Evening journal., 1897-11-05
BLANcO IN CUBA.

and oppression. The patriotic Cubans
have no mercy to look for at his hands.
He may evince towards them a spirit
of federation and conciliation. but t
will be for the mere purpose of wean-
ing them away from their brave lead
ers who know from bitter experience
that the direst purposes OF the Span
lard are masked by the mildest words
and the most innocent action.
General Blanco has a past record,
and It is just as bloody as that OF Cen
eral Weyler, who has just left Cuba af-
ter maintaining for so many months a
reign of terror and carnival of blood,
in which combatants and non-combat-
ants, men, women and children were
accorded the same brutal and cowardly
treatment. He is a fitting successor
to the man who has just returned to
his mother country, with his CHARACTER
drowned in blood and his Golfers flied
with the ill-gotten gains of most dis
astrous campaign against men who
were fighting for their lives and their
liberties against most fearful odds and
under most adverse circumstances.
First came Marshal Campos, who was
probably the most humane man. that
the Spanish government could send. But
his mercy was measured by the Span
ish standard, and we all know what a
terrible thing that is. He waged des-
perate but fruitless warfare against the
men Of blood and iron who constitute
the army of the Republic of Cuba, and
was forced to resign and confess to the
civilized world that he was unable to
suppress an uprising which the home
government looked upon so contempt-
uously in its incipiency. When Marshal
Campos assumed the command OF the
Spanish troops operating in Cuba, he
little dreamed Of the magnitude of the
movement toward the goal Of personal
and political liberty in the fair island
over which he was directed to ride with
iron heel. He had no adequate ooncep-
tion Of the tenacity with which these
Cuban revolutionists would cling to the
great principle which underlay their
valorous actions. He underestimated
their powers Of recuperation, and their
ability to outgeneral him in movement
and TO defeat the hower OF the Spanish
soldiery in engagement. But as the
weary months rolled by he became con-
WINGED that he had assumed a hopeless
task. He threw It up in disgust and re-
turned to Spain with a wholesome re
spect for the Cuban revolutionist's abil.
ity to take care of himself under all
circumstances and conditions.
Then came General Weyler, thai
braggart and blood-thirsty monster
He announced his purpose OF suppress
ing the rebellion ak whatever cost. H'
was given powers which Marshal Cam
pos never enjoyed. They were both ex
traordinary and plenipotentiary il
character. He was given additiOna
troops In large numbers, and the equip
ment OF his army was bettered in ever
conceivable manner. He shed the bios
OF the innocents with the same pleasur
that he shed the blood of the patriots
burned crops and homesteadsi and lei
women and children to starve upon tn
ruins of their homes. His soldiers out
ragged Cuban womanhood and child
hood and murdered the victims Of thei
passion. There was no crime, howeve
horrible which was net perpetrated ur
der his rule. But while he could bur
the crops and the homes of the Cuban
and murder their wives and daughter
he could not extinguish within the
breasts that divine spark which lighte
the path and inspired the holy pu
poses of the American revolutionists
1776. II continued to burn with II
creased energy. The crimes Of the ol
pressor but served to iniame the re
of the oppressed. His best plans
campaign went wrong; the bravest
his officers and troops were killed
driven from the field and quartered
the towns fer safety, and the Cubai
won't to the very suburbs of the city
Havana in spite Of him and his hor
OF Spanish mercenaries. From time
time he sent out bulletins that
island had been pacified, but they we
scarcely before the eyes Of the world
fore the Cubans by some desperate a
tion, disastrous to the Spaniards, ga
the lie to ofhis pretensions OF being v.
torious over them. His ships patrol
the coast Of Cuba; his spies infested I
ports of the United States; the powe
OF our Federal government were exc
ed to prevent the shipment of arms a
ammunition to the struggling tho
sands men who wished to go to Gu
and help the patriots in their gre
work were forcibly prevented frcm Z
ing so, and in some instances cast III
prison for their desire to help the we
against the strcng, and to risk tn
lives in the holy cause Of liberty. 7
vessels chartered by the friends
Cuba to carry the sinews Of war to I
scene of the conflict have been sell