The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-18

FSESlDEAr IAkkS WITH hin ABOUT Gu.
BAN CONDITIONS.
uedsr General Mheeer's unpreiudced States
men,s the Cub2ps Appear in Far
More Favorable Light.

Washington. u. c.. August 11.-Cen-
eral Wheeler received orders to-day to
command At Camp Wikotf until the ar
rival OF General Shafter. lie was told
by the. Secretary uf War to purchase
everything necessary for the comfort of
the men and 10 spare nothing that
would alleviate the sick and wounded.
General Wheeler had three quarters
of an hour conference with the President
to-day. The President wanted to talk
over the conditions in Cuba with Gen
eral Wheeler, and this was the object of
a telegraphic summons that brought the
general here.
The President put numerous questions
to the hero of the Santiago campaign.
and received not only an account of lis
general experience in that campaign,
but also his views ON various issues in
cident to the adjustment of affairs ON
that island. One point that was upper
most was the possibility of a rupture
with the Cuban insurgents. General
Wheeler's statements Were very reas-
surfing. ''All the friction he said, ''be-
tween the Americans and Cubans will
soon pass away, and there will be har-
mony and the best OF feeling between
them"
He said there was Il class of men in
Cuba who were never friendly to the Gu
bans, but on the contrary had been IA
yorable to Spain, who likely would do
all they could to keep up this misunder-
standing though he did not apprehend
any dangerous results. General Wheel
err suggested the charges against the in
surgents of taking articles in the field
had extenuiating circumstances, and es-
specially in view Of the starving c0nl
ton Of many of them. General Wheeler
believed the Cubans in time when freed
from oppression and given Il stable and
humane government would become Il
law-abiding and useful people.
The President is very solicitous about
the health Of the Montauk Point camp
and gave explicit instructions verbally to
General Wheeler as to the conduct of
the camp. He wanted everything pos
sibe and reasonable done for the in
terest of the men ut the camp.
Just ut the close of office hours in
the War Department General Wheeler
stopped to speak to q group of newspa-
per men, and was soon surrounded by n
crowd of the employees, as well, who
listened to what he had to say regarding
his experience with them. The trouble
seemed to be that they wanted to CO.
operate and not be under orders from
the American generals. After all was
explained to them, however, they for
the most part got along very well. He
said that they could not understand our
language and often orders were given to
them which. when translated seemed no
doubt harsh and abrupt. This led to
several misunderstanding.
As to the Cuhans refusing to work.
he said they did some work, but were
not able to accomplish much owing to
their physical condition. They had been
living mostly on fruits and vegetables,
and did not possess the strength for the
hardships which well fed soldiers have
to 80 through. General Wheeler also
spoke of the reports of the pilfering with
which they are charged, and said that
about 10000 people came out of San
tiago without anything to eat. The sol
dicrs when they were pushing ahead in
an engagement had to discard their rolls
containing provisions. Some Of them
complained that their food had been
stolen. But it might have been the
destitute people who came out of 1an-
tiago, as well as the Cuban soldiers.