The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-02

In trying to pass the first line Of Spanish
troops at Boca de Dos Rois a severe con-
fict look place on May ~, in which Marti
was killed. The Spaniards took for granted
that the revolution then received its death
blow, but Gomez continued his advance
westward, and by the beginning of June,
1895, had entered the southern part of Puerto
Principe where he was Joined by thousands
Of recruits, whom he eventually organized
into third army corps. Early in July he
issued the first of his orders relating to the
sugar crop, and announced his intention Of
marching in the winter through Santa Clara
and into MatanZas. BY the beginning Of the
dry season Gomez had perfected arrange
ments for movement TO the west, and
having passed the trocha, or line of Spanish
forts extending from the town of Jucaro to
the town of Moron, he successfully trav-
ersed the provinces of Santa Clara and Ma
tanZas, compelling Martinez Campos to re-
move his headquarters to Havana
WEYLER'S POLICY.
1t will be remembered that, not long after
ward. Martinez Campos was superseded in
the Office of captain general by Weyler,
and that Maxine Gomez, finding himself
constrained to retire in an easterly direc-
ton for the purpose Of securing supplies,
detached Antonio Maceo to occupy the prov
ince of Pinar del Rio, In the extreme west,
which was effectively done, until Maceo
was lured into an ambuscade and killed.
The policy pursued by Weyler had a two
fold aim, to wit: First, to avoid engage
ments on a large scale in the field, but to
occupy with strong garrisons all the sea-
ports and important inland towns, and to
institute so efficient patrol of the coast
as would prevent the insurgents from re-
ceiying supplies of ammunition. His sec
ono purpose was, While cutting on the rev.
olutlc aists from their friends abroad, to de-
prive them also of support at horne by
compelling the whole rural population to
renounce the cultivation of their fields and
to take refuge in the garrisQned towns,
where, under the name Of reconcentrados,
they were virtually condemned to death by
starvation.
In other words Weyler was determined
that as regards the whole OF Cuba outside
of the points occupied by Spanish soldiers
he would create solitude and call it peace.
1t cannot be disL uted that this programme
proved atrociousiy effective, and that, if
persistence in it could have been tolerated
by a civilized world, the inSurrectiOn must
have been extinguished through Inability to
procure munitions from without or food sup
plies from within.
1t was not fated, however, that the rebel
lion started by Jose Marti was to prove
abortiVe. The SuperseSSiOn of General Wey
Ter by General Blanco and the organization
of the semblance of an autonomiSt govern
ment at Havana, although astutely devised
TO avert American Intervention, were not
destined to have that result. AT the very
time when the stoutest hearts among the
American friends OF Cuba were sickening
with nope deferred, and when 1t seemed but
too probable that the forces under Garcia
and Gomez must presently be diSbanded,
from sheer inability to arm and feed them,
occurred the explosion of the Maine in the
harDor or Havana, catastrophe which not
only shook with horror the United States,
but drove home to our national conscience
the conviction that SPANS rule in the new
world must end. The eXecrabe sentiments
planted by Weyler in his officers and soil
diers had borne their inevitable fruit 1t
was reserved for Spanish malignancy to
perpetrate one Of those acts of madness
which are forerunnerS of self-destruction.
As we recall the disappointments, per-
fdleS and calamities which have made the
last thirty years the darkest pages in the
history of Cuba, we can see that they were
all linked together, and that all had their
part to play in the outWorking Of the ISL
ands destiny. Had Spain been more far
sighted or less cruel had the Cubans
risked less and suffered less, we might not
have witnessed the great change in the
attitude of Great Britain which rendered
Americas Intervention possible. The blood
sands Of their brethren betrayed famished
and butchered, cried to American onlookers
from the ground; and when the Outpour of
our sympathy was met with the destruction
OF the Maine there was no longer any cause
to fear that the arm of an English-speaking
people would be raised to stay the sword
of justice.
The sword fell and Cuba has been freed.
What we now behold is the ripened harvest
of the seed sown by the victims of the ten
years war and of the recent instruction.
Their children are entering into their in
heritance. Withheld for generation, it is
assured to them at last:
For Freedoms battle once begun,
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son,
Though baffied oft, is ever Won"