The times., 1898-07-04
GOSSIP OF THE LOBBIES

New Orleans is represented at the Ar
lington by Messrs. Pearl Wight and NJ.
]. Saunders. both of whom are prominent
in the mercantile affairs of that city.
Mr.. Wight is one of those typical South
ern gentleman of pleasing and genial ad
dress. To the question as to what the
Crescent City would DO 20 celebrate the
nations anniversary today. he repliedt
New Orleans has made grand pre-
parations TO observe the Fourth. such
as have never been made before. The
celebration will even cast our Mardi-Gras
carnivals in the background. All the
civic as well as military organizations
will parade, and there will be countless
flag raisings. l was very much surprised.
as well as pleased. TO receive several
invitations to deliver addresses. but, un-
fortuna tely, business called NE 10 this
city. Business will be entirely suspend
ed tomorrow. just as it is every year
during carnival time. Already the busi-
ness houses on Canal Street are covered
with flags and bunting. and a number of
stands have been erected in the park
where the general exercises will be held.
'Of course. the war is the cause of this
unusual display and demonstration. We
rejoice TO see it, l can assure you We are
once more a united people. Our North
ern brothers need no longer doubt our
patriotism and loyalty to the glorious red.
white and blue. At the outbreak of hos
tilities many of our people We're opposed
to war, fer they knew that it meant
loss to business. Now that the war is
under way, all favor it, heart and soul
There are thousands more who are ready
to volunteer their services. Our sugar in
terests viii suffer more or less
Mr.. Wight spoke thus referring 10 the
Santiago engagement: i do not think
that we can regard the outcome of the
battle, as reported even as a setback.
We cannot expect 10 win without a hard
struggle. We were unprepared TO fight.
We are a peace-loving people, but we
stand for the right, and We are fighting
for a just cause. But We were better
prepared for war thirty years ago Gen.
Shafter has not enough men with which
TO defend the intrenched Spaniards But
we Will win. Justice and right always
overpowers injustice and treachery'
j. b. Montgomery, of Portland, Ore, is
at the Shoreham- The captain was in a
the steps smoking, He said:
How can We expect TO win without a
hard struggle? l do not regard the San
tiago battle as a setback. Just consider
the conditions for a moment. The Span
iards outnumbered our forces by several
thousand and besides being intrenched
the enemy has had the protection of the
rapid-fire guns from Cervera' s fleet
We have been rather dilatory in send
iards sixty days time in which to con-
centrate their forces a Santiago and they
are putting up a bold fight. Moreover.
the Spanish soldiers are much better
armed than the Americans. l believe that
most of our troops are armed with the
Krag-Jorgensen rifle, which is an in
ferior gun to the Mauser. which the
Spaniards carry. The Mauser rifle throws
a bullet which is much more effective.
The bullet of the latter on contact with
the body expands, and the wounds in
flicted are much more serious than those
produced by the Krag-Jorgensen. But
our Government cannot even supply all
our volunteers with the Krag-Jorgensen
gun. Owing to their complicated mechan-
ism, only 150 of these guns per day can
be turned out. That small number is
not sufficient to meet the present demand.
AS a result, many of our soldiers carry
guns WhlCh are not PROVIDED Win suitable
magazines. When the war was imminent
the Administration ought to have pur-
chased suitable guns abroad. Why should
not this country be always prepared 10
fight? We should have taken the part
of the Cubans three years ago.
Compare the losses at Santiago with
those OF some of the battles of the civil
war. AT the battle of Pea Ridge. for in
stance, my fathers regiment lost 460 men
after four hours fighting.
I'VE cannot expect to conquer the Span
iards in day nor week. Santiago will
fall into our hands and SO will Havana.
But we must prepare ourselves. II took
the British forces three weeks TO capture
Havana in the last century and their
troops were fully equipped"