Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1898-07-20
THE suLKING CUBANS.

THE SULKING CUBANS.
a dispatch from Santiago de Cuba
says: A fact which is impressed more
and more every day upon the Ameri-
can officers and men is in the increasing
rained relations between the Ameri-
cars and General Gsrcia's Cuban sol
diers. Indeed, the situation has now
reached a point when there is pra ct
cAlIy no communication at all between
he Two armies, and their relations bor
der on those Of hostility rather than
he relations which one would suppose
would exist between allies.
As soon ss General Shafter announc-
ed his decision not to let the Cuban
tcrces enter the city of Santiago de
Cuba deep mutteriDgs were heard
among General Garcia's men. 1t was
-vdent the CubaDs were greatly d'sap-
pointed at the step taken by The Amer
,can commander, for they had conf
:ently counted upon having Santiago
urued over to loot and plunder as they
had in succession sacked Ba;quir',
S,boney and FL Caney, Consequently
tier disappointment was keen when
they a>certained that they were not
20 ue permitted TO take possession OF
he city upon General Torals surten-
!,r.
On Friday last Castillo, brother of
General Deme'rius Castillo, went TO
General Shaf;vr's heaqusrters ia order
. ascertain the cause of this, to the Gu
Daos, inexplicable resolution.
@Why IS SsGti; % 10 remain in the
nands of our euemies?" he asked.
The Spsniards are no. our enemies"
replied General Shafter.
"We are fighting the soldiers Of
Spain, but we have no desire to despoil
ner citizens. No Cuban will be allow.
I'd 10 enter the city nor will any Amer
lcan soldier. The government of the
city is matter for the people to decide.
When the American army leaves it |
presume it will be turned over to you,
out not until then"
Castillo, who came direct from Gen.
Garcia's camp, did not attempt 10 con-
ceal his cbagrin.
The Cuban soldiers now fully realize
that there is rising sentiment against
,tem in the American army. They
hear nothing but words OF scorn from
our men as they pass onward, Juggling
their bacon and hardtack into the
woods. Even our officers no longer
conceal their disgust for their allies,
and it is understood that the warm
friendship displayed toward them at
first has now turned into con
tempt, for the Cubans have neither
foug hit nor worked. The correspondent
cf the Associated Press who sends this
dispatch saw group of Cubans refuse
10 ut blank to sid in building roads,
and, during the two days heavy fight
my, while they were lettering in The
rear, our surgeons sought in vain to
secure assistance from them, even to
GU poles for improvised filters for onr
wounded.
Hundreds of such instances are be-
ing told arouod the camp fires until the
name ofCubau IS usually wresthed with
camp profanity, and very rarely is
kind word spoken of them. In fact, in
some quarters there is disposition 10
prophesv an early collision between
our men and the Cubans
General Shafter Saturday morning
sent an invitation to General Garcia to
attend the ceremony Of raising the
American flag over Santiago de Cuba;
but the Cuban General showed his re-
sentiment by sending q reply which
amply confirmed the course which he
and his ragged, ignorant soldiers have
followed during the weeks of bard
fighting and campaigning which have
resulted ia the fall of Santiago.
He declined the invitation, said he
hated the Spaniards and added that he
did not want to be where any of them
were. Since that time the Cubans
have remained in their camp, eating
American rations, and our troops have
had no communication with them.
a dispatch from Washington says
there is apprehension that the assump-
ton by the United States government
of the control of affairs at Santiago
may lead to trouble with the Cubans.
A few days before the surrender OF the
city General Garcia sent a committee
to General Shaiter informing him that
that the Cubans had selected a Cuban
named Castillo for Governor of the
CITY. 1t is plain. however, from the
reading of the Presidents order to
Shsfter that it would be long time be-
fore this Cuban officer is allowed to ex-
ercise the functions of Governor, and it
is believed it is the Presidents purpose
when the military government he has
lust erected gives way to replace it
with popular government, meaning
thereby 8 government for Santiago
chosen by the free vote OF the people Ct
Santiago.
Some doubt is expressed as to wheth-
er this programme will be entirely ac-
ceptable to that element of the Cuban
party which demands Immediate pos
session of the captured territory, put as
the administration is convinced thae
this element is neither the most numer-
Gus nor respectable in the Cuban cause
it is believed their dissatisfaction Will
take no more dangerous form tnan
protests and groWls.
It. has been sue. esied that tho Fte' i
dents action in the case OF Saau y"