Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1896-10-23
ObseruatiOn3 by a Man Who
Recently Visited Them.
Cubans Are Not the Bandits They Are
Called i'm the Spanish Papers. But
Arc Courteous Gentlemen and De
termined Nen.

business mission, and has just re.
turned to this city, who gives an ac-
count of her observations among the
Spaniards and in the camps of the Gu
bans
81 met many officers in the Spanish
ranks, and with very few exceptions
was treated by them as distinguished
guest but many of them were brutal
and insulting in their language to their
inferior officers and even to women. In
the majority of cases found the Span
ish soldiers badly clothed. and with
worse footgear, and if their camps af-
ford a sample of what they eat when
provisions are plenty, I don't wonder
at the soldiers stealing all they can lay
their hands on wherever they go. Wher-
ever Spanish column stops the resi-
dents of the locality are Obliged 10
lodge them, and many complaints are
withheld for fear of the rebuke the com
plants receive.
"The Spaniard is imbhed with Ouix-
otism. While he is in a safe place great
are his powers and his stories of the
terrible encounters with the insurgents.
but at no time have I ever found one
honest enough to admit that he had
been beaten, or for safety had been
| forced to make a countermarch in or
der to avoid the enemy. I have person
ally seen large sums paid for informa-
ton concerning the location of an in
surge1 post, and have known 4 Spanish
column of 1000 men under one of their
mosl distinguished generals to counter
march and 60 at least 80 miles out of
their way because less than 600 insur
gents were am5uscaded on their line OF
march.
- lost my patience once, and that was
in conversation with several Spanish
officers. They assured me that Spain
would finish the Cuban war inside Of
three months, and they evidently re-
GREETED that instead Of returning home
10 rest, they had it from good authority
that war would be declared with the
United States; they would capture Bal
timore, Washington, New York and
Boston. This seems to be their limit OF
their geographical education, and these
four principle strongholds once cap
tured, the United States would make no
further resistance, and they could then
claim large indemnity for the assis-
lance rendered to the insurgents by the
United States.
1.-THE plan, as far as l could make out,
was to land 2ooo 600 men in New Orleans
or Tampa. and march right north, or to
land directly in New York. They ar
gued as the United States have no army
to speak of, some $4,000 men, and no
defence, and are purely a commercial
people, the conquest would be compare
lively easy They were a little stag
side Of as hours we could have 1000 600
men up in arms, well disciplined, well
and in the best condition, and
all backed up with the unlimited wealth
that Spain lacked, but all that would be
as in all probability if they
should attempt to land in New York, Z
hev'd be arrested by the Brooklyn po- ,
ice squad and sent to Jail for ten days f
or disorderiy conduct.
ain view Of what had been led to ex- G
,ect, ! was agreea5ly surprised when r
cached, in the course of my mission, r
he insurgent headquarters. was in G
reduced to his excelency, Salvador L
1isneroa, or as he IS more Familiarity
nown, the Marquis of St. Lucia, presi- h
ent of the republic of Cuba, and also I
D the secretaries OF war, of the treasury
nd of state, all of whom treated me 7
lost cordially, lending me every oPpor-
lnitv for my mission. In looking back r
cannot but admire the sacrifices these >,
atriots have made. giving up every r
hing in order to free their land from :
ppression. Furthermore, found them y
oything but The bandits they are called
the Spanish paprrs; on the contrary
ever have bad the pleasure Of meet -
g more courteous gentlemen or more -
sterulired men. On one side, an oP- q
-essed few striving for freedom, and az
! against them; on the other hand, the
al vandals OF the countrv-such were
y impressions Of the parties to the
ruggle" I