Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 March 1896 — THE CUBAN STRUGGLE. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE CUBAN STRUGGLE.

Gen. Weyler and His Proposed Methods Against the Insurgents. Gen. Weyler, the new commandant of the Spanish fortes in Cuba, has issued three proclamations which announce very clearly a purpose to take the severest possible means t| crush out the insurrection. The general assumes extraordinary powers to compel all inhabitants of the districts in which war is being waged to identify themselves before the military authorities and secure passes. He also assumes the right to subject all active participants and all sympathizers with the insurgents to summary sentence and punishment, the wording of the proclamation being such as to indicate that the commandant reserves the right to decide in what cases the penalty shall be death. It is evident from these harsh terms that Gen. Weyler means to spare no effort to put down the insurrection. As

Spain’s representjtive on the island he will not only wage warfare upon the insurgent armies, but will take steps to compel all other Cuban residents to become passive or active auxiliaries of Spain. If he cannot conquer by force of arms in the field he is prepared to put in operation whatever other practices and strategems may be required te crush the insurgents. If it be necessary to gain his ends he will not scruple to restrt to measures of extreme severity, evidently deeming it his duty 'to put -down tiie-TcVSftffIWMWWRviJ consider the claims of humanity afterward. In view of these proclamations, it is the general opinion in the United States that Congress cannot ta'o quickly or firmly concede belligerent rights to the insurgents. And this is not ajl. Every act' of this new captain general must be watched to see that he does not violate the rules of civilized warfare and that Spain is not allowed to crush the insurgents by savagery of the most intolerable nature. In 1875, after the revolution toad lasted seven years, Gen. Grant istated in his message: “We find that the same disregard of the laws of civilized warfare and of the jusl demands of humanity, which has heretofore called forth expressions of condemnation from the nations of Christendom, has continued to blackefc the sad scene.” Cuba must not again he subjected in like mam ner to Spanish barbarity.

GEN. WYLER.