The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-29

&c SCATTER Is STRATEGY
Macso's Tactics Are Evidence
of His Superiority.
GAN MAKE WAR PERPETUAL
Average Number of Cubans in Parlia-
ment is Only Three Talk of Free
dom of Press Ridiculous Quail
fications of Voters.

fications of Voters.
New York, Nov. 2S--Enrique Jose
yarona. editor of patria, the official or
gan of the Cuban Junta in this city, and
ex-deputy from Havana to the Madrid
Parliament, makes a detailed reply to
Captain General Weyler's statement
made TO a reporter of the Associated
Press IN Havana. Signor Varona said:
Regarding General Weyler's statement,
that Maceo is continually scattering his
forces III order to escape the Spanish
columns which he says are hunting him,
the conclusion he draws from the scat
tering of forces is absurd. 1t does not
follow that bee ause the FORCES are scat
tered il is because they seek TO avoid
capture The scattereing of forces by
Maceo is due to a preeoncerted plan The
forces are scattered and concentrated at
will by Maceo and be thereby makes sure
of losing as few men as possible and Of
striking blows when he is least expected
by Gen. Weyler to do SO. Maeeo can
not afford TO lose as many men as Weyler
can for Spain sends men like droyes OF
sheep to slaughter. The tactics OF which
General Weyler complains are evidences
of Maceo's superiority as a military tac-
tician over Weyler.
General Weyler's promise of the early
pacification of the provinces Of Havana,
Matanzas and Santa Clara, is shown to
be false by the fact that the rebels have
sustained themselves in those provinces
ever since the arrival of Gen. Campos,
Weyler's predecessor, and the constant
MULTIPLICATION of the rebel numbers, not
withstanding that the railroad and tele-
graph facilities are In the hands of the
Spaniards, the ease Of approach to those
provinces from Havana and the easy
transportation of armies of men and all
the resources furnished 10 the troops by
an established government. In the face
of all this and Of the constant depletion
of ranks by fevers, the Cubans have
not been subdued and will not be sub
dued in those proyisces.
His further assurances that Holguin,
Puerto Principe and Bayamo are un-
necessarily protected is a fallacy in
itself He basis his claims that the rebel
forces in that section have been weakened
on the single fact Of the lamentable
death Of Jose Maceo. Appreciating fully
the great loss which the rebels have
suffered through his death, / maintain
that as a leader, his successor, General
Calixto Garcia, not only adds prestige
to the revolution, but has been instru-
mental in bringing many additional fol-
lowers to the flag offree Cuba. BY their
location these provinces are most favor
able to the cause OF the revolution, we
have most OF our adherents there; the
troops are better provided for and it is
easily accessible for expeditions.
"The ten years was has amply proven
that the war could be carried on indefi-
L. A. L.
holding only these provinces we could
make perpetual war on Spain"
Leaving the question Of military tac-
tics, Signor Varona turned his atten-
tion towards those portions of General
Weyler's statement in which the Captain
General seeks to show that he Cubans are
not such sufferers from Spanish tyranny
as they claim to be, Signor VaFona said:
General Weyler told your correspond
ent that after 1868 Spain granted ample
and numerous representation and that the
Cubans were permitted to intervene di-
rectly in the establishment Of equal
rights with the European Spaniards in
the colonies. He also told your cor
respondent that the provincial and muni-
cipal laws are alike in the provinces as
in Spain. He assures your correspondent
that the Cubans have freedom Of press,
meeting and association and that the
laws Of Madrid are the laws Of Cuba.
''In reply to that, permit me to state
that the Cuban representation of which
the general boasts was and is sham for
the two reasons. first because the number
Of Cuban electors limited in such
manner that they represent only about
three per cent Of the population
Second, the law was framed in such
a manner that the resident Spaniards
could always have the major proportion
of the representation. Up to the present
time the average membership of Cubans
in the Parliament has been three, the
highest number ever reached being
seven"
THE same state OF affairs exists in the
municipal and provincial governments,
so much so that it is a fact that in the
Havana city council it has occurred that
there was not one single Cuban mem
ber. This, Notwithstanding that through
out the entire island in the city and coun-
try districts an overwhelming majority Of
the population is native Cubans
General Weyler talks of the freedom
of slaves in Cuba as a Spanish achieve
ment The abolition of slavery in Cuba
is entirely due to the Cubans themselves,
N1Os AlOON Atii2'ttAAAAti@ 1llS A11b titAt llLeA
were shareholders have always been
abolitionists. They compelled the inser-
tion in the treaty Of Zanjon which pro-
vided for absolute freedom for those col
ored troops who fought under the Cuban
flag.
THE Spanish government was compel
ed to grant this freedom and inasmuch as
it was impossible to grant the privileges
Of freedom to the rebel negroes, and not
to the loyalist negroes who were but par
tial slaves, it became necessary to grant