The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-05-13
MONTH DELAY
MEANS MANY DEATHS.

KEY WEsr, Fla, May H.. Until the
United States have occupied and
securely held at least two or three sea-
ports in Cuba, no material aid in end
ing the war can be given by General
Come or other insurgent leaders.
General Gomez Is anxious to be
known TO posterity as the liberator Of
Cuba and would have President Me-
Kinley and General Miles think other
wise, but the fallacy OF that expecta-
tion is made clear by the report from
Frederick o. Somerford, who has just
returned from two months constant
association with the insurgent leaders
Mobilization OF the insurgent army
is absolutely impossible until an effect
i've commissary department is estab'
lished and maintained on the island.
This must be done by the United
States. II the entire insurgent forces
are to be utilized, three supply
depots must be established. For
General Gomez and the division Of
General Rodriguez some point in Ma
tanzas province is most convenient.
| The City of Matanzas and Cardenas
are most available points. This base,
| however, cannot be made salts factory
| for the needs OF the insurgents in
| Pinar del Rio under General Pedro
Diaz, nor the large force in Santiago
de Cuba, under the redoubtable Gar
cia
Havana province, with its trochas
and fortified towns, all held by Span
ish troops, interposes between Gen
| 4. 4 4 l,t I
Garcia, with the most effective and
best disciplined part OF the insurgent
army is forty days march away.
Mariel can be made a base to supply
Daz, while TO make Garcias force ef.
fective landing must be made some
where in SantiagJ de Cuba province
on the southern coast of the island
After the insurgents are fully sup
piled, weeks, IL not months, must be
consumed in mobiizing them. Prob.
ably transports will be necessary TO
move Garcia's division to the vicinity
of Havana.
Broken up into small guerrilla
bands in the interior, as they are at
present, the insurgents can subsist.
Hundreds OF wild cattle are roaming
there Blanco sent troops recently To
attempt to drive these cattle west
ward, but they found it impracticable
and abandoned the idea. Insurgents
subsist principally on jutia, small ami
mails, like opossums, which are still
plentiful along the streams of the in
terror, and corajo, sort OF potato
which answers for bread.
Mr.. Somerford reports the condition
of the reconcentrados as worse than
at any other time. Blanco has for
b dden the sale Of fooi ~ d thousands
are starving.
"When left Gomez's camp, May 4,
said Mr. Somerford, "the reconcentra
dos were leaving the towns in droves
TO join the insurgent ranks. All re
concentrates are not Cuban sympa
thizers. Many are still loyal TO Spair
and blame the insurgents for theii
miserable condition.
"Since Weyler issued his famouI
bando many have sought protection
. with insurgents, but Gomez and othe
I leaders have little confidence in them
and il is impossible for them TO ge
2 material aid except from the Unite'
States.
"Some of the men who are able
l bodied and who have friends in tn
a insurgent ranks are accepted, but
p great majority are turned awey an'
2 advised to 90 back TO the towns.
o Hundreds of women and children
V still are huddled iu the outskirts o
the towns. A months delay mean
, thousands Of deaths"