The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-23
N CARR SILL SAUCY
WeyIer Would Have Won Had
Be Had Fair Play.
ROASTS SENATOR PROCTOR
For Misquoting Him on Affairs
at His Consulate.

He is very indignant at the way he wa:
dragged into Senator Procter's speech If
the senate last Saturday evening.
''Mr. Procters quation of my statement
of the number of deaths resulting from
the RECOMMENDATION order of Genera
Weyler is untrue" he said in answer tc
a question. az had a conversation with
the senator, but gave him no estimate al
all of the number, saying that had nc
special data on the subject, though
probably remarked that the number OF
deaths from starvation had been grossly
exaggerated. In a general way may add
that Mr. Procter's report of our converse
ton is in the main untrue. For example,
I find him saying, with regard to the re-
concentrates who had been fed by the
citizens of the town, that he asked me
whether it was not probable that, coming
| in in such q. half starved condition, this
munifcient bounty was the cause of kill
! ing a. great many of them, and that 1 ans
wered, There is not a doubt of that This
! is entirely false.
Again, he accuses me of saying that
the trouble would have ended long ago
! if it had not been for the United States.
! I made no such statement, which would
| have been reflection upon our govern
ment- What did say was, IF it had not
been for aid received from the United
| States'-referring, of course, to the ship
ments of arms and other munitions of war
| speaks of certain 1ubricating bevera ges'
| given me by Mr.. Atkins, evidently intend
| ing to convey the impression that I am
not a temperate man This comes oddly
from the senator, who, at the time of our
conversation, had just dined and drunk
strong Spanish wine, and seemed to be
| himself under the influence of that stimu-
lent when the conversation took place.
What would you consider the present
strength of the insurgent forces?"
Never having been within their lines
1 cannot answer positively. My best in
formation led me to believe that, when the
insurrection was at its zenith, about eigh-
teen months ago. the armed insurgents
may have numbered $4,000. Soon after
wards came Maceo's death, and the in
surrection began a rapid decline. I have
kept rough tally. of the deaths, surren-
ders, etc, reported since then, from which
l infer that the total strength of the in
surgents would not exceed 10000 today,
and the larger part of this is in eastern
How far should you say that the juris-
diction Of the insurgent government, So
called, extends?''
"A few miles around each camp Of
armed men; and these camps are in the
unpopulated districts, in swamps or up in
the mountains, whore the rebel bands,
with the women and children who live
with them in camp, are the only inhabi-
tants. They stay in one place till driven
out by the soldiers, or till they have to
move for some reason Of their own.
1.-The local or autonomous government
now has, in my opinion, the confidence
and support of the great body of the
Cuban people. The personnel of that gov
eminent consists of men of great ability
an influence, who have been leaders of
the autonOmist party for twenty years.
This government has drawn away from
the instruction most Of the support il
formerly had among the people at large.
Cuba is now passing politically through
an interregnum. The elections for the
colonial parliament will be held on April
26, and the greatest interest is felt by
both parties, the conservatives and the
liberals. The conservatives were at first !
very much opposed to the idea of auto
nomy at all. They wanted matters left |
as of old They have now. however, come |
around to the recognition of autonomy
in its best light
THE trouble with most persons who !
have talked about the failure of autonomy |
in Cuba, IS that they are basing their con-
clusions upon the condition of six months
ago. The changes within that period have !
been marvellous. The two great causes
OF discomfort in the old times were % |
the tariff system, with its gross dfscrimi- I
nation in fovor of Spain. and 90 the spoils |
system, under which all the most desira-
bic positions in the Cuban colonial gov
ernment-the governorships. the customs
and the Hke-were con-
ferTed upon Spaniards who had supported
the dominent party and must be re-
warded. Under the now regime that is
all changed. Today the autonomist COL
onial government is cmposed from top
to bottom with the real friends Of auton-
omy. The Offices were substantially swept
clean of the men who had chung 20 the
Old ideas, and their places were filed with
nen-some of them only recent insur-
sents-who were thoroughly welded TO
The notion Of autonomy, and resolved 10
give the new system a trial under the
most favorable conditions
What should you say was the proper
ion of aUtonomists TO outright repubu-
ans among the voting class?"
Il should say, at a moderate estimate.
'our out of five. 7 have heard the figures
given as high as nine-tenths; but my sug-
5estiOn Is within reasonable bounds
Did You leave Cienfuegoes on account
II troubles there either actual or ap-
orehended?''
'On the contrary, everything was as
peaceful there as possible. The one pre-
-ailing sentiment in the community. II
connection with the closing OF the consul
ate. was sorrow. because It was felt that
his pretended war with the United
states. There was positively less excite
nent IN the part OF Cuba from which I
anne than I have found in WASHINGTON.
shonld have had no reason for leaving.
lad I not been summoned officially TO
lose the consulate and return
FIRST BATTLE WILL TELL