New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-03
UEYLER'.S RECALL.

General Weylcr has been recalled from The
C,Oyernoy-(i cneralship of Cuba. That is the
announcement now made for perhaps the nun
drcdth time aud at last. ii may be believed,
truly The occasion is not OILY oppcrtune for
such n change, it urgently demands IT, y
change of Ministry is being effected at Ma
drid The remainder of and successor to that
Canovas Ministry which so perslslently kept
General Weyler IN his place has resigned. Ii
is at this momen' being succeeded ty a LIB
cral Ministry under Senior Sacasta. That Will
make General N'eyiers continuance in power
in Cuba entirely out Of the question. 1t is emf
nently proper therefore. that his recall should
he an incident of the Ministerial. crisis
Beyond that the almost certain programme
Of the Madrid Government demands his recall
Under Senior Sagasta The Cuban policy will
doubtless I've changed An attempt will be
made TO pacify the island by the granting of
reforms. perhaps even Of autonomy. Whether
or not the Clbans will accep: or even consider
such offers is an open question. IL seems ali
scutely certain they would not consider them
if they were made through General Weylcr, or
made while he is in command. His removal
is a sine qua non 10 all negotiations. If 1t is
row indeed effected there VIII be at least a
possibility of terms being Tade between the
Madrid Government and the insurgents. and
probability OF more friendly feelings between
Spain and the United States.
As for General Wcyle- himself. he Will proba-
lily stand for all time unique in history for pre-
tentlous words and inefficient acts. No man
ever made more confident promises than did he
when, a year and eight months ago. he took
charge of the Spanish army in Cuba. No man
ever had proportionately to tie work in hand
so egregously failed 1t is really startling to
review the forces he has had at his command
Within two years Spain has sent TO Cuba thir-
teen expeditions. comprising 40 generals, 6.26l
ether officers, isles mon and 103 pieces of
artillery: and she already had between 10000
end $4,000 men there. bringing the total up to
the colossal figure of about 100000 men. And
the entire native population of Cuba is less
than 100000. and the insurgent army at It's
best has numbered scarcely 10000 men. That
il TO say the Spanish forces have outnuinbercd
the Cuban by more than five 10 one. yet have
made no real Roadway against them. The
Spanish army has about equalled in numbers
the entire abe-bOdied adult male population
of the island, yet the.isand is uDsubducd TIE
match Of that case is not to be found in history
ADart from what he has with such unrivalled
supremacy failed to do. General Weyler will
also he remembered fo- some things that he
las done He has made more boasts and is
sued more hamboyant bulletins than any other
commander in any campaign, OF the century
Without crediting what his antagonists have
charged against him, it may he said, Oh the
authority Of his OWE words and the reports OF
impartial observers, that he has waged war
against noncombatants, inyalids, women and
children with n savag- cruelty not surpassed
since the days of lilly. he may have thought
he was serving Spain Loyalty, but he has really
been doing her greater injury and inficting
upon her heavier losses, In life and limb and
purse, and above ALL In prestige and reputa-
ton. than any enemy she has had in modern
times. In his Anal passing from the scene Of
his incompetence and infainy no one is to be