Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-14
WEYLER IS IN BAD HUMOR
0uba's Captain General Keeps Himself in
Strict Seclusion.
FAILURES MARK HIS ADMINISTRATION
Civil Governor and Leading CONNER
cinl Bodies of Havana Exerting
Their Influence to Bring
About His Recall.

HAVANA, Jan. 12-(Via Key Weso, jan
13.-Captain General Weyler Is in a very bad
humor, and seemingly with good reason. He
was with difficulty dissuaded a day or two
ago from sending Sena Pena, correspondent
of the Madrid Herado to MORO castle, and
the newspaper man in question is not safe
from the Spanish commander, who was
aroused by the criticisms of the conduct of
the campaign In Cuba.
To such a degree has the captain general
felt his i'll temper that nobody outside OF his
military and civil advisers has been able to
see him since his latest return from the
field. That he Is in danger of recall nobody
here for a moment doubts, in spite OF the
many official and semi-oficial denials from
Madrid, for 1t is remembered that the same
course was followed by the government in
the case of the recall Of Marshal Martinez
Campos.
Weyler cannot truthfully be said to have
achieved a single success, diplomatic, ad-
minstrative, military or otherwise. There
are probably more insurgents, better armed
and supplied, in Pinar del Rio at the present
moment than at any time since the insur-
recton broke out. General Weyer once
openly remarked that the western part of
that province alone contained 1000 armed
men and that large additional bands" of
insurgents were lowering about his trocha.
The Spanish commander sent $4,000 men
against the little insurgent army and the
latter, acting with admirable strategy, seems
to have disappeared and the best efforts
of the Spanish generals have failed to dis
cover tn cir whereabouts.
Gomez is pushing onward from the Yest
with all the men he can muster, while az
the same time protecting his retreat. The
insurgent bands are in the meantime carry
ing the torch to the gates of Havana. The
flames of the burning property can be eeen
from the roofs of the captain generals palace,
the sound of firearms has frequently been
heard of late in the suburbs, and, except to
hold the cities the Spanlrds are absolutely
powerless, though they have burned every
roof capable of sheltering a wounded insur-
gent, destroying everything likely to give
them food in every way trying to crush the
struggle for freedom, not in an open conflict
in the field, but by adopting the very an
archistic tactics they taunt the Cubans with
employing, including the burning of the in
surgent hospitals and the slaughte.ing Of
the helpless sufferers, according to all re-
ports.
SEEKING WEYLER'S RECALL.
The civil governor is known to be using his
influence with the civil bodies here to bring
about Weyler's recall, and protests against
hiD conduct have been sent to Madrid re-
Gently in great numbers, and couched in the
most emphatic terms OF disgust and disap
proval. All efforts to cable such matter to
Madrid from here have been frustrated by
the captain general. But this has not pre-
vented several urgent messages being sent
from Key West to Madrid. and it is believed
the action taken will not fail to have the
desired effect in the near future.
This movement against Weyler has It's
root in the most influential circles here,
the very quarter where Spain counts her
staur chest supporters, and, therefore, 1t Is not
believed possible that the government can
much longer ignore the fact that little or
nothing can be done toward the real eolu-
tiCn OF the Cuban question so long as Cap
tain General Weyler is in command. HiG
military incapacity is not the only feature
complained of. The air is full n war rumcrs
and rotten contracts, OF soldiers suffering
from lack of food, medicine and ammunition
which, issued by some means or other, have
fallen into the hands OF the insurgents or
have failed entirely to materialize. Even
the army contractors have turned against
the captain general and that as military
men are aware, means great deal.
FALSE RUMORS.
The rumor that Maxine Gomez was con-
templating surrendering to the Spanish
authorities has been traced to Spanish official
sources, as usual, and is pronounced by
friends of the Cubans. who are always well
informed to be utterly false. They add that
as long as Captain General Weyer is in
Cuba. no proposition looking to a peaceful
settlement of the Cuban question will be
accepted by the insurgent leaders. although
it is known that a strong party of the insur-
gents now under arms, is in favor of accept
ing fair home rule proposition as soon ap
the details can be determined upon.
The war party, however, prevails over the
peace party" the former being strength
ened, it is said. by assurances received from
the New York junta that if the Spaniards
do not succeed in crushing tho rebellion or
in bringing about a settlement of the ques-
tions at issue before next autumn the United
States will interfere and bring about the
establishment of republic in Cuba.
The general whom the Spanish desire in
place of Weyler is Polavieja, now captain
general of the Philippine islands. Polavieja,
who knows Cuba thoroughly, is said by the
Spaniards to be an honest man and a gen
eral who can be counted upon to terminate
tho war in short order.
The advent OF Gomez into the western part
OF Cuba is liable to be the straw which
turned the tide in favor Of Weyler's recall,
which is only held back because the Spanish
ministry does not like to be placed In the
position Of giving way in this matter to
the condemnation which the captain general
and his methods have met with in the Amer
lean newspapers.
References to the advance of General
Gomez and the utteTances of the friends OF
Cuba in the United States congress are being
pretty freely distributed among the Cuban
sympathizers hero and In other parts of the
island. and are understood to be doing much
toward counteractlng the blow which the
insurgents cause suffered through the death
OF Antonio Maceo.
The statement was given out at the palace
today that Emilio CollaZo and Eduardo Gar
ois, well known insurgent commanders, died
recently from wounds received In an engage
ment with the Spanish troops in the province
OF Havana.