The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-25
THE GARCIA INCIDENT.
No Formal Report From
General Shafter Yet
Red Cross Work.
Army Doings.

WASHINGTON. July %, 1Sss.-Nothing
has come yet from General Shafter, either
in the shape of cablegram or mailed
report containing any reference to the
correspondence supposed to have passed
between himself and General Garcia. The
officials have no sdoubt that General
shafter wrote a reply to the Garcia let
ter, but they still refuse to believe that
Garcia either wrote or knew of the initial
letter said to have been addressed by him
to General Shafter.
One point that seems to afford some
basis for this disbelief in General Shaft
er's statement that he invited General
Garcia to be present at tie ceremonies at
tending the raising of the American flag
over Santiago. 1t is hardly conceivable.
therefore, that General Garcia should
have made such a statement as that at
tributed to him in the letter.
While regretting the friction that ex-
lists at Santiago between the Cuban and
American forces, our government can see
no cause at this moment for modifica-
ton of a programme it outlined for the
government of that city. One of the
ablest advisers of the administration has
stated: "Civil government in a town like
Santiago can exist only in time of peace.
In war time the military arm must be
supreme. and until peace is attained the
only form of government that can be
maintained over the territory occupied by
an army is military government. To
attempt to be guided by any other rule
would be to invite anarchy, and would
lead to notable excuses. 1t is not intend
ed by this statement to reflect upon the
character of the Cubans or their ability
for self-goyernment, but this rule would
and should be applied in all conquered
territory.
1t could not be conceded for moment
that the United States forces should go
on capturing communities in Cuba and
then turn them over while the war existed
to an element that had not been able
themselves to effect the capture The
position of the government in this is be-
lieved to be exactly in accord with the
most advanced principles of government
during the time of war, and it Is, there
fore, improbable that any change viii be
is attained.
From Santiago. under date of July s,
Mrs. John Addison Portor, wife of the
Secretary of the President, and now with
Miss Clara Barton in Cuba relief work.
has written a personal letter describing
conditions there. 1t was written d week
after the great battle of Ell Caney and
San Juan. The Red Cross was then AID
ing in the care of wounded and feeding
the fugitives from Santiago,
Ine Spanish wounded captiveS express
ed much gratitude that they We're given
the same attention as the Americans One
surgeon who dressed the wounds of 200
American and Spanish soldiers, told Mrs.
Foster that nearly all the Spaniards were
hit two and three times, while as rule
the Americans received a single wound
indicating the difference of marksman-
ship.
At this time everybody was busy car
ing for the sick and wounded. The AM
eFican dead had been buried, but the
trenches were full of dead Spaniards,
whose bodies foated on the surface of
the water caused by the rains and filled
the air with a sickenng odor She cites
Instances of Spanish barbarity, and says
in several instances men were shot dead
as they lay in Red Cross litters on the
way to hospitals.
This firing went on so increasingly that
the surgeons operated by moolight They
were afraid to light candles or lanterns
as Spanish sharp shooters would have
picked them off Commissions authorizing
this dastardly work, she writes were
found on the bodies Of some of these
Guerrillas.
The letter speaks of the high estimate
the private soldiers have for General
Wood and Lieutenant Roosevelt, who,
say to them The white soldiers also pay
tribute to the bravery of the colored
troops, but complain because the Clbans,
familiar with Spaniards, tactics, did not
prevent the Spanish bullwhacking
Lieutenant Carr, of the Rough Riders
badly wounded in the campaign before
Santiago, was at the White House today
and had a personal interview with the
President.
Batteries A and c. of Pennsylvania.
now at Newport News. have been or
dered to Porto Rico. There was some
doubt about the destination of these bat
teries and it was not until today that the
decision was reached to send them to join
General Miles, where they will be used in
the attack on the defences of Porto Rico.
The Fifth United States Cavalry has
been ordered from Tampa to Porto Rico.
The War Department today set at rest
rumors about the removal of Camp Al
ger. There will be no change. This de-
termination WAS reached after confer
ence Of officials who had the matter un-