The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-06-08
ARMIES OF CENTRAL AMERICA.


Importance of the "Commandante"-The
Low Caste Private-Artillery Practice.
Travelling from Panama northward
along the Pacific coast one is immediate
ly made to feel that each of the Central
American governments has an army.
The steamer hardly comes TO anchor
when barge rowed by uniformed ma
rines approaches, bringing the ''com-
mandante. He is most important in
dividual, not usually more than o feet
high, with very dark curly hair. His
little form seems to have been melted
into his tight fitting blue and red trimmed
uniform, his small feet are crowded into
smaller shoes, with Louis Quinze heels,
and he fairly reels under the weight of
enough gold lace to fit out a French field
marshal or captain of marines in the
United States. g.
He is very polite little man, and as
he walks the deck he bows to all the
ladies. Then he takes q drink with
the captain, pronounces the ships pa
pers correct and passes ashore. But it
is in the interior that you must see the
army to form an idea of its efficiency.
The private is low caste native, he
does not show much Castilian blood, he
wears sandals instead of shoes, his forage
cap is two sizes too large and rests on his
ears, and his business seems to be to lie
in the sun and to fire salutes to the pres
ident The officers and non-commis-
stoned officers hobnob with the men, and
the effect on discipline can be imagined.
The army pays little attention to cleanli-
ness; the expense of washing is perhaps
the cause of the absence of collars or
white linen. Once, when watching an
army in San Salvador pass in review be-
fore its chief, l could not help thinking
Of the majors remark to poor Ensign
Clutterbuck. 'Ensign Clutterbuck," said
he, II am no friend to extravaganza, but
ON the day when we are to pass in review
before our sovereign, in the name of God,
would at least show one inch of clean
linen."
But wait till Sunday, when the city's
militia is marched through the streets in
columns of four-platoon marching is
never attempted. and company front"
is unheard of. The militia comprises
everybody, from the one who has not
enough money to avoid it, down to the
one who is too low ON the social ladder
to carry a gun. Here you have the
sickly looking drug clerk, the editor of
the opposition paper, the fat butcher, and
the STOPPING cobbler marching side by
side; and, queerly enough, many seem
to have toothaches for nearly half have
their jaws tied up in cotton handker-
chiefs. This service is not intended as
punishment, but it is. With guns at q
right shoulder, and at every angle under
the sun, they stagger over the cobble-
stones-up hill and down-after their
little German band. From the size of
the privates one would suggest popguns
as appropriate, but instead they are armed
with heavy Remingtons with the bayonets
always fixed. When the captains bring
their companies to rest they leave the
guns at carry, and the privates are fools
enough to to think it's all right.
Not many days ago, on the arrival of
the president in town, the artillery
brought out two small Fourth of July
looking cannon to fire him salute of
two guns. One gunner was in hurry
to discharge his piece first, and in his
haste he blew off the right arm Of No. 1
and sent the sponge and hammer staff
through o German dry goods store on
the other side of the plaza. This was
explained as q mistake in tactics. There
is no trouble in Central America about
the ''three battalion organization" or
any other organization, because the army
don't know what organization is. The
slowness of promotion, that fruitful
theme OF the frontier post and of the
''Letters to the Editor" is thing I'M
known; privates are always privates and
generals are always generals on $500 a
month, at discount of 80 per cent.
when there is money in the treasury to
pay them.-New York Times.