Evening star., 1897-05-07
FAR FROM PACIFIED
General Weyler's Assertion Ridiculed
by Correspondent Alvord.
NO PART OF CUBA Is IN PEACE
Suffering Of Non : Combatants
Caused by the Plan Of Campaign.
OUTWITTING THE SPANISH

Thomas G.. Alvord. the well-known WASH
ington correspondent, has returned home
after an absence of four months in Cuba.
During his stay there, Mr.. Alvord Travelled
in all Of the disaffected provinces OF the
island, and enjoyed and improved excep-
tional opportunities for noting the condition
of things.
In long conversation with representa-
tive of The Star today, Mr.. Alvord related
many points of interest in connection with
the struggle of the people of Cuba to throw
off the yoke of Spain.
There is nothing" he said, "in General
Weyler's claim that the island is pacified.
No portion of it is pacified. There are sec
tons which have been laid completely
waste, and there are other sections where
great terror exists, but pacifcation exists
nowhere. The insurgents are still in arms,
still determined, and, in my judgment, are
as powerful as at any time since the srrug-
gle began. Unless Spain goes broke or
the United States interfereS. l can see no
early solution of the question War Is in
progress on a most inhuman plan. Non
towns and villages, and many are starving
or dying of disease. Their homes in the
country have been destroyed. Against the
Insurgents themselveS-the men in arms
the procedure is even more terrible. The
flying columns of the SpaniardS bring in
few if any prisoners. They dispatch l:early
every insurgent they capture, ard even in
wade hospitals where the inSurgent wound
ed are confined and butcher helpless n en-
in their beds. Some of the stories of these
things one hears in the island, we'll authen-
ticated. are horrible in the extreme
What sort of an army has General Wey-
Ter with him.
His forces are composed principally of
p!ow boys and farm hands. and young
sterS from the towns in Spain. The ages
of the soldiers range from about sixteen
to twenty-one. You rarely a man in
the ranks with a beard on his face. The
spirit of the men is fairly good. When
called upon, they fight well enough. But
there is no organization, we understand
that word. The commissary is very de-
hcient. And the order of fighting is al
most comicaL. General Weyler has a pas
sior for forts-little block houses, into
which the men are instructed to retreat
and do retreat at The first sign of the enc
my. A little firing in the neighborhood of
any of these forts will send all the men be-
longing there scurrying inside. This makes
1t so easy for the insurgents in any force
to cross those trochas. They have but to
detail few men to make feint at the
nearest block house, drive the Spaniards in
side. and then the main column rides by
The insurgents in many parts of the island
really go where they please"
What is the health of the Spanish
army?
Not at all good. A good many men are
on the sick list. A certain low swamp
FEVER is doing quite much damage as
the yellow fever. And the sick are very
poorly cared for. The officers neglect the
men shamefuily."
Mr.. Alvord was asked concerning the re-
ports that many of the Spanish officials
both IN the army ard out, are feathering
their nests most comfortably during the
war.
Those stories are current all over the
tC1 nd
they are generally believed 1 have heard
them from some Of the most reputable men
In Havana Spain is undoubtedly being
plucked right and left. and the money Is
going into the pockets of men-some of
them very high up-who hold her commits
slons. And those men are not at all anx-
iouS for the war to close. Business gener-
ally is denoraiized. There is no money to
be made In ANYTHING but war. The paper
money which Gen. Weyler caused to be is
sued and put into circuation-amounting
TO about s2O,0o0,O00-is worth now only 30
cents on the dollar, and it is still depreciat-
ing in value
Are there many sympathizers in the
towns with the insurgents? and why don't
they take the feld?"
That feature of the situation / found to
be peculiar. There are great many such
people-enough, / am persuaded to turn
the scales in favor of the insurgents if
they would only go to the front. Some ex-
cuse themselves on the score that no fit
lighting equipment is to be obtained, and
others give other reasons The Spaniards
who live in Cuba-and rule they are
far more thrifty and are in better circum-
stances than The native Cubans-hesitate
because of not being able to forecast just
what independence would mean. They are
men of property, and have been oppressed
with the rest by Spanish rule. They would
like to throw off the allegiance to Spain.
IL they could feel that a break from Spain
would mean annexation to the United
Staro hn,- oott,
That. to them. would mean good govern
ment as a certainty. But they are afraid
of such a government as they fear the
CubanS now in the field would set up if
successful. And SO these men. anxious
enough to see Spanish rule end, are yet
afraid to see independent Cuban rule begin,
and remain cooped up in the cities ard
towns while the Cubans. with far less
property interests at stake. are doing the
fighting.
WAS DIR. Ruiz murdered?'
Il think SO. 1t was the case of a helpless
prisoner and a brutal jaiier. Gen. Lee
thinks the killing was murder. The diffi-
Guilty will be in getting witnesses to testify
Spanish influences surround the scene. and
witnesses will hardly dare to testify against
a Spanish official and remain at home after
the trial is ended. But II the truth can be
brought out 1t will show murder"
Asked as to the facilities Mr.. Calhoun
will enjoy while in Cuba for informing
himself about the situation in general, Mr..
Alvord said:
Il am not advised as to his plans or the
scope of his mission, but even short stay,
we'll improved ought to be very profitable
to him. There are good men in every prov
ince from whom he may gather much re-
liable and valuable information. and they
will even come to Havana to see him II re-
quested to do so. He will find the Ameri-
cans very cordially hated in Spanish
circles. Even Mr.. Hale Is classed with the
hogs / have seen his picture posted up,
with the designation. a hog printed un-
derneath. 1t was an evidence Of base in
gratitude but there the picture was. along
side with the pictures of Mr.. Sherman and
others, all designated as American hogs.