Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-11-30
GEN. WEYLER TALKS.
Spanish Commander Says He is
Well Satisfied with His
CamDaiQn.
coprrighted. 1see. by the Associated Press


causing considerable comment today and
there are many rumors in circulation.
On one side it is asserted that Weyler's
return means that he will shortly return
to Spain on some plan or another. How
ever, this is denied, the impression pre-
walls that there will shortly be important
changes here.
May Not Resume Command.
La Lachas' correspondent in the field
had an interview with the captaln-gen-
eraI previous to the latter's arrival here
from Artemisa and Mariel, and 1t is
gathered from the statements the cap
tain-general is said to have made thar
he may not resume personal charge OF
the operations against the insurgents III
Pinar del Rio In this review the cap
tain-general was asked for an expression
of opinion as to the course Of the Gam
paign and he said:
II am contented with it. We entered
Rubi hoping to give battle to the COM
bined insurgent forces and you know
the result. They went southwark, much
to our regret Maceo himself went to-
warts Mocurrias, Mayria and CORDIAL da
Yanlguas. Nevertheless, our columns IN
two divisions, arrived without firing
single shot and only saw band OF about
$50 insurgents in the woods near San
Luis"
Could Not Find Maceo.
The captain-general was then asked il
he knew the whereabouts of Antonio
Maceo at present. He answered:
"His whereabouts is not known. The
truth is that the insurgents were not
found in the mountains nor on the
plains. Nevertheless they boast that our
troops always fly before Them
Gen Weyler was then asked if many
cattle remained in the part of Plnar del
Rio which he had visited and he said:
''Not many, only few bullocks and
calves remain; the insurgents have killed
or captured the rest and the. Spanish
columns will finish the remainder
Men Are Courageous.
Speaking of his operations since. leav-
ing Havana, the caDtain-general ex-
planned that he had been all over the
mountains and had camped several nights
in the woods From other sources it
has been stated that he has frequently
been without his regular meals and that
he has slept on the ground in the rain.
The correspondent then asked the cap
tain general how the Spanish soldiers had
behaved and whether they had shown
the right spirit. He said:
''The men are contented and show
themselves courageous at every oppor-
tunity for fighting against any odds, The
result is most satisfactory, although we
have not yet finished our work. But
enough has been done until the end Of
the year. I am now going back to Ha-
vana."
Gen. Munoz to Take Charge.
''When will you return?" asked the cor
respondent.
The captain-general smiled and said:
81 can never say what shall do. Gen.
Munoz will take charge of the division as
soon as his health is re-esta blished."
The captain-general also took the OPP
portunity to warmly praise Gems. Munoz,
Echague Obregon, Bernal, Aguilar,
Suarez, Ynclan, Hernandez and Velasco.
Equivalent to Defeat.
In insurgent circles it is said that their
tain-general to Havana without bringing
about an engagement with Maceo is
equivalent to a defeat of the Spanish
forces for the latter have completely
failed to carry out the programme
mapped out by the Spanish commander,
and he has returned here in every way
unsuccessful. 1t is asserted that the
plan of Antonio Maceo was to avoid a
general engagement with the Spanish
| TROOPS as he feels confident that the
wearisome campaign being conducted by
| the Cubans, must ultimately exhaust the
| SDaniards and bring about the conces-
| sion of all or nearly all the demands of
| the insurgents.
Reports Discredited.
washington, y. VI, NOV. Af-Iue us
patch from Jacksonville, Fla, reciting
that cipher telegram has been received
| from Havana in which it is stated that
| Gen. Weyler was driven to return to
Havana through fear, is discredited here.
The Spanish view of the return of Gen.
| Weyler is entirely different. In the first
place it is said that no cipher kilograms
can be sent from Havana, except by the
representatives of foreign governments to
the governments they represent. This, it
is explained, would be true of any place
in time of war. Again, it is pointed out
that Gen. Weyler is not only commander
of the troops but encouragement of
| Cuba, and in Havana there is a large
amount of official business needing his
attention.
Turned Into a Chase.
1t is stated that in the campaign just
made Weyler has been to the strong
holds Of the insurgents, passed through
! many towns and destroyed their sup
| plies. From the Spanish point of view
| the war at present has resolved itself
! into chasing small bands Of insurgents
about the country, and it would be alb
surd for the captain-general to place
himself at the head Of one company or
another Of these troops and follow the
struggling bands of insurgents from one
cover to another.
Gen. Campos Criticised.
Gen. Camnos was quite severely criti-
cised because he absented himself from
Havana for such long periods AS to
the assertion that Gen Weyler says it is
too hot to fight it is said that the rainy
season has not yet ended in Cuba and
that the movement OF troops is still very
difficult. From the Spanish standpoint
there is nothing discouraging in the re-
| turn of Gen. Weyler.
No Court-Martial.
Washington, D. c., Nov. 24.-The
state department has received absolutely
no information of any kind from Havana
] or elsewhere concerning the report that
the Competitor prisoners have been
tried in MORO castle by a secret and
summary court-martial. Under these
| circumstances no statement will be made
at the department concerning the report,
but in view of the plain provisions of
our treaty, and also of the clear require
ments Of the domestic laws of Spain,
the officials are 10th to believe that
the report is correct 1t is
pointed out that under the law for
| public order promulgated in Havana
some months ago, it is absolutely essen
tial that counsel shall be allowed to pris-