The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-10-19
Spanish Idea of the
American Soldiers.
WHY the War Department
VIII Send a Large Force
to Cuba.

Washington, Oct. 17.-Information
has reached the war department that
high officer of the Spanish army
very recently made statement tbat
had the Spaniards been aware Of the
condition of the American army, it's
inability to withstand the hardshios
of q campaign, its lacks of medical
and>other supplies and general inefi-
cheney as told in the American
papers, the Spaniards would not have
given up, but would have continued
fighting for long time to come,
fully believing that they would have
been able to prevent the capture Of
Cuba by American arms.
The statement is known to have
been made to the American officers
now in Cuba and causes some uneasl'
ness in official circles as it may mean
that the Spaniards are not yet ready
to Weld the island under the terms of
the protocol.
It is believed by officials in Wash.
ington that hsd it not been for the
outcry made regarding the army aud
the conduct of the war there never
would have been any question raised
by the Spanish peace commissioners
regarding the Cuban debt. 1t is
pointed cut under the protocol that
the sole question left for the commits
sion was the settlement OF the Philip
pines 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 it asked for peace and wher
negotiations were opened, that it was
useless to ask that the Cuban debt be
taken into consideration By any com
mission, and that it is only since the
reports of the bad condition Of toe
| United States army have reached
Madrid that the question has been
raised
Another matter that causes grave
consideration in the war department
is the temper of the Spaniards in
Cuba and the fear that the impress
sion which now prevails there may
lead them to regard the American
troops of not much account and &C,
accordingly after the occupancy by
the United States
The matter has been discussed in
the war department. and it is proba-
bic that when the troops are gent to
Cuba there will be force of such
size and character ss to give tine isl
anders a different impression of Uni
ted States soldiers than shey now en-
tertain.
"The impression among the Span
ierds in Cuba" said an officer in po
sition to know what is going on. "is
that the American soldiers are weak
and pnny, incapable of withstanding
hardship and whom it will be an easy
matter to vanquish. This feeling
may make it difficult for the Ameri-
cans at first This impression is due
to the charges that have been made
against the war department with
such viruleuce and insistence during
the past few mouths. !"
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 usetuI purpose will be served by
placing soldiers where their services
cannot be available While the wet
season has now almost reached it's
end in Cuba, il is said that the yel-
low 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 proposition that
is now under consideration looks to
the employment of the Cubans as
local gendarmes. it being urged that
they would be more serviceable in
maintaining order in the towns than
American soldiers unacquainted with
the Spanish language and Cuban Gus.
toms. The United States govern
ment in this way also would be able
by the payment of snall salaries to
these men to considerably relieve the
distress that exists on the island with
out breeding a class of professional
psupers or lowering the pride of the
Cubans
Unless Gen. Lee specifically asks
to be relieved from that duty, be is
to command the first expedition,
seconded by Gen. Greene and Gen.
Arnold
Madrid, Oct. Is La Eooca, the COZ.
ser7ative orgao. renews the ecggesfloa
! .S r. Hos.oeoor 1ono;, ;oGon., :; a,, Z.