The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-29

their bonds. and have, during the last two
years, prosecuted the war on less than
$1,000, COO.
THE proposition we therefore make to
the government is that Sufficient sum be
appropriated to equip Cuban regiments,
who Differed by their own countrymen,
should be attached to the American army
under the leadership of American gener-
al officers. Or, perhaps, make one or two
prominent Cubans, like NuneZ or Castillo,
generals, and let these men garrison the
cities. The men here are anxious TO tig1t.
They are tired of simply raising funds and
letting their brothers bear the brunt CT
the war, but they have not the means TO
equip their regiments and l have been in
formed that no one over 30 years of age
viii be allowed to join the regular army,
l have discussed the matter with Gen. Lei
per, and he is heartily in favor of the plan,
and l will guarantee that with $4,000 or
$4,000 a fun regiment of Cubans can be
raised in New York city alone-yes or
two, if need be-in one week.
1T is all very we'll to talk about simply
blockading Havana and starving the Span
tards into captulation, but who would the
sufferers be? Probably the Spaniards In
the end, but first of all the poor reconcen--
trados the very people whom the Ameri-
cans are supposed to be relieving There
is now in Havana about Zone weeks sup
ply of food. The cattle upon which they
depend for meat are brought over from
Mexico and slaughtered the same day
they are received. They have no cold stor-
age facilities such as we have here, so
il is impossible 10 keep any large supply
on hand. After this supply is used up
they will doubtless eat the horses, of
which there cannot be more than three or
four thousand in the city. This gives
them another weeks supply. They may
then surrender, but il is safe to wager
that not a single reconcentrado will by
that time be alive within the walls. When
food is scarce it is the Spaniards who
will eat and not the poor suffering men
and women whom they have already slain
by thousands through starvation. 1t is all
nonsense to imagine that the Spaniards
will surrender before every means of sNs-
tanning the siege is exhausted. The Span
lard fights well behind stone walls. This
is the way he baf1led Napoleon in Spain,
and this has been his method of war from
time immemorial,
mo, the only way to accomplish the
purpose for which the American fleet is
now lying off Havana, is 10 at once pour
men into Cuba, invest and take the cities
quickly from the land as we'll as from
the sea- and drive the Spanish army out
before the reconcentrados die Then let
the Cuban-American forces garrison the
towns, and let the American soldiers en-
camp outside the cities, living in light
tents and sleeping in hammocks, as sug
gested by Gen. Castillo, instead Of on the
ground, and there viii be no trouble about
yellow fever. The Cubans living in this
country are immune from the fever most
of them having had 1t In childhood, and
the officers could live in the more sanitary
portions OF the towns, whore there would
be absolutely no danger of infection il
proper attention is paid to clothing, diet
and hygiene.
One thing / would state, and that Is that
/ consider an abstinence from alcoholic
beverages of any kind most essential to
health. 1t is too stimulating. and although
you win find wine and brandy on the table
Of nearly any house of any pretension in
Cuba, it should be severely let alone by
foreigner. Quinlne taken in the morn
ing is one of the best preventatives Of
malaria, and a still better one is arsenic,
although this latter would of course have
10 be given by doctors and not carried
around by the men. Another important
thing is that all the men should be vac
cinated before reaching the island as
smallpox has been prevalent there, and
this would of course render them free
from contagion. If then, the men are
vaccnated, will take quinine or arsenic,
wear the lightest clothing, preferably
white, tan shoes as near waterproof as
possible, carry a rubber coat or blanket,
wear canvas hat, let alcohol alone
avoid sleeping on the ground. and keep as
much in the open country as possible,
they will be as safe in Cuba as they would
be in any of the Southern states.
But it Is absolutely necessary that a
force Of Cuban-Americans who speak both
the languages, should accompany the
army, to act as interpreters and scouts,
clear away with machetes the under
brush In the woods, and act as go-be-
tweens in connection with the American
army and the insurgents"