The sun., 1897-01-06


would submit when Spain promised to
grant reforms, has led the revolutionists to
repeat once more their declaration that they
scorn Spains promises and demand moth
ing less than independence.
The more inquisitive Of our Spanish con
temporaries have begun to entertain doubts
OF the truth of WEYLER's bulletins. Sew
eral OF them allege that these bulletins are
false, and are full of contradictions, and are
in conflict with his other statements about
the many engagements OF his army; and
three or four among them have gone
so far as to demand his removal
for incompetency. The Government has
begun to suppress or otherwise discipline
those journals which speak i'll OF the mill
tary authorities but it cannot prevent
all Spaniards from using their reason at
times. II the vaunting OF WEyLER during
the past two months has not been bombast
and mendacity, IL should be in his power
about this time to relieve Spain from the
hardship Of maintaining an army OF 200, 900
men in Cuba. He ought to be able to ship
back to Spain some of the bnttalions which
arrived at Havana rs late rs last November,
and which the Spanish Government greatly
needs both for home duty and for service in
the Philippines. II is huge army that has
been required for little war, and the ex-
penses incurred on its account have been
hard for Spain to bear. II the rebel forces
have been discounted, and the war brought
20 nearly to an end, It ought not to be
large a sum as Sc, 900, 900 q week for the
support of useless army In Cuba. There
would be rejoicing in Spain over every re-
turning regiment.
1t is because of his desire to keep his place
that WEYLER has sent false bulletins to
Spain ever since he reached Havana last
year 1t took him three months to prepare
for battle; when he had got ready for it
the weather made 1t impossible for three
other months; when the weather changed
he had to spend two months in getting
reenforcements; when November came he
set out for the robellious west; before
he had travelled hundred miles or
encountered an enemy he began to
send dispatches of victory to Spain;
and he has continued to send them up
to this time. After the paciflcation of
the west, his army there fights harder
than ever; after the disruption OF the in
surgent forces in the east he prepares for
tremendous campaign against them from
his palace In Havana.
wEYLER wants to keep his place. 1t is
the best Office in Spain's gift. He is growing
richer than grandee in 1t. Nearly every
Captain General OF Cuba for hundreds OF
years has made it his chief business to
accumulate wealth there, aud the present
Captain General has had opportunities for
accumulation such as few OF his predecessors
ever possessed. The plumber already in his
hands must amount to millions. He has
gained it through the war, gained it. by
pillage, peculation, blackmail, fraud. and
murder
1t is not surprising that these accusations
have recently been made by some of the
more inqulsitive journals OF Spain. As
soon as they had been made, the offending
journals were warned by the Government
that they must not be repeated, and were
disciplined for the making Of them. But,
for all that, there are thinkers In Spain,
among whom Seflor SAGAsTA, Sefor MoRET,
Marshal MARTINEZ CAMPos, and SefIor PI
Y MARGAL may be named, who have learned
Of WEYLER's practices, and who are deter
mined upon his removal, IL the Ministry has
to be overthrown to accomplish 1t.
Under WEyLER's Decree No. 1, no such
accusation can be made in Cuba. II is there
provided that death shall be the penalty for
the utterance of any word detrimental to
the glory Of the Spanish arms in Cuba
WEYLER's boastful bulletins are designed
to vindicate his venality Now that the
falseness Of the former and the grossness of
the latter have become known to Spain, we
may look for disgraceful termination OF
his career and the fall Of the Ministry which
has supported him. The Spanish monarchy
itself is unsafe so long as 1t gives power to
q man so mendacious, incompetent, mer-
cenary, and bloodthirsty as the present
Captain. General Of Cuba