The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-10-01
SAYS THEY ARE BRIGANDs.
Minister De Lon,e's Opinion of the Cuban
Insurgents.

Minister De Lone's opinion of the Cuban
Insurgents.
BOSTON, MASS, Sept. 30.-Senor De
LONE, the Spanish Minister, stopped a
short time in this city to-day, on his way
to Montreal, and when seen by CALL cor
respondent consented to give his views on
the rebellion in Cuba.
1.-THE rebellion, contrary to popular be-
lief" said he, sis by no means receiving
the support of influential Cubans, but is
made up of the slaves, small planters and
others, who, when not engaged in fighting
the Government. are little better
than brigands. The newspaper reports
which have been received from the
island are entirely misleading, as
they are from correspondents who in
most cases nave been nowhere near the
scene of action, and write from mere hear
say. The rebellion has been confined only
to the eastern part of the island in the
region of Santo de Cuba and Puerto Prin-
cipe, and excepting for occasional raids
from the mountains, the rebels have made
no important advances. In fact they have
been defeated in every pitched battle
| which has been fought. The reports con-
corning the alarming losses of the Spanish
troops are entirely misleading, as the Off
cial reports which l have received show
that the losses have been very light, and
even the greater part of these are from the
climatic conditions, which have told very
severely on the troops.
THE revolution itself is destined to die
natural death, as no Cubans having the
welfare OF their country will be identified
with it. All the stories about General
Cot .Ncl vixvsn -,
despair are mere nonsensicaI stories, pure
fabrications. He is at present merely bid
ing his time until the ending of the wes
season, when he will take the field with a
picked army, and the rebellion will be of
| sh ort duration. l am pleased to see that
the administration has not consented to
recognize the rebels as having belllgerent
rights, as no Government knowing the
true state of affairs could do SO without
being exposed to ridicule. The American
| people, L am sorry to say, have rather a
perverted idea of the rebellion. One has
only to look into the history of the other
republics on the American continent that
have abandoned the Spanish rule to. see
what would be the result if Cuba secured
her freedom. If the Spanish rule is bad,
! liberty would be far worse, and when it is
| a question of choosing between two evils
it is generally policy to take the lesser.
"Once more l say that the rebellion will
be crushed out even if it takes every sol
der in Spain and the entire wasting of the
treasury. The prospects for speedy ter
mination of the revolution are very bright.
We have large and well-discipIined army
in Cuba, who are now thoroughly accli-
mated and with the best general in Spain
at their head they will make short work of
the rebels as soon as they take the field.
They have not as yet made single cam
paign, but with the advent of October
work will be commenced In earnest, and
from the reports which have received the
campaign will be short, but decisive, and
the rebels will be taught lesson which
will prevent any further turbulence"