Arizona republican., 1898-05-28
Believed To Be Rapacious and Treach-
 erOuS Lot
Upon Whom the United States Forces Cannot Depend for Assistance in
 the Conquest of the Island.

Washington. May 27.-For soms time there has been more than a mere here in army and l.avy cir cles that tremendous sensation con- corning Cuban affairs would develop before the United States troops in- vaded the island, and events from day to day tend rather to strengthen this suspicion.
 It is true that General Miles has talked with General Nunez and some other Cubans concerning the relative strength and positions of the Cuban and Spanish forces, but Miles. in com mon with other officers of the army or navy, has held aloof from these people for two reasons.
 One of these reasons is that the government has not recognized the Cuban republic ,and the second reason is an instinctive suspicion of the junta and it's agents in the United States.
 One thing observant people are noticing is the rapacity of the Cuban generals and agents in this country We at Washington have had a good opportunity to note this during the last few months. The expressive word "grafter" is generally applied to those who have come to the surface since the Cuban trouble began, and it fits most of them.
 Their patriotism is but . thin ve-
 neer to the most rapacious natures. When it comes to volunteering there is not one in hundred who has the desire or courage to return, gun in hand, and fight for the Cuban liberty of which they prate so much.
 Of all the many thousand Cubans in this country less than 1000 have shown any disposition to bear arms against Spain, and the scores of gen erals, colonels. majors and other titled men. who have been swelling around Washington and running to Newspaper row with interviews with themselves do not contain one whose patriotism goes so far as fighting.
 Ugly rumors have been afoat here for more than a month affecting men high in Cuban circles, even the lead CTS. Gomez and Garcia.
 It means that the government of the United States and It's army and navy officers are all convinced that the work to be done in Cuba must be accomplished by absolutely ignor- ing the so-called insurgents, and by action entirely independent of them.
 Official circles here now know and distrust the whole Cuban outfit. They have proved to be utterly untrust- worthy. and in some cases they turned out to be in Spanish pay. The secret service has been instructed to watch these men, but there are so many that this is almost impossible.
 President Masso referred in a re- cent proclamation to the aid from the United States and appeared to be genuinely grateful for the expected help. but he is regarded as a deluded sentimentalist, one of the few really sincere men.
 Gomez has made no conceaiment of his dislike of our proposed invasion He has publicly proclaimed that he did not want help in that form. What he wanted was guns and ammunition
 AS for the junta at New York, the members would prefer an appropria- ton. Of the whole crew of Cuban generals the only one up to date for whom cur officials have any use is Lacret. But tonight there comes a rumor that his expedition did not and in Cuba after all.
 The Florida. which carried it over, was loaded with arms and field guns )f the finest description, and ammu- lition enough for whole army. It s said that the Cubans aboard flunked IS they approached their native ;hores, although there was not 5paniard in sight, and persuaded .acret to turn back. The rumor .ould not be verified, for all informa- ion is tied up here, but if it is true t will result in the biggest piece Of ,ews since the Maine explosion. The bottom will fall out of the whole Gu ,an business and serious complica- ions will enSue.
 Not that it will affect the war. We ,ave gone too far for it to do that. ut 1t will take the vim and energy ut of both services and cause hund- eds of thousands of civilians to lose heir enthusiasm.
 Those on the inside here are cool