The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-18
THE STATE OF OUR ARMY
BELIEVE THEY COULD HAVE
HELD CUBA AGAINST US.
UNEaSINESS IN OFFICIAL CIRCLES
Dons May not be Ready to Yield Cuba Now
Under Terms of Protocol. General
Lee to Command the First
Cuban Expedition.

Washington, ID. c., October lin
formation has reached the War Depart
ment that a high officer of the Spanish
army very recently made a statement
that had the Spaniards been aware of the
condition of the American army its in
ability to withstand the hardships of u
campaign, its lack of medical and other
supplies and general efficiency as told in
the American papers, the Spaniards
would not have given up but would have
continued fighting for a long time to
come fully believing that they would
have been able to prevent the capture of
Cuba by American arms.
This statment is known to have been
made to the American officers now in
Cuba, and causes some uneasiness in Off
cial circles, as it may mean that the
Spaniards are not yet ready to yield the
island under the terms of the protocol.
1t is believed by officials in Washing
ton that had it not been for the outcry
made regarding the army and the con-
duct of the war there never would have
been any question raised by the Spanish
peace commissioners regarding the Cuban
debt 1t is pointed out under the proto-
col that the sole question left for the
commission was the settlement of the
Philippines and that nothing was said
about the Cuban debt or any other Gu
ban question. BY those who are in posi-
ton to know it is asserted that the Mad
RID Government was aware when it
asked for peace and when negotiations
were opened that it was useless to ask
that the Cuban debt be taken into CON
sideration by any commission and that it
is only since the reports of the bad con-
dition of the United States army has
reached Madrid that the question has
been praised.
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
prevails there may lead them to re-
gard the American troops OF not much
account and act accordingly after the
WEAK AND PUNY GEE WHIZZ !.
occupancy by the United States.
The matter has been discussed in the
War Department, and it is probable that
when the troops are sent to Cuba there
will be IL force of such size and charac-
ter as to give the islanders a different
impression Of United States soldiers than
they now entertain.
''rhe impression among the Spaniards
in Cuba" said an officer in a position
to know, what is going on, sis that the
American soldiers are weak and puny.
Incapable of withstanding hardship and
whom it will be an easy matter to van
quish. This feeling may make it difficult
for the Americans at first. The impress
sion is due to the charges that have been
made against the War Department with
such virulence and insistence during the
past few months"
1t has become evident that the troops
when sent to Cuba must be isolated for
some time in their camps to avoid the
danger of infection. and the Department
is not quite clear that any useful pur
pose will be served by placing soldiers
where their services cannot be available
While the wet season has now almost
reached its end in Cuba it is said that the
yellow fever is more prevalent and more
dangerous in type just now than at any
time during the year. These conditions,
however, will not continue long. A propo-
sition that is now under consideration
looks to the employment of the Cubans
as local gendarmes, it being urged that
they would be more seryiceable in main