The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-05

mon soldier usually depending upon his
corporal or his sergeant to write his let
ters 10 the old people at home and TO
his sweetheart. Moreover, the non-com-
missiOned officers live i'm the barracks with
the troops, whereas the commissioned Of
ticers do not; and, while the latter are
constantly being moved about from corps
to corps, the non commissio ned officers
serve from three TO fifteen and even TWEEN
ty years ia the same regiment the pay, the
rewards and the orders for the men pass
ing through their hands. Finally they are
recruited from the same ranks as the
men, and only differ from the latter, as
stated above, in the superiority of their
education. The control which they have,
therefore over the rank and fife is very
great and providing the Generals and
field officers organizing a pronunclamento
can succeed in winning the support of a
certain number of sergeants and corporals
by promises of commissions as ensigns and
lieutenants. they can rely upon the ser
vices Of the troops under their command.
There might be less disposition on the
part of the officers to take part In pro-
nunclamentos and in political movements
OF one kind and another against the gov
eminent of the day II there were a larger
leaven of men possessed of fortune as well
as OF birth among their ranks. Unfortu-
nately this Is precisely an element In
which the Spanish army is deficient. II
is possible to purchase an exemption from
military service for the trifling sum Of
$4G0 In consequence of this almost ev-
cry young man Of family and fortune buys
himself Off There Is not even the incen-
tive of the uniform in his case, since there
are a number of associations and orders
restricted to the members of the aristocra-
cy which give the members thereof the
right to wear semi-military uniforms OF
the most gorgeous character. The officers
of the Spanish army are, therefore, as a
rule, what are known as soldiers Of for
tune that is to say, men who have enter
ed the service OF the crown for the sole
purpose of winning rank aud fortune, and
it is to be feared that the ambition to sue
coed In these two particulars plays far
greater rule In their career than any con-
sideratons OF duty or patriotism.
1t will be readily understood that with
such condition of affairs as this dlsc-
pline Is the weak point of the Spanish
army which, In spite OF the excellent raw
material, has much more in common with
the military forces of the South American
republics than with those of any great
power of the civilized world. The moment
one enters club a cafe or any other
place of public resort at Madrid, one
this or that general Is going to do in The
way of political coups, the latter being &C
counted of much more importance than
any victory in the field. In fact, the f. r.
eigner gathers the impression that the
Spanish army Is a mere political engine,
the Generals, officers and soldiers Of which
consider II perfectly lawful and right TO
conspire against and to overthrow the
government of the day. Indeed, Gen. sal
amanca very faithfully depicted the feel
ings Of the Spanish army when he de-
clared one day in my hearing from his
place in the Senate that the army only
made pronunciamentos against the gov
eminent which resisted It's inclination
and that the "army expressed the aspira-
tons of public opinion" citing as exam
pies "the glorious pronuncidmentos of 1853,
1873 and 1874
The non-eommssloned officers and men
discuss the politics of their chiefs, tie
subaltern officers argue as to the right
or wrong of the commands which they
receive before proceeding to execute them.
while the generals are most outsDoken in
criiicislng the conduct of the govern
ment and Of the crown. In fact there Is
absolutely no spirit of discipline either
among the officers or men, and the result
is to be found in the otherwise unaccount-
able failure of an army close upon 100000
men, and nearly fifty generals to suppress
the cuban Instruction, which could read
ily have been crushed at the beginning
with a small disciplined force, but which
has had its growth fostered and deyel-
opcd to a phenomenal degree by the lack
of discipline of the men and the incapac-
ity of the Spanish army
Properly differed. honestly paid on
the regular pay day when his money Is
70 gs.H rod for IN an
same way as the soldiers Of the United
states, of Great Britain and of other
European powers, The Spanish soldier
might prove a formidable antagonist, es-
pecially when he Is In the latter part of
his three years service. For he Is even
under most unfavorable conditions a good
fighter. not afraid of getting hurt nor
hampered by any seruples of hurting 9th
ers. In fact, his one fault Is his tendency
10 savagery, attributable 20 the presence
of Moorish blood IN his veins. and which
leads him TO mutlate the dead and the
dying much In the same manner as the
Moors the Deryishes, most OF the Asiatic
races and the American Indianc are In
the habit of doing with their foes This
is. after all, but another phase Of tho
insubordination Of the Spanish soldiers,
since their officers. being unable TO con-
troll them, even when in times Of peace,
are still less able to restrain them when
the din and excitement of battle have
aroused in their bosom the latest lust Of
blood and slaughter
Not since the beginning Of tho century
have Spanish troops had an opportunity
of measuring swords against the trained
army OF any great power, and there is
every reason to believe that should that
opportunity be afforded TO them the next
few weeks they will. owing to their lack
of discipline. 10 the faultiness Of their
equipment. 70 the incapacity and insubor-