Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-06-03
CLOSE VIEW OF CUBA.
OBSERVATIONS Or 4 RECENT RESI-
DENT oF.THE ISLAND.

1r. Wnfrid Skates Description Of spain's
soldiers-Faroical Nature Of tho Spanish
Csmpaign-The GuerrilIas and the In
surgents- spaniards' Ideas Of Amerioa.
: MI. Wilfrid Skate, who has resided
for many years in Cuba, has returned to
his home in Montreal, having left Ha-
vana on the last steamer before the
blockade set in. Mr.. Skate has been
connected, in the position of technical
expert, with large sugar estate operat-
ed by American capitalists and employ
ing over q thousand men, In the district
OF Santa Clara. He knows the Cubans,
understands the political situation and
is able to throw much light on the pres
emit situation in the island. Speaking of
the resistance the Americans are likely
to meet on landing, Mr.. Skate said:
"What must be understood is that
the Spanish soldier is a brave man, who
will stand up and be shot without finch
ing, and who will die in his tracks
without ever asking the wherefore. He
has, moreover, q modern weapon in his
hands, but he does not know how to fire
it. There are still large numbers Of
Spanish soldiers who fire with the
breech Of the gun in the hollow Of the
arm. The Spanish soldier is not drilled.
He sits idle-he has sat idly for years
around the little forts which the Span
ish authorities have built in every place
all over the island which they have &C.
cupied. His officers are, for the most
part, utterly Indifferent as to his condi-
ton as fighting machine. He dawdles
about; he knows nothing of military
science. The officers are lazy and in
competent, for the most part, exerting
no initiative, caring for nothing, killing
the time. Then, again, the Spanish
army in Cuba has little or no artillery.
What the Americans will have to face
will be numerous, brave, but undisoi-
plined body of men who will simply be
moved down by the machine guns.
They will stand, they will be killed,
but they will be overwhelmed by a
small force led by an energetic COM
mander.
"a small body Of cavalry, properly
led, would at any time during the last
three years have swept the insurgents
out Of existence. But the idea of those
who were in supreme control was not
to put the rebellion down, but to keep
it going In order that they might make
q fortune out Of the business. The Span
ish soldier was ready to fight all the
time. But he was not allowed to move,
or il he moved at all this was the way
Of it: The Spanish got word that there
was a band Of insurgents in such q
place. A column Of troops, numbering
PeFhapS l,0QQ g 1000, would be pQt
in motion. There was no provision for
more than the days march. The ipsur-
gents would be reached, they would be
engaged, they would retire: The troops
would GET fire to Che hospltagk-We knSW
what Was done With the Wounded, but
u did not say much about it-and then
they would return to the little fort they
had left. When they were gone, the
insurgents would reappear in the same
place. Understand, this was all on foot.
Had there at any time during the past
three years been strong cavalry force,
we'll led, it would have only been neces-
sary to say to the officer in command,
Bring in Gomez and Gomez would
have been brought in. The whole bust
ness was simply farcical.
.'The country, as I have said, was
studded with little forts, and into these
forts were put small garrisons, and here
the troops remained and nothing was
done. OF course there were always the
guerrillas, and they were the choicest
scoundrels on the top of the earth. The
guerrillas are composed Of negroes, Gu
bans and natives Of the Canary islands.
They are the scum of Cuba. Under the
direction Of the Spaniards they were
a