The record-union., 1898-07-20
THE CUBAN SOLDIER AT SANTI.
AGO,

The conduct of the Cuban soldiers at
Santiago is despicable. They are an
cry and make no concealment OF 1t,
that they are not permitted to enter
and loot the city and exult over the IN
habitants as they assuredly would have
done. It was a brutal desire, and that
they have to be restrained by the pres
ence of our army is anything but help
full to their cause.
But while abhorring their anxiety to
raid and loot and possibly kill, we are 70
remember that these men have been
taught their lessons by the Spanish SOL
diery. They have seen their wives ana
daughters maltreated and massacred'
they have suffered the loss of their
aged and their little ones, victims of
Spanish inhumanity. Their non-com-
batant fellows have been driven by the
brutal Weyler order into the towns ana
cities to die of starvation and rot IN the
cutters. When Americans offered to
save these suffering ones, feed and
clothe them the Cubans have seen the
spanish 1OrDlQ the CndTlly-
Their homes are ashes, their fields
are weeds, their industries in ruins,
their lives are priced and they are
bronzed, worn and wounded by three
years Of pitiless, merciless war in the
mountains and the valleys of their ma
tive land. Brutal though their demand
is now. infamous as is their ingratitude
to their allies, we are TO remember that
these soldiers of Cuba are not all there
is of the Cubans On the contrary, we
gent, educated, refined and ambitious
people. The sons and daughters of
these have largely been educated in
the United States or other lands. The
men largely are the professional class,
the land owners, the artisans. the indus
trial people of the island. Old resi-
dents of Cuba tell US that the Cubans
constitute the best there is Of all the
population; that the Spanish are main
ly the office appointed class, the mill
tary officials, the shopkeepers, and
those who have stored up wealth at the
expense of both the Spanish Govern
ment and of Cuba.
In fact, the soldier class in the field
is the least numerous class. How far
all Cubans are infected with the spirit
of insurrection is not definitely known,
since a very large element has been
kept under COW and terrorized by the
presence of Spanish troops. But it
remains true that the sentiment of re-
volt has maintained three bloody in
surrections, one Of which continued for
ten weary years; that the present in
surrection has compelled Spain to mass
in the island from time TO time over
300, 900 armed men, and numerous ships
of war. That despite their poverty
and il-f1tted armies the instructions
have not been put down in Cuba, but
have dominated in more than one Of
the provinces from the beginning, and
have caused Spain the outlay Of hun
dreds of millions Of dollars, and the
sacrifice of hundreds Of thousands Of
lives in the unsuccessful attempt to
suppress the insurrection and make
captive the Cuban troops.
We abhor the desire Of the men Of
Garcia's command in front of Santiago.
We despise their indisposition to work
as do our soldiers. We are shocked
at their carelessness Of human life. We
are outraged that they should demand
that the city be turned over to them
for the taking of vengeance. But while
entertaining these feelings, we cannot
in common justice forget that the Gu
cruelty, example and oppression have
made It..