Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-10-15
SHAFTER CHEERED
RECEIVES AN ENTHUSIASTIC VEL
COME AT OMAHA.
HIS OVATION EQUALED MILES
GENERAL SHAFTER's SPEECH WAS
on CURAN CAMPAIGN.
Says 1t Was Practically Ended When
Ell Caney Surrendered-spaniar
Could Have Prolonged the
War by Abandoning
Santiago.

OMAHA. NEB., Oct. 14-Major General
William r. Shafter was accorded a most
generous welcome by Omaha to-day. When
his train arrived in the morning. q large
number Of people had gathered at the sta
ton to greet the hero of Santiago Later,
upon the exposition grounds. the manifesto
tions of love and respect for the general
were everywhere in evidence.
The anticipated presence Of General
Shafter filled the Auditorium with crowd
that was as large and patriotic as the one
that gave General Miles such an enthusi-
astic ovation the day before. Every seat
was filled, and hundreds of expectant peo-
pie stood in the lobby and the vacant
portions Of the gallery. They were enter
tained by short programme by the Oma-
ha Concert band, until the speakers ar
rived. General Shafter and President Wat
ties headed the party. and as soon as the
blue and gold of the generals uniform was
perceived the audience rose to its feet
spontaneously. and greeted him with an
ovation Of hand clapping and cheers. The
band played a patriotic melody while the
somewhat numerous party was being seat
ed. and then President Wattles introduced
Rev. Mr.. Newton n. Mann. Of Unity
church, who delivered the invocation. Cen
eral Shafter was introduced as the first
speaker. and the crowd rose and cheered
him again with vigor that fairly shook
the bunting that hung lavish from arch
and pillar.
General Skaters address was a plain,
matter-of-fact discussion of the Cuban
campaign. and his simple presentation of
the main events OF the campaign was far
more effective than the most exalted ora
toIical effort from one who had not partici-
pated in the struggle. One or two state
ments made by the general are new. He
said, with the fall of Ell Caney. the cam
paign was practically over.
1T was simply necessary" he said "to
convince the Spanish commander that his
case was hopeless. He eventually sur
rendered, and, with our small army, We
had captured 1856 prisoners, 1900 of
whom were beyond our reach. Why the
Spaniards surrendered, when they could
have abandoned their position and kept
up the war, / do not yet understand. but
believe it was because they mad been in
formed that the Spanish government had
decided to give up the fight and surrender
island"
The general extolled the virtues of the
volunteer as well as the regular, asserting
that all did their whole duty.
Assistant Secretary of War Meikleohn
mado an able address, commencing Ne
braska's part in the late war and denounc-
ing the traducers Of the army
WI Ting Fang, the Chinese minister,
was given reception no less cord al and
his happy allusion to the fact that while
the speakers who had preceded him were
men whose duty it is to prepare for war,
1t is his mission to try to preserve peace,
provoked another approving demonstra-
ton.
Senator Thurston also spoke eloquentIy.
The distinguished visitors were rendered
a luncheon at the Viaduct cafe
CHICAGO. Oct. H-General W. r Shaf-
ter. in an interview here regarding the San
tiago campaign. said, as to the suggestion
that the landing should have been at Aqua
dores:
Amy commanding general who would
have landed his troops at Aguadores in
preference to Baiquiri ought to be court
martialed and shot for incompetency Il
was not good beach on which to land
The ground was densely covered with a vine
or plant more deadly than the poisonous
Ivy. Through this the soldiers would have
had to cut their way. The point was
strongly defended. and there was no water
between Aguadores and Santiago. The
ground was impracticabIe, IL not impass-
able Had / landed at Aguadores and in
vested Santiago. the Spanish would have
had road over which they could have re-
treated from the city IL they so desired. My
army went over the hills and cut on the
Spanish retreat"