The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-18


and IN the best manner in every re
spect.
; And. if our people see a small frac
; ton OF the need, they would pour nlor'
freely from their liberal store than ever
before co- any cause.
WHEN WILL IT END?
When will the need for help ned
Not until peace comes and the reco-
centrados can go back TO their country
rebuild their homes, reclaim their til
I lage plots. which quickly rush up tC
brush in that wonderful soil and cline
and until they can be free from adngel
of moleStation in so doing. Until ther
the American people must, in the main
care for them. 1t is true that the al.
caldes. other local authorities and re-
lief committees are now trying to dc
something. But the problem is be-
yond their means and capacity, ard the
work IS oce to which they are not ac-
customed.
General Blanco's order of Nov. 1;
last somewhat modifies the Weylel
order. but is Of little or no practical
benefit. Its application is limited tc
farms properly defended and the COM
missioners are obliged to build cenrers
! Of defense Its execution is complete
| ~ in the discretion of the local mill
| tary authorities, and they know the
military order in stripping the country
| of all possible shelter, food or source OF
! information for an insurgent, and will
| be slow to surrender this advantage. In
! fact. though the order was issued four
months ago, saw no beneficent results
| from II worth mentioning. | do not
| impugn General Blanco's mott yes, and
| believe him to be an amiable gentle
man, and that he would be glad to re-
| lieve the condition of the reconcentra-
| dos if he could do So without loss of
| any military advantage, but he knows
! that all Cubans are insurgents at heart,
| and none now under military control
will be allowed to so from under it.
"ONLY MAN IS VILE"
at wish 1 might speak of the country
of its surprising richness. / have
never seen one to compare with it.
! On this point, I agree with Columbus.
and believe every one between his
! time and mine must be of the same
opinion. It is indeed a land where ev-
cry prospect pleases and only man is
VILE
Il had but little time to study the
race question and have read nothing
on it, so can only give hasty impress
| sions. 1t is said that there are nearly
100000 Spaniards in Cuba out of a
| total population of 100000. They live
principally in the towns and cities.
The small shopkeepers in the towns
and their clerks are mostly Spaniards.
Much of the larger business, too, and
of the property in the cities and in a
less degree in the country is in their
hands. They have an eye to thrift and
as everything possible in the way of
trade and monopolies in which the
country abounds is given to them by
the government, many of them acquire
Spanish residents of the island had
contributed largely in blood or treasure
to suppress the insurgents"
THE CUBAN.
There are, or were, before the war
about 100000 Cubans on the island,
100000 Spaniards (Which means those
born in SPAIN and less than half a
million of negroes and mixed bloods.
The Cuban whites are pure Spanish
blood, and, like the Spaniards, usually
dark in complexion but oftener light or
blonde, so far as 1 noticed, than the
Spaniards. The per centage of colored
to white has been steadily diminished
for more than 30 years and is not now
over % per cent of the total. In fact,
the number Of colored people has been
actually diminished for nearly that
time. The Cuban farmer and laborer
is by nature peaceable. kindly, gay,
hospitable, light hearted and IMPROVE
dent. There is a proverb among the
Cubans 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 tenn
permanent. Many Cubans whom 1 met
spoke in strong terms against bull
nghunS; that 1t was a brutal institu-
ton. introduced and mainly patronized
by the Spaniards. One thing that was
new to me, was to learn the superiority
of the weil-to-do Cuban over the
Spaniard in the matter of education.
Among those in good circumstances
there can be no doubt that the Cuban
is FAR superior in this respect And the
reason is easy to see. They have been
educated in England, France or this
country while the Spaniards have
such education as his own country
furnishes.
THE NEGRO.
THE colored people seem to me bv
nature quite the equal, mentally and
physically of the race in this country.
Certainly physically they are by far
the larger and stronger on the island.
There is little or no race prejudice.
and this has doubtless been greatly to
their advantage.
'E,iehty-five years ago there were
one half as many free negroes as slaves. !
and this proportion was slowly in
oreasing until emancipation.
THE MILITARY SITUATION.
1T is said there are about 10000
Spanish soldiers now in Cuba fit for
duty, out of over 200, 900 that have been
sent there. The rest have died, been
sent home, sick in hospitals, and some
have been killed, Notwithstanding the
official reports. They are conscripts, /
many OF them very young, and gen
orally small men. One hundred and |
thirty pounds is a fair average
They are quiet and obedient, and if |
wei! drilled and led 1 believe would |
fight fairly well, but not at all equal to |
our men. Much more would depend on /
the leadership than with US The Off /
Ger must lead well. and be one in whom |
they have confidence and this applies (
to both sides alike. AS / saw no drills /
or regular formation, I inquired about
them of many people, and was in |
formed that they had never seen a |
drill. saw perhaps 10000 Spanish /
troops, but not a piece of artillery nor
a tent. They live in barracks in the
towns, and are seldom out for more
than day, returning to town at night.
They have little or no equipment for
supplying trains or for field cam
paign, such as we have. Their cav
airy horses are little native ponies.
weighing not over 800 pounds, tough
and hard, but for the most part in
Nretched condition, reminding one of
the mounts of Don QuiXote and his
squire. Some officers, however, have
good horses. mostly American, 1 think
On both sides cavalry is considered
he favorite. and the dangerous fight
ng arm.