The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-18
WHY sPAN1ARDs ARE DELAYING.
Eject of the Crusade Against the War
Department.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-Information has
reached the War Department that a high
officer of the Spanish army very recently
made the statement that had the Spaniards
been aware Of the condition of the Amer
ican army, it's inability to Withstand the
hardships of a campaign, its lack Of medical
and other supplies and general ineficiency,
as told in the American papers, the Span
iards would not have given up, but would
have continued the fighting for long time
to come, fully believing that they would
have been able to prevent the capture of
Cuba by American arms. This statement is
known to have been made 10 the American
officers now in Cuba, and causes some IN
easiness in official circles, as it may mean
that the SDanards are not yet ready to
yield the island under the terms of the
protocol.
1t is believed by officials in Washington
that had it not been for the outcry made
regarding the army and the conduct of the
war that there never would have been any
question raised by the Spanish peace COM
missioners regarding the Cuban detr. 1t
is pointed out, under the protocol, the sole
question left for the commissioner was the
settlement of the Philippines, and that
nothing was said about the Cuban debt or
any other Cuban question. BY those who
are in position to know it is asserted that
the Madrid government was aware when 1t
asked for peace and when negotiations
were opened that it was useless to ask that
the Cuban debt be taken into consideration
by any commission. and that it is only since
the reports of the bad condition of the
United States army has reached Madrid
that the question has been raised.
Another matter that causes grave con-
sideration in the War Department is the
temper of the Spaniards in Cuba and the
fear that the impression which now pre-
walls there may lead them to regard the
American troops of not much account, and
act accordingly after the occupancy by the
United States. The matter has been dis
cussed in the War Department, and it is
probable that when the troops are sent
to Cuba there will be force of such size and
character as to give the islanders a differ
ent impression of United States soldiers
than they now entertain.
''The impression among the Spaniards in
Cuba said an officer in position to know
what is going on, "is that the American
soldiers are weak and puny, incapable of
withstanding hardships and whom it will
be an easy matter to vanquish. This feel
ing may make it difficult for the Americans
at first This impression is due to the
charges that have been made against the
War Department with such virulence and
insistence during the past few months
The peace commissioners have not reached
the subject of the Philippines, but are still
engaged, not exactly with the Cuban debt.
but rather in an effort on the one side to get
that subject before the joint commission
and on the other to exclude it entirely as
not proper for discussion. Without doubt
the friction between the two sides has be-
come more pronounced within the past few
days, but that is attributed to mistaken
ideas existing on the part Of the Spanish
public men regarding the sentiment in the
United States and the probable results of
varying political struggles here Under
these erroneous impressions the Spanish
commissioners have persisted beyond what
were believed to be their powers of en-
durance upon their effort to secure by some
means an arrangement. by hook or crook
preferably just now by getting the United
States to accept title to Cuba, for the as
sumption of the Cuban debt by this coun-
try. or at least to relieve Spain from that
heavy obligation The spanish effort viii
not prevail. but the United States commits.
1COnfinEed on Third PnEeJ