Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-23
THE WORK nEroRE US.


opinion as TO whether the President OF
the United States has right to send
the National Guard outside the coun-
try. Congress has the power to pro-
vide for calling forth the militia ITO
execute the laws OF the Union, sup
press Instructions and repel inva-
sions." The cases in which the SER
vices OF the militia can be required are
specified under title XVI of the Re
vised Statutes MS follows;
sec. 1912. Whenever the United
States are invaded, or are in lmmi-
nent danger of invasion from any for
eign nation or Indian tribe. or OF re-
bellion against the authority OF the
government OF the United states, 1t
shall lie lawful for the President to
call forth such number of the militia
of the state or states most convenient
to the place Of danger or scene Of ac-
tion MS he may deem necessary to re-
pei such invasion, or to suppress such
rebellion, and TO issue orders for that
purpose to such officers of the militia
as he Inny think proper.
sec. t6iS. Whenever the President
calls forth the militia OF the states, to
be employed in the service of the Unit
ed States, he may specify in his call
the period for which such service Will
he required not exceeding nine
months. and the militia so called shall
be mustered in and continue to serve
during the term so specified, unless
sooner discharged by command of the
| President"
The work OF freeing Cuba from
Spanish rule Will. therefore, devolve
upon the regular army and the volun-
teers. and provided the latter be led
by experienced officers the task should
not be n very difficult one.
So far spain's generals In Cuba have
shown neither skill nor courage. For
| three years an inferior number of In
surgents have had 1t mostly their own
way. In no case have they been com
| PEELED to engage in n decisive battle.
4 In the beginning OF the conflict, armed
! mostly with the machete they depended
| for their success chiefly on the arms
and ammunition they could capture
| from the enemy.
Speaking of this subject an exchange
remarks:
"In the battle of Peralejo in July, 1895,
| SPANS most renowned general Mar
i tinez Campos, at the head of LOO
well equipped regulars failed to defeat
| Antonio Maceo, whose Heterogeneous
bands scarcely numbered 900 men. with
fire arms of all descriptions, from the
almost unserviceablc shotgun to the
Remington rifle. In the battle OF
Saratoga. In June, 1896, which lasted
three days. the Spanish General JIM
enez Casteliano. with large columns OF
infantry, cavalry and artillery was
only saved from humiliation at the
hands OF the soldiers Of Maxine
Gomez, by the opportune arrival Of n
relief force . from Puerto Principe.
Military writer's of repute, while rec
ognizing the merit of Gomez and Ma
coos march upon the western prov
inoes of Cuba. have declared tina,
whatever the boldness, shrewdness and
courage OF the two rebel chiefs. their
famous raid could never have been
carried out but for the imbecility of the
spanish commanders, AS all probably
rcremher, Martinez Campos, who had
at his disposal an army Of 900 reg
ular soldiers and nearly as many vol
unteers, and who had control Of all tht
railway and steamship lines In the
island, and who knew. as well as
everybody else. what the itinerary OF
the insurgents would he, never sue.
ceeded in placing a column ahead OF
them In order to check their western
march, II was fact known to al
that the invading rebel forces did moi
have munitions other than those which
they managed to secure as they ad.
vanced. and thus II was evident tina,
they would have been forced to &c
back to the east II Spanish columns
had been stationed at certain places
through which they would necessarily
have to pass, Martinez Campos was
well aware of this. and he constantly
tried to bar the Insurgents passage
but his columns under Garcia Navarro
Oliver suarez Valdes and ten Other
minor generals always arrived at theii
destination when 1t was too late
Every attempt OF the spaniards tC
head of the invading insurgents wa;
a failure"
1t will be remembered that Genera
Maoeo, concentrated over $4,000 sol
diers In the small province of Pnar de
Rio. Small battles We're fought 70
months and much blood flowed but no
a single victory-not a decisive one a
least--was gained over Maceo's bands
The trocha that was considered i'm
passable was passed by the Cubai
patriot, and but for treachery and as
sassination, he might yet have beef
found among the leaders of the insur
gents. 1t is not known that there is II
| tuha SiHsie SpdhlSH beHein Nl'i
the talent and courage needed for tn
presnt emergency. General Blan
co himself Is said to be
complete wreck owing to dissipa
ton in former years. Spain has, in fac;
not had general of note since tn
death Of the duke Of Alba,
It is not well to underrate the strength
| of nm enemy but ON the other hand tn
long warfare in Cuba is clear proof tina
Spain Is a weak nation.
a MODERN NAVAL BATTLE.