Evening star., 1898-10-29
Effect of the Spanish Troops in
Cuban Towns.
FEDERATION SHOWN ON BOTH SIDES
DemoraIization Caused by the SOL
dIers' Lack Of Discipline.
SEMBLANCE OF AUTHORITY
copyright. 1895. by Charles NJ Pepper)

hood They are awaiting they know not
what Three thousand loCusts would be Of
more use TO the country. 1t is not the
fault Of the Spanish soldiers. They must
live. though they have to devour the lean
substance Of the land without giving back
the labor which would hep 10 renew its
resources. If the condition which caused
the United States to - 70 war with SPAN
was an in:olerable one. the present situa-
tion is worse. This is the judgment l have
formed after a pretty thorough investiSa-
ton in the western part IF the island. Cuba
has hung so long on the verge of anarchy
that it seemed unlikely 90 be plunged over
the brink ard into the abyss. But the
abyss is there. What is wanted is the
visible representation of the authority of
the United States. The flag needed not
only in Havana, but in ne country dis
triCtS. II il floats owe Il garrison of 100
American soldiers that Will be enough to
give assurance that American control is
established. TO encoIrlge the work of
economic upbuilding and the return of the
people to the fields
BorderIand of Anarchy.
/ write of this bOrderland of anarchy
without prejudice to either Cubans or
Spaniards. Credit must be given to both
sides for the restraint shown so far, the
most. perhaps. to the CuDaus. because they
have had the greater provocatiOn. and sys-
temItic efforts have been made to eXasper-
ate them into overt acts. Nor is there
much danger of IL collision between them
and the Spanish forces. In the cafe at
Iinar del Rio the other day | noticed a
group of Spanish officers at one table play
ing dominOes, while at the adjoining table
were a number of Cubans engaged in the
same sport. They were not cordial. but
they were polite TO one another Along the
railroad in many places l have seen small
camps Of Cubans close by the bIockhpuses
hTfrk Ill
ciers. with whom they We're on good terms
While delayed by the floods at the little
station Of Puerte de Golpe d company of
the ragged Cuban soldiers part Of the force
ot Gen. Verona came along. Two Spanish
colOnelS glanced out of the car window in
differently at first but their interest was
aroused. and they We're soon IN an ami
mated, but g0od-natured. discussion with
some rabId Cubans. An intelligent young
cuban on Gen Verona ; staff was uuiZzed
by d Spanish lieutenant about a skirrnish
IN which they had both been engaged. They
were In a short time fighting the guerr la
warfare OF the last three years over again
with entire absence of iIl-feeling.
Federation Does Exist.
These personal incidents are important
only as showing that liberation does ex-
ist between Cubans and SpaniarGs. though
1t Is the liberation of the individuals rather
than Of the classes. 1t is also true that
in the remoter country districts the Cubans
are protecting the Spanish farmers from
struggling Spanish soldiers. / have seen
the Cuban flag flying in several little settle
ments and its authority was respected.
These were places from which the troops
had been withdrawn The existing drift
toward anarchy is in q measure due to the
concentration Of the Spanish troops. The
concentration was necessary as the first
step toward getting them ont Of the island
but SInCc II became an indefinite garrison
ing The burden is greater thau when the
country 1t is too heavy for single. com
lhuEities 10 bear They cannot shake off
Inc weight nor can they recuperate until
al Is removed.
SembIance of Spanish Authority.
To keep up the sembIance of Spanish
military authority until American control
Is established IS perhaps a necessity There
are both pathos and numor in seeing the
Spanish 'garrisons'' of four OF six ragged
men drawn up attention at the railway
stations, the cuIverts and the bridges when
The train passes. 1t is a reminder Of the
times " hen Weyler was pacifying by sword
ana fire. and starva ton The garrisOns look
fyrIyrH, Yet tney are typical of the soyer-
eighty they represent. The pretersc Of
military authority is also maintained along
the main highways In riding through the
country whenever Il village was reached
after uighlfaH found my entrance barred
~ q cAaIH stretched across the road. ana a
detachment of soldiers there 10 enforce it,
The conmandante had To be- sought out
10y the guard for permit To- pass through
raiS was always given with courteous OK
preston OF regret for the Inconvenience
caused the traveller. The trOcha has long
since been abandoned and the soldiers are
HOW qUarJeT,d in the country houses along
tHe main road They hiy1uack very com
clrtaDiy ami are content with their present
mode OF existence II is better than their
former one in the litchcs and Swamps
The complaints about the behayi0r Of the
10
iLtuk they are greater than would be the
case With the same number of Anne rIcau
soldiers The Spanisr. soldier is not vicious.
nor IS ne usually 4 law breaker Where
TWO or three Thousand Of them are brought
together in town. with no campaigning
III prospect and nothing 10 10 but to wait,
individual excuses are inevitable The
present danger does not come from this
source 50 much as from thr uncertainty If
the future. The commanding officers are
c&rrtirS tnemSt iy-s. bu; the inevitable. IL
uoralizatiUn is creeping over their forces.
The subordinate officers. always insuuoTdi-
rate TO a degree unknown IN any army .x-
-'rpt that Of Span. are Indifferent Disci-
p!lue Il lax. The prIVatsS show d famEi-
!arity Wijh Their superior rs that they wod Il
ROT have dreamed Of a little while ago. In
one of the cafes l noticed private and a
sergeant nod CoOlly to their captain, ami
seatiI. themselves at table with a major
aud a lieutenant. order ne and Crink il
without removing thojr ha 5. TIL Span Sh
soldiers have never been noted for tI-ir
Those who arr qISrtered here are worse
in appearance than during the hardsnips
Of their bushwhaCkiug campaigns Thair
striped blue uniforms are torn and dirty.
Every hing bespeaks Indifference.
Pri,nte> and Their Officers.
Lust night l had a chance TO see the ex-
teat 70 which Guanajay is oppressed by tn.
pEs Esstnce Il so many soldiers. Their ham
Iuncks We're strung by the hundred under
the pprccues Of the houses. All the build
.ucS of q public character were occupied
Dy them as barracks. and many private
dwellings They were more numerous than
a swarm "f flies Tier was no pronounced
disorder. bat after taps had been sounded
! could not see that the number of soldiers
IN ta@ c-ieS and resorts decreased in the
slightest. Half a dOzan rude gambling
places Were open and were crowded W IN
the troops. The wheel of 1orsIne waS the
fayOrite means Of losing their money This
they had chance 10 do in sums frar i
penny up 10 Il centen, or Iive-GOllar gold
plJ c.. The yellow their faVnrita color
'ArarilIa, amarilla." they would call but
n was a bad night for the yellow. Almost
Invariably the dry tones of the des Ter would