Evening star., 1896-11-27
Denies Cuban Charges of Spanish
Tyranny.
MERE EXCUSES, HESAYS, FOR TREASON
Claims to Be Contented With His
Campaign.
LOOKS FOR RESULTS SOON

Associated
HAVANA, November 27.-So many con-
Trajectory statements have been attrib-
uted to Captain General Weyler since his
return from the province of Pinar del Rio
that the correspondent here Of the Asso
ciated Press was Instructed TO ask the
Spanish commander for a full, official and
authorized statement on the subject There
| fore, the correspondent called al the palace.
"here he was courteously received by the
general, VINO was asked to supplement
the exclusive Interview with the CORE
spcndent of La Lucha ct Artemisa which
was cabled to the Associated Press Tuesday
afternoon and which contained his first
public utterances since his return from
conducting the operations against Antonio
| Maceo. This the general agreed TO do.
The correspondent opened the interview
by informing the captain general that the
Associated Press was anxious before his
return to the field TO place before the public
In the United States his official views on
the Cuban situation, adding:
1T is understood thai you have returned
from Finar del Rio highly contented with
the result of your recent operations and
1t is asserted that you believe Pinar del
Rio will soon be pacifed."
In reply the captain general said: Il am
not only contented. but am entirely satis-
ned with the result of my military plans
there. l went over all the northern hills
and occupied the insurgent positions with
out any serious resistance upon the part
OF the enemy. Cacarajicara and Rubi,
which the insurgents claimed We're impreg-
nabie, were occupied by our troops after
disiodg:ng the enemy. At RuDi he offered
the greater resistance, but yielded after a
few hours fighting. We found no trace of
Maceo's people after that although all the
other points were reconnoitered by small
detachments from our columns. The south
erly points were also reconnoitered and the
positions where the rebels had encamped
are now in possession of our troops There
remains still to be reconnoitered the
ranges of hills in the eastern part of the
province. Maceo has nothing left him to
do but TO scatter his followers into small
parties in order to enable them TO escape
our columns, which now hunting for
them, since they offer no resistance, and re-
fuse TO accept a meeting with our troops
who are chasing them in all directions"
Does your excellency expect soon to
crush the insurrection in the province of
Pinar del Rio and bring about ITS paciica-
ton within a short time?'
Confident of Making Peace.
Il am confident of shortly pacifying
Pinar del Rio.'' replied the captain general,
''since all the strategic points are in my
hands, and because a constant activity OF
our troops in all directions, which COM
pletely hinders the escape of the small
grours of insurgents who are now fleeing
before them in disorder"
The correspondent asked:
do you think the condition of the prov
inces of Havana, Matanzas and Santa
cara hampers or favors the suppression OF
the insurrectioht"
The captain general replied:
These three provinces are more easily
subdued, from the nature of the ground.
They have no hills like the province of
Pinar del Rio, and the facilities for the
movement of large bodies of troops are
therefore greater. Besides, the rebel bands
In those provinces are less numerous ana
lack the elements and conditions of those
in the province Of Pinar del Rio. The lead
ers of the rebels in those three provinces
also lack the Importance possessed by Ma
Geo. Those who had any prestige have
been killed"
IL is asserted" said the correspondent
that Maceo lost many of his leading men
who were with him, besides those who
Rio?"
To this the captain general answered.:
Nearly all of Maceo's leading men who
were at all valuable or possessed of mill
tary ability have persisted in other prov
ir.ces the districts where they headed
uprisngs'
1t appears that the insurgents in Puerto
Principe and i'm Santiago de Cuba are dis
playing more activity than before" sug-
gested the correspondent
Yes" answered General Nvyler, but
the provinces mentioned are not in a state
of insurrection. Puerto Principe is pro-
ducing little, and not much protection
Is needed there. The same may lie said
in regard to the HolGuin and Bayamo dis
tricts. The rebels have destroyed all they
could, and besides with the death of Jose
Maceo the rebellion in the province Of Sam
tiago de Cuba lost much Of its import
ance
The general added: Il have no intention
of allowing the attention of the troops 10
be distracted In that direction, for IL Is
evident that that is the object of the in
surgents under Gomez and CaliNto. who
possess dominating influence over the in
surgents in those districts.
Reports of Spanish Tyranny.
The Cubans abroad complain strongly
of Spanish tyranny and attribute the revo-
tuition to the subjection of the Cubans by
a despotic government, under which they
are not only debarred from liberty, but
also from public employment in their own
country. Can you make statement on
this subject?"
They must offer some excuse for the
treason and destruction to which they
have dedicated themselves since taking up
arms replied the general After the
termination of the last war Cuba was
conceded full liberty and with a rapidity
of which few examples are shown among
other people. The government inaugurated
q regime granting ample Cuban representa-
tion, availing itself of the provisional laws
until the chambers ratified them establish
irg the rights of the Cuban people upon
an equality with the European Spaniards
in the colonies. Almost simultaneously the
present Spanish constitution was promul-
gated, recognizing the equality of white
and black, Cuban and Spaniard in this
region. The provincial and municipal laws
are alike in the provinces of Spain. There
is absolute freedom of the press, public
meeting and association and public Judi
cial procedure In short, the Cubans have
all the liberties that are enjoyed by the
Spaniards in their native country.
LAS to the social question, the partonato
or patronship, of slaves was decrced, whicn
widened the scope of the abolition meas
ures and reduced the time appointed for
the gradual and total abolition of slavery.
"All this is recognized by liberal Cubans
and prominent men who since that date
have been representing Cuba in parliament,
and who have not left the island, In spite
Of the present rebellion and who remain on
the governments side.
Now you see what tyranny Spain has
exercised In Cuba
But insisted the correspondent, "the
Cubans complain that they are deprived OF
holding public office"
Cubans fn Omce.
This is another notoriously unjust as
sertion." said General Weyler. The Gu
bans are left out, not through Spain's
tyranny with emphasis) but because they