The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-17
Contrast
I'm Military
!. Methods

0rethtnG difference between span-
ish and American military methods A
little recapitulation will show 1t. On
the morning Of Feb. "a, 1895, there was
great excitement and disorder In Hava-
ma at the palace of the captain general
of Cuba News had been received Of q
conspiracy throughout the island against
the Spanish government and Of the up
rising Of q small band of not more than
40 men In Havana province under Man
uel Garcia, Of the presence at Matanzas
of another band composed Of 80 men
under Betancourt, and also that Barto-
lone Maso had taken the field near Man
zanillo, Santiago dc Cuba, with about
200 followers Il was the beginning Of
the present revolution.
The captain general, Don Emilio Cal
LEILA Isasi, said by the Spaniards to
have been hero and great military
commander during tho civil wars in
Spain, was bewildered that morning.
The news caused him to prepare de-
cree declaring the island in state Of
siege, which he published in the even
ing; to plan q military campaign
against the revolutionists; to frame a
truce to propose to them, under promise
that Spain would grant Cuba ample and
fair reforms.
He summoned to the palace junta
of Spanish authorities committee of
Autonomists, the colonels of volunteers
and many Of his personal friends His
desk and two tables near by were COW
cred with maps Of the six provinces, re-
ports. from the governors Of all the i'm
portant cities, and with many other pa
pers Of the kind. He sought advice from
everybody, and everybody, from the off,
GERS of volunteers to the most ignorant
Havana shopkeepers, explained in loud
voices, gestioulating, putting and spit
ting ON the marble floor, plans Of their
own. Nothing practical was done, of
course, for many long days. and the rev.
olution grew stronger. Two months
after the Spanish cabinet of Canovas
recalled Calleja, and appointed Martinez
Campos captain general Of Cuba.
Martinez Campos landed and was re-
ceived by the Spaniards as savior. He
was the general that pacified Cuba in
1878 and ended the civil war in Spain
in favor Of Don Alfonso XII He was
said to be military genius and man
Of extraordinary luck. He made some 90
trips around the island, always leaving
Havana unexpectedly Hewas defeated
at Peralejo, and on Dec. "a, 1895, he
entered the capital pursued by the tri-
umphant forces of General Gomez, who
without any military organization and
with few arms and little ammunition,
had marched from east to west at the
rear Of the Spanish columns.
Martinez Campos, as soon as he
reached Havana that day, summoned
another junta and, with tears in his
eyes, confessed to all that he had been
defeated. The confusion was tremen-
dous The first idea Of the Spaniards
was to stand by him, the second to kick
him ont. The volunteers made great
demonstration in his honor and two
days later compelled him to resign.
Troops marched through the streets
without order or concert As in the
times Of Calleja, every man tried to
have the army adopt his individual
plans Martinez Campos left in disgrace,
and Weyler replaced him.
A witness Of those scenes Of disorder
and incapacity cannot fail to observe
the contrast between them and the calm
order Of things prevailing now at Tam
pa at the headquarters Of the American
army that within few days will prob
ably invade the island Of Cuba Every
thing is done here quietly and we'll.
Judging only by appearance, no one
could imagine that in the big hotel here,
where 90 many beautiful women gath
er in the evening, surrounded by hand
some officers and listen to the music Of
fine military bands, such q serious thing
as the invasion of foreign land is ac-
tually being planned.
General Shafter does not make show
as Spanish general would, pretending
that he is too busy to talk to anybody
and keeping around him regiment Of
officers running here and there with
messages in their hands. A foreigner,
used to the noise and hustle Of the Lat
IN races, has to ask here who the gener-
al is to find him. And yet that man,
with simple and severe uniform, con-
trasting so much with the gorgeous
dress Of Spanish general, is polite to
all who approach him and Of modest
demeanor; that man has studied inch
by inch the map of Cuba, as Blanco has
never done, and is ready to strike de-
cisive blow against Spain with the
mathematical precision Of chess play
er moving his men on the chessboard.
That same strange simplicity also inn
presses the foreigner who has travelled
in Spain when he first visits the war
department building at Washington.
The absence Of soldiers at the war head
quarters Of nation engaged in war is
q great contrast to the hundreds of SEN
tinels that you find everywhere at the
Ministerio de In Guerra in Madrid Gen
eral Miles, dressed as civilian, polite
ly receiving you at his Office after you
send him your card makes remarka-
BILE contrast to the Spanish ministro,
dressed in q gala uniform, who deigns