The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-08-01
.SHAFTER TOO BRUSQlE
GETS A FRIGID LETTER
FROM GARCIA.
President Mckinley Thinks Shafter
Acted Unwisely and Instructs
Wood to Remove all Friction.

WASHINGTON, July "a
General Skaters course In disaf-
fecting Garcia, the Cuban General,
is regarded by the President and
the Cabinet as unwise and undiplo-
matte, and it was declared the pur-
pose Of the President to inform
General Shafter, though no public
rebuke will be given.
General Leonard Wood, the Gov
ernor of the surrendered territory,
was tonight instructed to repair, so
far as possible, the harm and re-
move all friction caused by General
Skaters brusque methods.
The President is asserted to have
expressed himself very strongly in
the Cabinet meeting. There has
bnen no thlnge of sentiment in the
Administration toward the Cubans,
no alteration of plans and inten-
tons Of the United States relative
to liberating the island from Span
ish control and establishing free
government. He wished this made
plain to all interested.
Paragraphs in General Garcia's
letter relating to General Shaft RS
failure to inform him of the Santi-
ago surrender and the following
sentences attracted special atten-
ton:
II was neither honored, sir, with
a kind word from you inviting my
self nor any other officer of my staff
to represent the Cuban army on
that memorial occasion.
Finally, know you have left
in power at Santiago the same Span
ish authorities that for three years
l have fought as enemies of the
independence Of Cuba"
The facts set forth let in flood Of
light. The failure of Garcia to be
present at the Santiago fag-raising
and the comments on his absence
had been noticed by the President,
who had been led to believe that
Garcia remained away from the
scene On the day of surrender out
of perverse spirit. 1t was repre-
sent-d TO him that the Cuban's
hatred for the Spaniards was SO
bitter that he would not be present
on an occasion where he should he
obliged to treat his enemies with at
least show of courtesy.
The general sentiment of the
Cabinet was that nothing should be
done to estrange or embitter the
Cnbans. One Of the members SAID
after the meeting:
I'VE wish to make Cubans under.
stand that we are fighting their
battles. Their treatment by the
Spanish for generations has made
them sensitive and suspicious.
They do not understand our brief,
business-like methods, and much
tact should be employed in dealing
with them"
In this letter to Gen. Shafter,
Gen. Garcia says:
I'm view of all these reasons 1
regret to be unable to fulfill any
longer the orders of my govern
ment, and therefore have rendered
today to the Commander in Chief
of the Cuban army, Major General
Maxine Gomez, my resignation as
commander at this section of our
army. Awaiting his resolution, l
withdraw with my forces to Jai-
guar.
SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July
2I (via Port Antonio, July 22).-
There was tremendous excitement
in Santiago today owing to the
statements of Cubans that 1900
insurgents, composing General Gar
cia's army for the eastern depart
ment Of Cuba, were routed in a
: fierce engagement with detach-
ment of Spanish troops bound for
Santiago to surrender. The story
has not been verified.
Although unsuccessful in his
plan to trip the Spaniards, Garcia
sent word to them demanding their
surrender forthwith. To this de-
mand the Spanish returned an en-
phatic refusal. General Toral, u
the commander said, has sur
rendered to the American army,
not to the Cubans."
The Cubans are demanding ven
geance and cannot understand why
the Americans do not aunihilate
their Spanish prisoners of war