Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-03-16

In case of war between the United
States and Spain the island of Cuba
would be freed from Spanish rule much
more easily than is generally imagined.
This country would not need to send
large army to the island to fight the
Spaniards in the field. Neither would
tt need to lombard Havana nor attack
It in any other way. Perhaps the war
would end, as far as Cuba is concerned,
without the Americans firing a single
shot either by land or sea. Though
these statements may at first appear
astonishing, they are merely the logic
hl conclusion to be derived from
knowledge of the real state OF affairs
In the struggling island
Extent of Spanish Control.
The Spaniards, with an army OF 150,-
900 men, of which not 10000 are regu-
lar troops, all that is left of the 100000
soldiers sent from Spain since 1888
and decimated by battle and sickness,
control only the seaports and the
The country from east to west is In
the hands of the insurgents. The east
ern part of the island, including San
tiago de Cuba and Puerto Principe, is
held by the Cuban Generals Calixto
Garcia, Jesus Rabi, and Lope Recio
Loynaz. There the Cubans are strong
er than in any other section OF the
island. They have in these two prov
tnces 10000 men at least, armed and
with plenty of ammunition. There
they hold the Spanish columns in con-
lStant check, and the recent defeats OF
General Pando in Santiago de Cuba, at
the entrance of the Cauto river, and Of
General Jimenez Castellanos at La Es-
peranza, almost within sight Of Puerto
Principe city, show conclusively what
the power of the Cubans is in the east.
The central part of the island, that
is to say, the province of Santa Clara,
is controlled by General Maxine Co.
mez. The Cuban commander-in-chief
has at least 10000 men there under his
orders, with Generals Carrillo, Monte
agudo, Alvarez and several others as
subordinate commanders.
There are about 5000 insurgents in
the provinces of Matanzas and Havana.
This is where the Cubans are weak
lest, the Spanish fortified towns being
nearer to one arSther and the Spanish
army more numerous. But neverthe-
less they have strength enough to keep
up very lively guerrilla warfare, raid
ing almost daily the most important
towns and making dashing attacks on
the outskirts of Havana city itself. The
recent death of their plucky leader,
General Aranguren, has not abated
their ardor General Betancourt, Gen.
eral Alexandra Rodriguez, General Ra-
fael de Cardenas, and Colonies Davalos,
Collazo, and others are cutting out
a great deal of work every day for the
Spanish and the guerrillas in Havana
and Matanazs provinces. Pinar del
Rio province, the western extremity, is
a Cuban stronghold. The Cubans there
are as strong as in Santa Clara and
hold the long and impregnable chain
of mountains extending through the
province. They do not allow the Span
fards to get out of their towns. Gen.
erals Delgado and Ducasi are the prin-
icipal Cuban leaders in that province
The result of this situation is that the
'Spaniards cannot exist on the prod
ucts of the country in any part of the
island. The country near the towns
was laid waste by General Weyler, and
the gaunt specter of famine stalks all
over Cuba. The determination of the
peaceable inhabitants by hunger is 60
ing On rapidly. All these facts are toe
notorious to be denied at this time. The
reconcentrados, or non-combatants
Btarve and die by thousands only be-
cause the country, on which they ex-
elusively depend, is not producing food
THE insurgents keep zones of cultiva-
tion of their own, where they raise
"A