Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-04-04
GEN. WEYLER RAT TIED.
Nine Generals Ordered Back to Spain -WeyIer
May Go, Too-25,000 Deaths From
Sickness.

Havana, via Tampa, Fla, April g.
Army operations have been pushed with
great vigor for the past month General
Weyler has given officers and men no
rest. His orders have been peremptory,
and many a general has incurred his dis
pleasure by hardness in the persecution
of the enemy. The result of this active
movement has been to completely tire
out large portion of the army in the
field. The insurgents have been kept
moving, their camps have been destroyed
and a dozen of their hospitals have been
burned during the month that has just
passed, but the government has not
forced single battle upon the rebels.
There have been many rear guard skir-
mishes, which appear in the Spanish
official reports as battles and Victories
for the crown, but which, upon inVesti-
cation, prove to be like some of the bat
ties fought by Don Quixote. quite a
number of them have been found to be
massacres of unarmed citizens and there
have been more tales of horrors COM
mitted than battles fought in this island
or cuba during the month of March.
II one-hundredth part of the stories
that reach here of the operations of the
columns of Generals Melguizo and Bernal
and of Colonels Molina, Tort, Segura and
others are true. the reason why General
Weyler cancelled all passes held by corre-
spondents. is plain. Owners of estates re-
port excesses committed by detached
bodies of Spanish troops in all parts of
the island, and there is no longer talk
OF attempting to grind sugar this year,
the problem is how to preserve the lives
OF employees and prevent wanton Gle
struction by the troops.
The insurgents have gained more in
the past month than in any two that
have preceded it. 9WeylerPs DEGREES COM
peliing people to abandon their homes in
the interior has driven many peaceable
inhabitants into the rebel armies The
harsh measures adopted towards sus-
poets in cities and towns have also in
creased the number of recruits from
families of the better class in cities. The
landing of four important expeditions has
given inspiration and cartridges to the
patriotic army. Their hopes were never
brighter Hot weather Is already near,
and the rains are not far off. The linn
tied time remaining for military opera
tons this spring makes 1t plain that
Spain cannot crush the rebellion before
the wet season sets in and the serious
problem of caring. for the lives of the sol
diers presents itself.
A Spanish official informs me that the
losses of the army through fever and
other Sicknesses have been ~ 900 since
September, and over $4,000 during the
year ending March |. The recent statis-
tics made public by the Spanish consul
general at New York, Senior Baldasano,
in which the total losses for the year
were given as 3S77, of whom 2S6 were kill
ed in battle. are so palpably absurd that
one wonders if the Spanish government
Is serious in presenting them. There
have been single battles in which the
Spanish losses amounted to more than
that given for the entire year. Generals
Adeco and MADAM have been sent back
to Spain, making nine generals who have
failed to satisfy General Weyler since his
arrival. General Obrejo is also booked
to return and General Pando. commander
of the first army corps has been ordered
back for allowing Gomez to enter Santa
Clara without fighting battle. General
Valdez is also on the list. He is in com
mand of Pinar del Rio, and besides fail
ing to suppress the rebellion in his sec
ton he sent an impsrtinent message to
Weyler by Photograph. Weyler says he
can get more active work out of colonies
than from generals. and the exodus con-
tinues. There Is much dissatisfaction
among officers of higher grades, and this
does not make Weylers task any more
pleasant. He has been in a highly
nervous state for several days and many
stormy interviews between him and men
he has sent for have taken place. His
troubles with the politicians are just be-
ginning. He has assured the home gov
eminent that elections can be held in
Cuba, and now he has two parties. the
reformists and the autonomists, refusing
to take part, leaving the union constitu-
tional or conservative Spanish party alone
in the field.
Rumors that Weyler will be recalled
are persistent, but apparently the time
is not ripe for his enemies to overthrow
him. Since Delome cabled that the
United States will not recognize the bel
ligerency of the Cubans. General Weyler
has begun open executions of prisoners
of war. Three have been shot at Caba
mas prison in a week, and more are DOOM
ed to the same fate.
CLARK,