The herald., 1896-11-25
THE SITUATION IN CUBA

The return of General Weyler to Ha-
vana would not indicate weakness on the
part of the cause he stands for were it
not that he was driven to the front by
public opinion and returns without hav-
ing accomplished what public opinion
demanded of him. 1t will be remem-
bered that Weyler himself did no boast
ing when he left for the front. but his
friends did and he must bear the odium
of the failure of his army to crush the
rebellion. 1t is pretty evident that Wey-
Ter himself never has believed the rebel
lion could be crushed. He commanded
a division of Spanish troops during the
ten years war and favored a compro-
mise with the insurgents. He knows
therefore. all about the kind of material
that is now fighting for independence
While the topography of the country
and the climate is very much more fa-
vorable to the Cubans than to the Span
ish officers and men, it is true beyond a
doubt that neither Campos or Weyler
is anything like a match for Gomez and
Maceo in generalship and field tactics
Plans after plans of campaign have been
put in practical operation by the Span
ish generals. and without an exception
they have utterly failed to even weaken
the insurgents. and now that Weyler
has returned to Havana without Win
ming a single victory. or even disturbing
reasonable to suppose that Spain viii
now either throw enough troops on the
island to annihilate the revolutionists
by mere force of numbers, or abandon
the field altogether.
But it is not so certain that Spain
would abandon Cuba without involving
the United States in serious difficulty 1t
is probably true as reported that the
Madrid government would prefer having
no trouble with this country, but public
sentiment in Spain is so strong against
any proposition which contemplates
giving up Cuba without a brush with
the United States that the authorities
will be almost obliged to at least make
show of hostility to this country 1t is
surmised that if trouble comes it will be
by Spain's demanding of the United
States very large sum of money to
indemnify her for the cost of the Cuban
war; if not for the value of the island it
self 1t has been charged time and again
by Spanish officials and newspapers that
but for the moral and material support
which the people of this country have
extended to the Cubans right from the
start. the rebellion would not have last
ed three months. and there are several
grains of truth in the charge.
No doubt the government of the
United States has exerted itself some
what to prevent the shipment of men
and munitions of war to Cuba and it is
equally true that not only have ships
left our harbors right along without diff
Guilty for Cuban points, but a dozen re-
cruiting offices and practically the head
quarters of the Cuban armies have been
openly maintained in this country with
out objection on the part of our officials
OF course public sentiment is and has
been all along so outspoken on the side
of the revolutionists that the govern
ment has merely reflected the wishes of
the people in not being over vigilant.
But the United States have about
reached the day of reckoning. Weyler
has practically given up the struggle,
and Spain will most likely listen to the
clamor of her people and attempt 70
hold this country responsible for it ALL
Well, this country is quite ready to back
up the sympathy of the people with the
Cubans in their struggle for independ-