The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-16
where Are the Insureentss

When reading the accounts of the gal
isnt manner in which the handful OF mar
ines, which were landed some days ago
on the shore of Guantanamo harbOr. are
holding the position they occupy there
against overwhelming numbers of Span
iards, a question which naturally presents
itself is this: What has become of the
insurgents?
1t has been the understanding all along
that the insurgents were particularly
strong in Eastern Cuba. and yet we are
told that a large body of troops was sent
from Santiago 10 Guantanamo to be used
against the marines there. Only recently
the insurgents of the Guantanamo dis
trict were supplied by the United States
with a large number of rifles and many
thousands of rounds of ammunition Why
it is that the Insurgents have not gone
to the assistance of the marines? Can
Il be possible that they cannot be depend
ed upon TO help drive the spaulards out
of Cuba?
In one of the dispatches it Is stated
that lot of insurgents did attempt to
assist the marines but that they are so
inexperienced as soldiers they came near
shooting the marines instead of the Span
iards.
1t is known, of course, that not much
confidence is to be placed upon dispatches
sent out from Havana for publication,
because Gen. Blanco VIII not permit any
thing to be cabled which would have a
dampening effect upon the cause Of Spain.
But there is some ground for thinking
there is truth in the statement in our
dispatches yesterday, that at a meeting of
the insurgent leaders in Eastern Cuba
a few days ago a majority of those pres
ent expressed themselves as being against
the Intervention of the United States in
the war between the Spaniards and the in-
surgents Another dispatch published yes
terday stated that a great many of the
Cubans were taking sides with the Span
iards.
The insurgent leaders-at least some of
them-are very much afraid that the in
surgents will not be permitted to have
fun control of Cuba after the Spanards
are driven out of the island. That may
be the reason that the insurgents thus far
have been of such little assistance to our
forces. 1t may be the purpose of the IN
eurgents to try and force our govern
nent to enter into an understanding with
them, as TO what their reward shall be
when the purpose of our war with Spain
is accomplished, before they will render
US such assistance as they can, but if
that is their object they will be disap-
pointed. our government has stated that
its purpose is to free Cuba from Spanish
rule. It will not enter into any agree
ment with the insurgents that they shall
have fun control of the Islands after the
Spaniards have been driven out of It, If
the insurgents are not willing to help us
on these terms the war against Spain Win
be carried on without them, and when
the time comes for giving Cuba a gov
eminent they viii not be consulted.
A dispatch from Admiral Sampson, pub
llshed this morning, says that the insur-
gents are now cooperating with our
forces at Guantanamo. 1t may be that
they have reached the conclusion that
it would be a mistake for them to with
hold their assistance, or to cooperate with
us in only a half-hearted way and that
they are now ready to do what they can
to make the war against Spain a sue
cess. If such is the case there ought 10
Skaters army at some point near San
tiago and capturing that city.