The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-20
UNREST At HAVANA
Spain'S Unpaid Soldiers Are Ripe
For Revolt.
MUST BE HURRIED HOME
PRESENT CONDITIONS WILL
HASTEN EVACUATION.
General Blanco Is Anxious to Return
and Is Urging His Subordinates
to Greater Activity-Hostility of
the Troops Is Directed Against
Gen. Arolas, Military Governor.


Tribune from Havana says: Havana is
in a state, not of tumult, but of unrest.
The mass of the population is not tur-
bulent. 1t is as anxious as the business
men for a quiet transition from Span
ish rule to American possession. Out
side the vicious and criminal classes,
whose numbers have unfortunately
been increasing, the city breads disor-
der. All classes may be relied upon to
eXrcise self-restraint and to aid the
authorities. But they do not know what
the army may do, and, not knowing,
they are feverish and eXpectant. 1t is
a question with some observers whether
the trouble Will yet come in Cuba, or
the ambitious soldier polite
ians Will mould the troops to their pur-
poses and hold them in check until the
return to Spain. The proposition is not
a complicated one. If they get a fair
amount of the back pay that is due
them, the troops will remain quiet.
That many of the battalions are
ready to mutiny is apparent. These
will be the first ones placed aboard the
and fastened back. The
evacuation is likely to be fastened by
this circumstance. The authorities have
been slow and have found pretexts for
Qeldy, Jul NllGu lnSy llSlilOtlNSo Cil Z
threatened if tn inaction continues,
they will find it feasible to embark the
troops with some rapidity. Captain
General Blanco is himself anxious to
return, but he cannot embark till the
preparations for sending back the
troops in Havana province have
reached a more forward step. He is
said to be urging his subordinates to
greater activity.
AT times there has been a probable
ity of a demonstration against the cap
tain general. That probability is \ di-
minishing one. The hostility of the
Juan Arolas, military governor of Ha-
vana province. How deep the feeling
is against him since he cut down an
''orden publico" with his sword cannot
be judged by q person who is not of
the army The Spanish soldiers are
sullen and undemonstrative Their ODE
dience is that of dumb animals. Yet
that they will forget the death of their
comrades is not believed, though there
may be no open revolt. The officers
are excessively nervous. They appear
to think that the death OF the ''orden
pubico" will be avenged on General
Arolas.
AROLAS UNCONCERNED.
That grim old soldier is himself the
least concerned of all. He would cut
down with his own hand every mem
Der of the ''orden pubico" if it were
necessary to maintain discipline The
"orden publicos'' are the flower of the
Spanish troops. Rather, it should be
said, they were the flower, for as a
body they have been dissolved. In
stead of being Havana's police force,
they are now simply regulars in me
ranks, under the displeasure Of the au-
thorities, who dare not disarm them,
and with the sympathy of their COM
rades. Some of those men may have
the personal sympathy of General Arc
las, who in his republicaniSm has been
charged with Carlist leaningS. Many
of them were Carlist soldiers who, in
concluding a truce with the govern
ment, stipulated that they should not
be required to serve in Spain, and were
therefore sent to Cuba.
General Arclas himself is one Of the
best soldiers that Spain has ever sent
to her colonies. If she had more like
him perhaps she would not be yielding
her last possessions. It is said OF
ArolaS that he refused to take the oath
to support the monarchy which was
required of all the generals, and that
he declared the word of soldier was
enough to attest his loyalty Whether
this incident is true or not, his indie
pendence made his presence uncom-
Portable in Spain, and he was sent as
governor CT enc of the Philippine is
lands. Testimony Of his efficiency i.
making Spanish authority respected by
the natives has been given by those
who were in the Philippines at thai
time. 1t is also said that his integrity
was something the other Spanish Off
Gals could not understand.
OFFENDED WEYLER.
When General Arolas was transferred
to Cuba he was in favor of keeping VI
a persistent warfare on the insurgents
He may not take high rank as a tao.
tician or a, strategist, but he saw thai
the only way the instruction could bC
subdued was by treading on its heels
At that time the plan of campaign wa.
an occasional demonstration by tht
troops against the insurgents, and theI
a long rest. Arolas was fretted int
acquiescence. He built the trochs
across the western part of the island
which was known as the Weyler tro-
cha, and which was measurably sue
cessful in keeping the insurgents unde.
Maceo from crossing at will. ArolaS
independent character brought him int
conflict with General Weyler. He wa!
sent to Santiago province and remained
there till several weeks after Blanct
superseded Weyler Then he was re
called and made military governor O.
Havana province.
General Arolas arrived in Havana OF
the afternoon of the day in January
on which the army officers precipitateC
the riots against autonomy The off
GERS feared him far more than Blanco
He took immediate command of the
military forces. During the days tha
followed he himself led many charge.
against the rioters, sometimes en- horse
back and sometimes on foot. lie never
failed to clear the streets.
If the peaceful blockade Of Havana
by the United States had been changed
into an assault by land, many person.
believe that the honor of a heroic de
Tense would have fallen more to The
military governor, Arolas, than to Cap
tain General Blanco. General Arola.
was sincere in not wanting war Will
the United States. Since its conclusion
he has hated the American nation Will
the robust hatred of a soldier who
feels the humiliation of his defeated
and humbled country. This feeling ha:
not affected his official relations. mol
has it lessened the esteem in which
Americans in Havana hold him. They
find no fault with the Spanish general
who feels defeat too deeply to affec
Indifference.
1t is known that a breach exists be-
tween Blanco and Arolas, and this doe.
not improve the outlook for getting the
troops away = peacefully. Apparently
ArolaS is not convinced that in exist