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Latest News from the Seat of War: Spaniards
What is the reason the Spaniards do nothing decisive with their two hundred thousand men? The general explanation is that the answer must be perplexing and uncertain. On the contrary, it is plain and easy and conclusive. The Cuban patriots on the Island have a majority over those who favor the Spanish cause of over a million. The Spaniards are not children or cowardly or imbecile. Numerous and strong, and drilled as they are, they are confronted by an awful array--a million people fighting in blood and ashes to the death, with knife and torch!
General Weyler said to the Herald correspondent that he expelled Creelman because the story of a massacre he sent was "false, absolutely false," and he added: "I refused to permit it to be transmitted from here. I suppose it got to the United States by way of Key West or Tampa."
The general was asked: "May there not be instances of cruelty; instances of shooting innocentpersons in a force as large as that which you command?" The general replied: "Such things may occur, as for example, the other day, when a rebel shot at some Spanish troops, who were passing, crying at the same time, `Vive Cuba Libre,' the troops fired at a house whence the shots came, and in which non-combatants were at the time. My troops supposed, naturally, that all those within were rebels, and fired, Under such circumstances innocent persons may be hurt."
The general said as to threats that he was to be assassinated and his habit of going about unattended: "I go out regularly at night unattended. I now receive practically no personal threats. When I first assumed office I received threats from the United States. One letter said that a woman would come here and kill me. Since then I have received every woman who called." "Young ladies?" "Yes, when they have come I have seen all."