Cuba in War Time | Page 2

to
make certain reforms in the internal government of the island. The old
revolutionary leaders, fearing that the promise of these reforms might
satisfy the Cubans, and that they would cease to hope for complete
independence, started the revolt, and asked all loyal Cubans not to
accept the so-called reforms when, by fighting, they might obtain their
freedom. Another cause which precipitated the revolution was the
financial depression which existed all over the island in 1894, and the
closing of the sugar mills in consequence. Owing to the lack of money
with which to pay the laborers, the grinding of the sugar cane ceased,
and the men were turned off by the hundreds, and, for want of
something better to do, joined the insurgents. Some planters believe
that had Spain loaned them sufficient money with which to continue
grinding, the men would have remained on the centrals, as the machine
shops and residence of a sugar plantation are called, and that so few
would have gone into the field against Spain that the insurrection could
have been put down before it had gained headway. An advance to the
sugar planters of five millions of dollars then, so they say, would have
saved Spain the outlay of many hundreds of millions spent later in
supporting an army in the field. That may or may not be true, and it is
not important now, for Spain did not attack the insurgents in that way,
but began hastily to build forts. These forts now stretch all over the
island, some in straight lines, some in circles, and some zig-zagging
from hill-top to hill-top, some within a quarter of a mile of the next,
and others so near that the sentries can toss a cartridge from one to the
other.
The island is divided into two great military camps, one situated within
the forts, and the other scattered over the fields and mountains outside
of them. The Spaniards have absolute control over everything within
the fortified places; that is, in all cities, towns, seaports, and along the
lines of the railroad; the insurgents are in possession of all the rest.
They are not in fixed possession, but they have control much as a mad
bull may be said to have control of a ten-acre lot when he goes on the
rampage. Some farmer may hold a legal right to the ten-acre lot,
through title deeds or in the shape of a mortgage, and the bull may
occupy but one part of it at a time, but he has possession, which is

better than the law.
It is difficult to imagine a line drawn so closely, not about one city or
town, but around every city and town in Cuba, that no one can pass the
line from either the outside or the inside. The Spaniards, however, have
succeeded in effecting and maintaining a blockade of that kind. They
have placed forts next to the rows of houses or huts on the outskirts of
each town, within a hundred yards of one another, and outside of this
circle is another circle, and beyond that, on every high piece of ground,
are still more of these little square forts, which are not much larger than
the signal stations along the lines of our railroads and not unlike them
in appearance. No one can cross the line of the forts without a pass, nor
enter from the country beyond them without an order showing from
what place he comes, at what time he left that place, and that he had
permission from the commandante to leave it. A stranger in any city in
Cuba to-day is virtually in a prison, and is as isolated from the rest of
the world as though he were on a desert island or a floating ship of war.
When he wishes to depart he is free to do so, but he cannot leave on
foot nor on horseback. He must make his departure on a railroad train,
of which seldom more than two leave any town in twenty-four hours,
one going east and the other west. From Havana a number of trains
depart daily in different directions, but once outside of Havana, there is
only one train back to it again. When on the cars you are still in the
presence and under the care of Spanish soldiers, and the progress of the
train is closely guarded. A pilot engine precedes it at a distance of one
hundred yards to test the rails and pick up dynamite bombs, and in front
of it is a car covered with armor plate, with slits in the sides like those
in a letter box, through which the soldiers may fire. There are generally
from twenty to fifty soldiers in each armored car. Back of the