The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-11-17
Would Have Driven Americans
Into the Sea.
LESS BRUTAL THAN ROBERTS
Merely Carried on War With Rlsor II Re-
eulres-Ameriea Could Never Have
Whipped Span With Him
Ia Command.

NEW YORK, Nov. l6-A dispatch to
the Herald from Paris says:
General weyler has emerged from
his shell and fires some hot shot at the
Anglo-Saxons in general In an inter
view given to the Figaro's correspon-
dent. He opened by saying that he
once more protested against the aoom-
inable reputation created for him by the
American and English journals for po-
lltical purposes. He continued:
when l was governor-general Of
Cuba ane was defending the sovereign
ty of Spain in that colony. the least Of
my acts Of war was distorted by the
press OF the English-speaking nations.
/ never troubled myself about that for
/ always did my duty as a soldier
without lending ear TO rumors OF what
was going or outside Of my provinces.
i have noted since with sorrow that
these lying stories. these calumnies,
have found an echo in Europe. 1t has
required the events in the Transvaal
and the stories Of the real cruelhes
committed upon the Beers by Lord
Roberts and the English for military
writers TO acknowledge that never
conducted myself in Cuba as the Brit
ish have done in South Africa. People
are now beginning to do me justice.
The truth Of the matter is that !
carried on the war in Cuba with the
rlgor which war requires. YOU eannot
run tiIts Of courtesy and generosity
with rebel ana half-eivilized negroes
like our revolted Cubans. who we'e &C
customed TO massacre in horrible fash
ion the soldiers they captured.
"People should have seen our Door
Spanish soldiers, those brave little SOL
diers OF nineteen and twenty years Of
age. fighting with the Cubans. to un-
derstand the real horror Of that war.
People would have to have seen the ex-
cesses OF which the Cubans were guilty
in the treatment of their prisoners. TO
have seen them torturing them and put
ting them through a slow martyrdom
ard mutilating their dead bodies TO
have understood the peculiar character
Of that war.
But never mind that. did my du-
ty as a soldier and am ready to do it
again. Ny best reply to my tradueers
is the esteem and affection in which /
am held by the whole Spanish army
the marks OF devotion which have al
ways been lavished upon me by my
companions in arms. both those in
Cuba and those in the peninsula"
Explaining his presence in the Liberal
party. General Weyler remarked that
it was the result of recent events:
IF Canovas We're living I should be
at his side. should be a soldier pure
and simple But there are cases when
the safety Of ones country obliges one
70 stlhe ones feeling Of repugnance and
undertake a task which one would
prefer to leave in the hands Of others.
IF had been able TO gather together
strong Conservative party after the
death Of Canovas should have pre-
vented the loss of Cuba At the head
Of the Spanish troops which were then
in the island l should have driven the
Americans into the sea. The hasty
levies Of Americans would have never
been able to cope with the Spaniards.
/ should Eever have asked for a feet
TO be sent TO me. My resources down
there Gn Cuba) were quite ample.
General Blanco made terrible MS
takes. lie concentrated al his troops in
Havana instead Of adopting tactics
which would have permitted him to de-
vote his interests to the points threat.
ened by the Americans. 1t would have
been easy 70 have saved Santiago By
dispatchlng their re-inforcements at al
earlier stage and with greater rapid
ity.
cut ii is too late now. What's tn
good Of crying over split milk. Politici
lost our colonies. No blame whateve
can attach to the army. All that it dit
was to Obey orders. 1t was in no Wis
responsible for our disaster.
To-day if it be necessary for the goo
Of Spain for me to give my assistanc
and personal support to political par
ty 1 will certainly do so. If the Lib
eral party needs me to reconstitut
and undertake a campaign in conform
ity with its traditions Of liberty an
progress, / will give my help to tn
Liberal party, but will consent to
a politician for six or eight month
only. Immediately afterward 1 wi
once again become a soldier and moth
ing more.
1T is my opinion that if Marsha
Martinez Campos had remained purel
and simply a soldier his fame woul
have been all the greater"
So far as the Carlist movement
concerned. General Weyler says that
is doomed to failure, particularly /
Catalonia.
"CarlisIn." said he. mo longer ha
many partisans in Catalonia and til
reason is this The peasants an
people living in the country were ger
orally and are still more inclined I
Carlist ideas than all the others. No
the greater part Of the agriculture
districts. and particularly the wine
T. craving districts have become poS