Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-12

| eyes. Gaunt, emaciated children totter
| about the doors in every degree of naked
less. Wan-faced mothers have nothing but
| the mango to offer in response to their cries
for food. 1t is an awful, sickening, heart
reLding sight.
This is the Cuba and these are the Gu
bans We have interviewed to save from
Spanish misrule, and the next problem
which presents itself is to save them from
themse1ves-the most difficult task, per-
haps, of all. D. 1. MERCER.
WANT TO GET AWAY.
The Question Most Asked by the Dis
trfct Troops.
From Staff Correspondent.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July 81 1898.
The question one hears most frequently
asked now Is when will we get out of this
hoie?' The army of invasion is sick of
Cuba, or at least as much as the army has
seen of it.
We get little news from the outside, and
that little is of doubtful authenticity. We
hear that the first thing on the card is the
deportation of the Spanish army; that
transports have already been chartered
for that purpose and will arrive here with
In a week. Then, according to this ar
| rangement, the four regiments of colored
regulars and the immune volunteer regi-
ments are to be left here to garrison this
province, and the remainder of the army to
be sent north
The District troops are still encamped
near San Juan Hill, about three miles north
of the city. 1t was contemplated to move
them with number of other volunteer
regiments to high plateau about twenty
live miles northwest of the city, where the
Carnegie iron mines are located. This To-
cation is said to- be particularly healthy
never having been visited by yellow fever
epidemic. This change, though expected
every day for week past, has not yet
materialized Then there is the ever-abid-
ing rumor that the regiment is to go to
Porto Rico. 1t costs us nothing to take
our choice of these rumors and the selec-
ton furnishes food for speculation.
Just a week has elapsed since the Span
iards in this province laid down their arms
and United States troops took charge. Or
der has scarcely been evolved out of the
natural confusion attending such change
but a few interesting conditions have al
ready become apparent. Most significant
perhaps of all is the fact that the business
element here welcomes the change of rule
most heartily. The only fault they find
is that the United States has not gone far
enough.
The Civil Government Unchanged.
The civil government established under
SPANS last offer of autonomy is still in
control with Governor Ros at its head.
The officials of this government all come
from the ranks of the native Cubans, and
WERE in most instances, understand, sup
posed to be in sympathy with the Cuban
desire for independence, or, at least, for
something more nearly approaching home
rule than existed here before the war.
They pacificos, however, and took no
active part in the war on either side,
though their sympathes were, as a gen.
eral rule, with the insurgents The city
is policed by civic guard under this ad-
ministration, selected almost exclusively
from the Cubans. These policemen wear
machetes and revolvers, and but for the
red facings of their uniforms could scarce
ly be told from Spanish soldiers, except
also that they are nearly all mulattoes.
The business class which is composed al
most exclusively Of Spaniards or well-to-
do Cubans, who are in sympathy with
them, utterly distrust this civic guard II
am waiting and praying for Americans to
patrol our Streets said a Spanish mer-
chant to me this morning. Until we mer-
chants see that state Of affairs we will
not feel altogether safe in our lives and
property, and until then we will not care
to resume business"
/ think the view Of this merchant fairly
expresses the general sentiment. II our
government does not come in and run
things here with firm hand this class will
be sorely disappointed. They are heartily
sick of war and disorder, and want a
strong ruling hand-the stronger the bet
ter it will suit Them
Cubans and Cubans
Whether this will suit the Cubans is an
other question. And in this connection il
must be borne in mind that there are Gu
bans and Cubans. There is the Cuban in
surgent leader, who is one man, and the
Cuban citizen, who merely desires the op-
portunity to peacefully conduct his BUSH
ness, who is another Then there is the
Cuban who is worthless apparently, for
any purpose but to rove about aimIessIy
and to avoid work diligently. What this
last Cuban wants or what he will ultimate
1y have to accept Is the great question to
be solved here. So far 1 have been able
to learn from him through the medium of
interpreters and from general impressions
of others, who know him better from
io'sei acquaintance, TINS CUBAN has no
very wel1-deflned idea of what he wants.
except to get something to eat and to have
that something produced by somebody else,
This Cuban has sometimes been a soldier.
and has not been particular as to which
side he fought on Yesterday I cav about
thousand guerrillas, Cubans who had EN-
listed on the Spanish side, and who had
been recruited from this class. OF all the
dirty, wretched, slouching semblanees of
Men that ever laid eyes on these were the
worst Some of our allies were little better,
but these fellows seemed to have lost even
hope along with their clothes and their
seff-fespect.
So that after all this Cuban question nay-
rows down to an economic proposition
Cuba with work, enterprise and the peace
full enjoyment of the fruits of that work
| mould