Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-01-24
suspicion was entirely at fault is proven by
the sworn testimony of gentlemen whose
word is as good as their bond
The Cuban RebeIIIon.


An important event of the past week,
relating to the Cuban rebellion, has been
the recall of General Martinez Campos
from his control of Cuban affairs and
the command of the government forces
of the island and his departure for
Spain. General Campos is confessedly
Spain's greatest general, and nine months
ago when he was sent to take command i'm
Cuba it was expected and loudly proclaim
ed that he would make short work of the
insurrection. But though backed by an
army of 10000 men and strong naval
fleet, the rebels have steadily gained head
way. Their forces have marched from the
extreme eastern end of the island almost
to the extreme western end, have gained
undisputed possession of the whole coun-
try outside of the principal cities, have
threatened Havana itself, and Gen. Cam
pos's generalship has been Intellectual to
stop or even delay them.
Campos went to Cuba with fierce and
sanguinary reputation which he has not
maintained. He began by permitting sun
dry cruelties to be practiced but it is evil
dent that he soon reached the conclusion
that such a policy would not end in sue
cess. He frankly informed the home gov
ernment of his belief that "tLe insurrec-
tion cannot be put down by any extremist
measures, any war without quarter, which
would require three years of desperate
struggle, resources which Spain has not at
her disposal, and 10000 men, half of
whom would have to be sacrificed to dead
ly climate" He has been ready ''to strike
hard blows at rebels in arms" but he has
contended that ''the ultimate and rapid
pacfication of Cuba can only be realized
by conciliatory policy, by pardoning all
who submit, and by the grant of extensive
colonial reforms and self-government which
the majority of the Cubans would gladly
accept at the hands of the mother coun-
try"
In statement made after resgning his
command Gen. Campos plainly intimated
that he had been recalled because he
would not yield to the wishes of those
Spaniards, both in Cuba and ia Spain,
who demanded that the rebellion should
be put down by the massacre Of all rebels
on whom the government could lay hands.
His successor will be Gen. Weyler, who
will follow a course the opposite of that
pursued by Campos. He announces that
he will "meet warfare with methods of
war;" with spies anC persons giving aid
TO revoutionists he will be inexorable: to
those who lay down their arms he will
show due clemency. He will at once en-
deavor to so completely blockade the coast
as TO prevent the further importation of
arms and munitions.
| The government of Spain is buried un-
der an enormous debt, which amounts to
S75 for each of its inhabitants, while that
of the United States is only S15 for each
inhabtAnt. With a population of only
! 10000, 900 the total debt of Spain is larger
than that of the United States with a pop
ulation more than four times as great.
The government credit is by no means of
the best. The Cuban rebellion is increas-
ing the load of debt by millions every
month, and the rebels rely fully as much
on bankrupt treasury at Madrid as on
the success of their arms in counting the
chances of victory.
During the week reports, apparently au-
thentic, have come from Washington re-
garding the intention of the administra-
tion to recognize the Cuban insurgents
and grant them the rights of belligerents
Another report is that Secretary Olney ha:
sent to the American minister at Madrid a
proposition, to be submitted by him to the
Spanish government, that Spain withdraw
her troops from the island, recognize the
independence of Cuba, and accept GER
tain sum of money as indemnity and the
guaranty of the United States for its pay
ment.