Kansas City daily journal., 1896-11-28
GENERAL WELLER LEAVES HAVANA
AGAIN FOR PINAR DEL RIO.
MAKES A FORMAL STATEMENT.
SAYS HE Il ENTIRELY SATISFIED
WITH HIS PROGRESS.
Thinks MckinIey's Policy VIII BE
Just-SayS the Rebellion Is Moth
ing hut AnnrcbiSm-DisPute
the Allegations of
Spanish Tyranny.

1larieI. province Of Piuar del Rio. where
h viii resume personal command Of the
Spanish forces against the insurgents. Be
fore leaving. he made the following state
rneat 20 an Associated Press representative
concerning the campaign in Pinar del Rio:
Il am not only cOHtented but am entire
Is satisfied with the result Of my military
plans In Plnar del Rio. l went over the
northern hills and occupied the insurgeEt
position without any serious resistance
upon the part OF the enemy. Cacarajacara
and Rubi, which the insurgents claimed
were iTupTeRuable. were occupied By our
troops after diSlodging the enemy. At Ru-
bi, he offered the greatest resistance, but
yielded, after few hours fighting We
found no trace OF Maceos people after
that. although all the other points were
also reconnoitered. and the positions where
the rebels had encamped are now In pos
session of our troops. There remains still
10 be reconnoitered the ranges of hills in
the eastern part OF the province. haceo
has nothing left for him TO do but 10 scat
ter his followers into small parties n order
20 enable them TO escape our columns,
which are now hunting for them, since
they offer no resistance and refuse to ac-
Cept a meeting with troops, who are
chasing them in ali directions. | am con-
fdent Of shortly pacifying Pinar del Rio.
since all the strategic points are in my
of our troops in all directions, which com
plctely hinders the escape Of the small
groups Of Insurgents who are now fleeing
before them in disorder
do you think the condition OF the prov
inces Of Havana Matanzas and Santa
Clara hampers or favors the suppression of
the inSurreCtiOn2 -
These three provinces are more easily
Eubdued from the nature of the ground.
They have no hills, like the province of
Pinar del Rio, and the facilities for the
movement Of large bodies of troops are
therefore greater. Besides the rebel bands
in these provinces are less numerous and
lack the elements and conditions Of these in
the province Of Pinar del Rio. The lead
ers Of the rebels in those three provinces
also lack the Importance possessed by Ma
ceo. Nearly all OF Maceo's leading men
who we're at all valuable or possessed OF
military ability have perished in other
provinces or in the districts where they
headed unrisings."
DO you believe President Mckinley will
follow the policy OF President Cleveland in
regard TO Cuba2"
Mckinley represents public wealth and
fhe producing elements OF the country. and
cannot believe that a man who so repre-
Hents the work, virtue and prosperity of
his country can carry out a policy which
would compromise the interests intrusted
20 his talents and discretion a public
man. Hence ! think that Mckinley will be
guided by a just and equitable policy, with
out passion and with prudence such as is
counseled by the interests of the American
people and the cordial relations long exist
ing between Spain and the United States"
is 1t true. general. stfIat You propose 70
publish decree confiscating the property
OF the Cuban insurEents?"
With motion of ironical surprise Cen
eral Weyler answered: 1T is not possible
since the rebels have nothing to cOnfisca te
They do not represent anything Of the
wealth Of the country. However, IL YOU
possess data OF any property owned by the
Insurgents. let me know / will conTince
myself Of the truth Of your information
and viii tell you II ! confscate IL OF noi
] personally know only Of about a loZsn
farm owners with the insurgents and their
property is of little value. and even then
II is mortEaEed to double The amount Of its
actual worth with various creditors. Con-
seQUcntly. If ! decide upon contis"atiuC Ii
would he tho creditors who would suffer,
ami they are all on the government side.
The revolution Is upheld by the insolve1t
element of the country. hence it bears the
stamp of anarchism, which you must have
observed, for the reason that the 'usur-
Eerts are not carrying on a war. but rath-
er arc pursuing a policy OF destruction and
iEcerdiarism. / do not feel inclined to per-
nit the gathering Of the sugar crop being
commenced before February or March, as
fl is well known that the only resources
extracted from the planters by threats OF
violence. and such means obtained you'd
only go to acquiring arms and ammunition
10 carry on the war against Spain. | am
supported in this stand by many of the
-1laufers who agree not to gather their
crops rather than he the victims of such
pN-ortious on the part Of the rebels and
SEQ the fruit OF their labor employed
arp!nst their country
Continuing. General Weyier said. in re-
gard to the statement that the CubanS
abroad complain strongly OF Spanish ty,
ranny and attribute the revolution to tht
sub{oction Of the Cubans by a despotiC
government under which they were no.
only aebarred from liberty. but also from
public employment in their own country
They must offer some excuse for tht
treason and destruction to which they
have dedicated themselves since taking NJ
arms"
After the termination OF the long war
Cuba was conceded full liberty by th'
metropolis. and with rapidly with which
few examples are shown among otheT peo
rle The government inaugurated a re
Cimo, granting ample Cuban representa-
ton. availinE itself Of the provisional law
until tho chambers ratified them. and cs
rahiishinE tho right of the Cuban peop
upon an eGuulirN with the European span
tards IN the colonies Almost simuitane
nuSly Tho present Spanish constitution va
white and black. Cuhan ard Spaniarl. ii
+his region. Tho provincial and municipa
laws aye alike In the provinces Of Spain
Thc-e Is absolute freedom oT the pres
public meeting and association, and publ
iuaiciai procedure. In short. the cuban
have all the liberties that are enjoyed h
tho Span.HTds in their native country.
NOM ydu see hat tyranny spain Ia
exercised IN cuba
But" insisted tho correspondent. ";h
49, Naf1
holding pI.hiir otii@o-"
"This is another nr'0ri1uSly unjust as
Ecrtiou.'' SAID General weyler. The -
bans are left out not through Spain's tyI
amy" with emphasis. but because the
do rp' seek 20 hold Office. Even from IN
earliest times there Is 10 denying the fas
rl1at CEbans have held the Offices Of conf
trolIerz ard SGb-trmptroers Of the revt
nue Ike P.uili1s and RamireE besides SIN
slar important posts since the treaty Of Sa
John was siEno7 i Is a fact that 50 p.
cent Or public employees nre CHhans- y,
on,v In Cuba, hut in Spain. DO Cubaus no
public Office. For example. CatNto Garc
who was three Times sentenced 70 deaf
and pario7el. held she office Of auditor
tHG Bank of Castillo. His son is in n
employ OF the stale iH the Philippine Is
an's
Many IosGers az tho former rebeIlic
have held and stiH hod important pos
IN cuba. No province in Spain has such
large proportion or state employees. az
since thC l8H; war some OF tho most impo
taut places 'u the administration have be,
held by Cuhans. The provincial Gnveruo