Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-29
WEYLER WROUGHT A CHANGE
Iron Rule of the Spanish General Easily
Discerned in Havana.
FEAR EXTENDS BEYOND THE PALACE
Kindness of Cnmpos Now Appreciated
by the Citizens of the Dis
turbcd Island of
Cuba.

HAVANA, luDd, ftD Eo.-tENtW 1olh
World Cablegram-srecia Telegram.)-Gen-
era Weyer has been in power not quite
three weeks. He has wrought a change
throughout this city that the experienced OBJ
server will Immediately perceive. People
do not talk rebellion as they formerly did
under the grand, fatherly rule Of Martinez
Campos. That kindly old gentleman treated
the rebels as errng children of Spaniards,
whom 1t was his duty to spank and put to
bed. The result was his good intentions
were constantly frustrated by those errlng
children who took all manner of liberties
with the amiabe ruler and carried on their
revolutionary plans exactly as II he had not
been in existence. The cafes and other pub
lie places contained rebel workers. who
openly defied the government in reasonable
conversation and concocted schemes to aid
the rebellion under the very eyes Of the
authorities.
Many of the military bodies were not alert
and aggressive. They behaved as IL their
hearts were not in their work Everybody
in the public service appeared to be nflu-
enced by the beneficent policy Of the then
captain general.
where is it more apparent than at the
palace Today as / sat in the great re-
ception room just off the broad marble paved
balcony awaiting the disengagement Of the
new captain BtH6Tdl, IL Was lHlGTtSlllS "
note the changed conditions. Numerous
staff officers hustled about. They did not
walk slowly; they hurried Orderles stirred
themselves as If somebody was after them
with a stick. On all sides were indications
that some strong directing mind push
ing men to action.
Many people were waiting to see General
Weyler. He dispatched their business with
the promptness of Wall street banker
during business hours. 1t is yes and
mo with the new governor-no waste of
words, none Of the familiar palaver char
acteristic of many of his people.
DOESN'T LOOK LIKE A SPANIARD.
To lock at General Weyler l would not
suppose him to be a spaniard. There is
nothing Spanish in his features, his man.
ner or his bearing. Meeting him down
town in New York one would say he was
smart man of affairs, the head of some
great financial concern, broker with a
large business, even busy editor. He
is slender and erect, of less than medium
height, has a high forehead and an aggres
sive chin which is thrown still farther for
ward by the way in which he carries his
head.
General Weyler has, in addition to his un-
mistakable busnessike manner, the bearing
of soldier He does mot wear the snowy
uniform of a Spanish officer of high rank,
but appears at his desk in plain black
frock coat, which is not new. His knowl-
edge Of various kinds of business is enor-
nous. Commercial and marine law is at
his tongues end. The intricacies of Gus
toms house transactions are understood in
all their bearings.
The army will have no rest under General
Weyler. His pursuit of the rebels will be
remorseless. He came over the sea to serve
his government by putting down the rebel
lion II possible and he proposes to do SO
at all hazards. But the acts Of the captain
general during the ten-year rebellion will
not be repeated. | do mot think there is
any one individual in the world today who
iS nlQr niSrGprpSantpd abuasd and
about whom more atrocious libels are pub
lished than Weyler.
Immediately after intelligence was re-
ceived that he had been ordered to Cuba,
that portion of the native population who
sympathze with the separation movement,
set up an outcry with the object Of stimuat-
ing the prejudices of the people of the
United States The denuncation of General
Weyler has been continuous.
have told the facts regarding General
Weyler previously in the World. He came
to the island in the former rebellion young
field officer. He was placed in command of
column and was given the same orders
by his general that other commanders had.
At that period Spain was maintaining great
severity toward the rebels. Some of the
orders of the governors-general were bloody
and crusl.
Weyler was n soldier alone in those days.
He has since acquired his great knowledge
OF political business affairs. Then he was
filled with ardor and ambition. An extra
with mediocrity. Weyler rushed his sol
diers about the district in which he operated
as he rushes the entire army today. They
called him "the weasel" because no one
could catch him asleep. 1t was his duty to
catch rebels and, according to his orders,
when he caught them under certain condi-
tions he was bound to take summary meas
ures. Those measures were OF nature that
the world at large disapproves today. They
were cruel and remorseless, but II Weyler
had not obeyed orders he would have been
court-martialed. How many military men
would have done otherwise?
The reputation of Weyler was formed,
and he was hated by the rebels and their
sympathiZers because he was more alert,
more untrlng and generally smarter than
other commanders. 1t was night and day
work with him, while other leaders rested In
camp. 1t is not strange that the almost
superhuman energy displayed by General
Weyler should elevate his name above those
OF his fellow officers.
VICTIM OF FALSE STORIES.
have wired about his conduct in the
neld Foreign residents. men. Of extensive
experience who hold leading positions in
business circles. have circumstantially de-
scribed TO me the details OF Weyler's mil
itary record. A consular representative OF a
great Europena nation recently wrote, to me
that he knew personally that ninetenths
of the stories against Weyer are falsez-as
untrue as most of the so-called Cuban war
news sent out from Tampa at present. The
captain-genera and his government are we'll
aware OF the condition Of public sentiment
in the United States. II disposed to resort
10 the extreme measures OF the former re-
belllon, which l am aware they are not,
they would be Influenced by policy and avoid
acts that would inevitably increase the SEN
timental regard for the rebellion, which is
general throughout the United States /
am prompted by sense of justice 10 represent
the facts concerning the new governor OF
Cuba as careful investigation discloses them.
Havana Is as quiet as the grave. Busi-
ness could not very well be deader
Among the Spaniards there is great con-
fidence in the ability Of General Weyler to
end the rebellion in the three western
provinces before the rainy season sets in
The commercial class generally is hopeful.
At present the large bands of rebels have
been driven out of Pinar del Rio and Ha-
yana provinces, Small bands OF ten twenty
or Gfty, perhaps, prowl about. burn. murder
aud destroy. The governor general will is
sue proclamation against the marauders.
Gomez and Maceo We're last reported ON
the eastern border of Matanzas province
near Santa Clara. There has been great
movement OF troops by steamer toward the
eastward 10 confront the rebels In Santa