The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-04-30
sITUATTOE N CUBA.
The Conflicting Reports and the Duplieity
ofspanish Authorities,

The Conflicting lAepoFts and the Duplieity
ofspanish Authorities.
Chicago Tribune; The many and con-
fiicting reports of contemplated reforms
in Cuba that come from Madrid and
the activity Of General Weyler IN de-
clarlng the insurgents are In desperate
straits. have clouded the chief fact that
Spain has made no progress In putting
down the revolution. There Is no rea-
son why the statements Of the officials
in Spain or OF General Weyler should
be taken seriously. The experience of
the last year and former years when
war ragged In Cuba has shown that
SPANS one desire Is to create q. favor
able impression irrespective OF the
facts
In the present war this has been dem
onstrated daily. The misrepresenta-
lions and exaggerations Of the Spanish
officers In Havana have come to be a
byword. They have been proven false
in so many Instances nothing ls now
believed that emanates from Spanish
sources. No friend OF Cuba Is alarmed,
therefore, when General Weyler grave
ly'asserts In a manifesto that the Gu
bans are eager to surrender and are de-
tered only because they fear they will
of an offer Of amnesty 10 all who shall
give up their arms and desert the cause,
and is similar to General Weyler's pre-
vious utterances. Hardly a day has
passed that has not found him feign-
Ing this confidence that the Cuban rev.
olutlon was practically ended and re-
luIred only q few finishing strokes.
Generally these bizarre statements
have been followed by Cuban victories
so impressive that a less sanguIne man
would be dlsheartened. But General
Weyler's chief battle has been against
the hostile forces In Washington, and
defeats In the field have not been OF so
much consequence to him as the nee
essity VI sustaining the bold front OF
conqueror before the administration of
the United States. His efforts were not
successful In warding off action by
Congress, but with vigorous aid from
Madrid President Cleveland appears to
have been easily duped.
The part played by the Spanish gov
eminent appears to be an agitation OF
questions of reform, and It is conducted
with nice diplomacy. Reports OF one
day are modified the next, contradicted
the next re-afTirmed the next, etc, and
It all appears to be In the interests of
Cuba. There is never any lapse, how
ever, into an inslnuatiOn that Cuba Is
to be granted independence. Every sug-
gestlOn falls short OF the only reform
that Cuba would accept.
The set purpose OF the struggling pa
triOts to throw of yoke that, has
ground and will always grind them into
the dust is lightly dlsregarded In all the
talk OF reforms. II seems such a farce
as applied to Cuba the only conclunslon
left Is that 1t Is part Of the scheme to
keep President Cleveland to his present
policy OF lnRctlon. II has been carried
so far even that American citizens who
have been made prisoners In Havana
have been released at the lnstlgatlon OF
the state department at Washington.
The Rev. Mr.. Dlaz and Walter G. Dy-
CERT, the young man from Illinois, are
reported to be free. This Is a novel
regard for the requests OF the United
States which previously. have been
evaded by the usual shlfty Spanish pre-
texts. One other case OF known I'm
portanCe, however. remains to be adj
Indicated, That OF Or. Jose NJ. DelegOdo
The facts Of his brutal treatment by
Spanish soldiers have been abundant
ly verified. 1t IS reported that Spain
will tender an apology remove the
officer from command who permitted
the abuses, and pay the money indem-
nifty that may he found equitable. This
PREPARATION should be rigidly enforced.
But in the meantime. while contem-
platingthis changed and peaceful mood
Of Spain, the American people are not
forgetting that Congress has asked the
President % recognize the insurgents.
that tine people asked Congress to take
this course. that nothing has happened
Ia change their opinions, and that the
President has done nothing