighting consisted of u series of en-
ga gements along the route of the Span
ish army's march, successive bands of in
side strongholds. The fact that these
5000 rebsl fought the Spaniards two
DAYS and are alive and at large to fight
them again lis the serious one Tor
Blanco and the government.
At this rate when will Spain finish put
ting down the insurrection? Never.
The least intelligent observer can see
tAat she is as far from it us ever. Those
who are specially familiar with condl'
tons on the island say the Cubans arc
stronger than ever. The Spaniards are
certainly less strong, less confident, less
free to pursue the rebels, and less capa-
be of subduing them than they were
when their troops were more numerous
and less disaffccted.
The Spanish newspapers are almost
| franucally calling on the government to
push operations against the rebels as
the only means of averting intervention
| by the United States. The luckless DE
LONE wrote that all depended on the SOL
diers in Cuba-they must strike de-
c.Siye blow or the game was UP. But
Spa5n can strike no decisive blow. She
can do nothing more than she has done.
She viii 20 on Intellectually peclling at
/ the armed insurgents, burning houses,
and butchering prisoners meanwhile i'll
order to make some showing of blood
and destruction, and her people are ter.
r.~-s incensed at the suggestion that we
may step in to wrench her nerveleSs
hand from tine throat of Cuba!
In three years she has had her full op-
portunity. has done all that she can do,
all that she ought to be allowed to at
tempt.