Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-07-23
Affairs in Cuba as Described by an
American Merchant.
4 JAPANESE DOCTORS EXPERIENCES
Spanish Officers Who Find That
War is Profitable.
THE END IN DO Q B L

.
tobacco Industries as an exporter. Is In
town on business with the State Depart
ment. He has but recently returned from
Cuba, where he stayed long enough to get
an admirable idea CT the condition OF
affairs in that war-ridden island.
In conversation with Star reporter this
afternoon Mr.. Perlman said that he left
the city of Havana on July 4. after visit
of some six weeks. His next visit to Cupa
before this was in March last.
so far as I am able to judge" he said
there is no end of the war in sight
Things may so as they are now for an
indefinite length Of time. and In my opiaion
It Is only a question Of how long Spain is
willing to stand the tremendous expense of
the war, for she seems utterly unable to
put stop TO 1t; at the same time.
there is no chance Of the insurgents act
ually winning out. Unless the United
States should see fit to interfere things will
go on about as they are now until Spain
gets tired Of the contest and withd-lwS
from the island While the insurgents are
rot In position to win their independence
by force of arms direct, / think 1 am safe
In saying that they are better off today
than they were when Gen Weyler took
charge of the forces In Cuba.
The spaniards' Plight.
There is no denying the fact that the
Spanards are in a very serious plight.
They are quite unable TO come to issue
with the insurgents, and at the same time
yellow fever, smallpox AMI even cholera
depicting their ranks at shocking
rate
Just before 1 came away from Cuba 1
rad long discussion on the situation with
Japanese physician, who was in Cuba for
the purpose OF studying the microbe of
yellow fever You know It is said that
yellow fever is prevalent in the Island of
f'orTnosa, which has recently come into
possession of the japanese. and his gov
eminent had commissioned this gentleman
to visit Cuba for the purpose of making a
sclentihc investigation of the disease. He
was thoroughly accredited and was on good
terms with the Spanish authorities. He ap-
pled 10 Cen Weyler for permission to visit
anu inspect all the hospitals and prisons.
The permission was granted. He told me
alter%ard that sickness OF all kinds was
terribly prevalent among the Spanish
What surprised me more was his state
ment that the medical staff is far behind
that of the Japanese Even in matters of
anatomy and dissection the Spanish ply
s.clans seem ignorant and incompet ant
Shortly before l came away NV Jananese
friend received permission to investigate
the condition of affairs along the trocha
wnlch. you Know. vas erected across the
island by the Spanish for the purpose of
he'nHang in the insurgents. He intended to
be gone from Havana for some little time
but after being at the trocha for a single
day he returned and said that his expert
ences there were enough to d:shearten anv
one He described the state Of affairs as
being horrible to the last degree
The Famous Trcchn.
The trocia itself is the merest farce
and amounts to nothing as an actual de-
Tense or safeguard. 1t is simply an .xca-
vaton several feet deep, with stones piled
up loosely on one side. This wall presents
such a trifiing obstacle that he told me he
could easily push it over himself In places
AT intervals of about mile little forts ere
Effected, which are manned by forces that
are entirely Inadequate. There seems 10 be
no such thing as discipline among the men.
and he said that il such a condition ever
existed in Japan it would result in pretty
much everybody being court-martialcd. In
all his life he had never seen so much sick
ress as was evident along the trocha. On
the night of June 81 there vas a heavy
ram. and the trocha Is such a trifing af-
fair that 1T actually filled up with water
and was nothing but little ditcn, with a
pile of stones on one side That IS the line
of defense that the Spaniards have erected
for the purpose of shutting up Antonia
Maceo in the province Of PInar del Rio.
Had he wished he could have crossed the
trocha II at mis- hit without the slightest eff
ficulty or hlndrance.
In my opinion the real solution of the
problem of affairs in Cuba is not difficult
one to find If Spain does not withdraw
from the island within year the Spaniards
resident in Cuba who are loyal to the gov
ernment will themselves revolt The truth
OF the matter Is tnat tney are SICK anu
tired of the war. 1t has put stop to all
industry. and. so far as they are concerned,
they will be much better off If the Cubans
should gain their Independence than they
are now with the prospect or the war coii-
tinuing indefinitely.
Indefinitely? Yes. that is just what
mean. II is matter of history that In the
last war the insurgents kept up hestiiities
for ten years. Then they held but one little
corner of the island 1t is safe to say that
today they are in possession Of our-fifths-
yes. of five-sixths-of the entire island of
Cuba They hold everything with the ex-
ceptfon Of the larger seaport towns. 1t is
an actual fact that every time an expedition
IS landed on the island 1t is done under the
protection of the Cuban army. Before the
work of unloading supplies and ammuni-
tion begins 1T is certain that the work can
be done under the protection and super
vision Of the Cuban forces
Spanish Residents Weary.
THE truth Of the matter is that the loyal
Spaniards in Cuba have come to the con-
clusion that those in charge Of the prose
cution of the work are not at all anxious to
see hostilities end. 30 long as the war con-
tinues the higher officers are in clover and
are much better off than they would be in
time of peace. So long they are doing
war duty they are getting double pay. with
chance of promotion every time they re-
port victory. and the way they report
victories Is probably the most remarkable
thing In the whole history of warfare. 1t
Is a ract that since the war In Cuba began
the Spanish officers have sent to Madrid re-
ports of 1900 decisive victories. That
seems as funny as anything In a comic
opera, and yet have 1t on the best of au-
thority, and have not the slightest doubt
that it is true. On the island today there
are hfty-four generals, there are 10,073
officers between the rank of first lieutenant
and colonel, inclusive, and you can see how
1t is TO their advantage that the war should
so On Their chances of promotion and in
crease in pay are far greater than they
would be in time of peace. while medals
crosses and other decorations are scattered
about with lavish hand The loyal Span
iards believe that If Weyler and his officers
really wanted to they could finish the war
IN abort order. Personally, / do not think
they could The rebels are so strongly en-
trenched that 1t is practically impossible
for the Spanish soldiers TO get at them The
Spaniards have been outgeneraled at every
turn Antonio Naceo, with 1G COO men If
he has that many. and don't believe it, Is
watched along the trocha by force of NOT
less than 10000 They claim to be trying to
starve him out by somehow that seems tn