Arizona republican., 1898-03-26
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GU
 BANS.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GU BANS
 "The Cubans-There are, or were be-
 fore the war, about 100000 Cubans on the island, ,000 Spaniards (which means those born in Spain), and less
 than 5OO,OO0 of negroes and people of
 mixed blood. The Cuban whites are of pure Spanish blood, and, like the Spaniards, usually dark in complexion, but oftener lighter or more blond,
 so far as I noticed, than the Spaniards 1 The percentage of colored to white has been steadily diminishing for more
 than fifty years, and is not now ever
 25 per cent of the total. In fact, the
 number of colored people has been ac-
 tually diminishing for nearly that
 time. The Cuban farmer and laborer
 IS by nature peaceable, kindly, gay,
 hospitable, light hearted and impro-
 vident
 There is proverb among the Gu
 bans that Spanish bulls cannot be bred in Cuba that is, that the Cubans, though they are of Spanish blood, are
 less excitable and of a quieter temper
 ament. Many Cubans whom I met spoke in strong terms against bull fights; that it was a brutal institu-
 ton, introduced and mainly patron
 1Zed by the Spaniards. One thing that
 was new to me was to learn the su-
 periority of the well-to-do Cuban over the Spaniard in the matter of educa-
 tion. Among those in good circum
 stances there can be no doubt that the Cuban is far superior in this respect
 And the reason of it is easy to see
 They have been educated in England
 France or this country, while the
 Spaniard has had such education as
 his own country furnished.
 "The Negro-The co,ored people
 seem to be by nature quite the equa
 mentally and physically of the race
 in this country. Certainly physically
 they are by far the larger and strong
 CT race on the island. There is little
 or no race prejudice, and this ha: doubtless been greatly to their ad vantage. Eighty-five years ago there were one-half as many free negroes al slaves, and this proportion was slow ly increasing until emancipation. THE SPANISH ARMY.
 "The military Situation-It is sail } that there are about sixty thousand } Spanish soldiers now in Cuba fit fo } duty out of over two hundred thou
 sand that have been sent there. Tn
 rest have died, been sent home sick r or are in the hospitals, and some hay 7 been killed, notwithstanding the off 5 cial reports. They are conscripts ) many of them very young, and gener : ally small men. One hundred an
 thirty pounds is a fair estimate o ;, their average weight They are quie l and obedient, and if well drilled an ) led I believe would fight fairly vel but not at all equal to our men. Mucl more would depend on the leadershi l than with us. The officer must lea . well, and be one in whom they hay l confidence; and tLis applies to bot Q sides alike As I saw no drills or reg f ular formation, I inquired about theT d of many persons, and was informe t that they had never seen drill.
 l T saw perhaps ten thousand Span = ish troops, but not piece of artiller! :, nor a tent. They live in barracks i = the towns and are seldom out for nor n than day, returning to town at nigh |. | THEIR TACTICS IN BATTLE. t "They have little or no equipmer
 of supply trains or for a field can Il paign such as we have. Their caN T airy horses are scrubby little natiy ? ponies, weighing not over eight hun
 dred pounds, tough and hardy, but fo
 the most part in wretched condition
 reminding one of the mounts of Do r Quixote and his squire. Some of tf Y. officers, however, have good horse . mostly American, I think. On bot a n sides cavalry is considered the favo Il ite and the dangerous fighting arm. ~ ''The tactics of the Spanish, as d ~ scribed to me by an eye witness ar Io participant in some of their battle rt are for the infantry when threatene ,1 by insurgent cavalry to form a hollo ., 'o square and fire away ad libitum al :, without ceasing until time to marc :, back to town. It does not seem n. haHn inferred tho raindc of cil