The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-11-19
A BAD SITUATION AT HAVANA
NO ONE KNOWS Just WHAT THE
SOLDIERS WILL no.
II They Get n Reasonable Amouyt OF
i, Back Pay II Is snid They WIN
Remain Quiet.


to the Tribune from Havana says: Hava-
ma is in a state, not OF tuinuit, but OF uu-
rest. The mass Of the population is not
turbulent. 1t Is anxious as the business
men for quiet transition from Spanish
| rule TO American control. Outside the
vicious and criminal Glasses. whose num-
pers isve unfortunately been increasing.
the city breads disorders. All classes may
be relied on to exercise self restraint and
TO aid the authorities. But they do not
Know what the army may do and, not
knowing, they are feyerisn and expectant
| II Is question with some observers
| whether the trouble VIII vet come in lupa
| or wtled1er the ambitious soldier-politician
| VIII mould TIE troops to their purposes ami
Mold them in check until the return TO
| Spain.
Inc proposition is not a. complicated one
II tney get lair amount OF the back pay
that is due them, the troops will remain
4 quiet
| Tnat many of the battalions are ready
70 munity il apparent, These Will bo tsb
hrst TO be placed aboard the transports and
sent back home. The evacuation is likely
| u be hastened by tass circumstance The
authorities have been slow. have found
pietexts for delay. but when they uaem-
| serves are threatened they will find II pro-
1
! Captain General Blailco is himself an
xious to return but he can not embark till
the preparations for sending back the
troops IN Havana province have reached a
more forward step. He is said TO be urg
| ing MS Subordinatcs 10 greater activity.
| AT times there has been a probability of n
demonstration against the captain general
| lEsN probability Is a Diminishing one The
| hostility OF tho troops is now directed
aeainst General Juan Arolas the military
governor Of Havana province. How deep
| me feeling is against MIN since he cut
down an 'orden publioo" with his sword
can not be judged by person who is not
| OF tile army. The Spanish soldiers are sui
| len and undemonstrative. Their obedience
Is that of dumb animals. Yet that they
| VIII forget the death Of their comrade Is
| not believed, though there may be no open
| revolt. The officers are excessively ner-
vous. They appear 10 think That the death
CT the orden publico viii be avenged on
General Aroias.
That grim old soldier is himself the least
concerned OF all He would cut down with
his own hand every member OF the orden
a aissI gne IT. it were necessary to maintain
The orden publico are the flower OF the
Spanish troops. Rather. it should be said
they were the flower. for as a body they
have been dissolved. Instead of being
HGvana's police force, they are now simply
regulars In the ranks under the discipline
OF the regular army, and can not be dis
armed. Some of uhese men may have the
personal sympathy of General Arolas, who,
in his republicanism, has been charged
with Carlist leanings. Many OF them were
Carlist soldiers who in concluding truce
with the governor, stipulated that they
should net he required 10 serve in Spain
and We're therefore sent to Cuba
General Aroas himself ts one OF the best
soldiers that Spain has ever sent TO her
cn1n ,tnc .ha bad tho h i'm
haps she would not be yielding her last
possessions. IL is said of Arolas that ne
refused to take the oath to support the
monarchy, which was required of all the
generals and that he declared the word of
a soldier was enough to attest his loyalty.
Whether this incident is true or not, HIS
independence made his presence uncom-
Portable in Spain and he was sent cut as
governor of one of the Philippine islands.
Testimony to his efficiency lii making
Spanish authority respected by the natives
has been given by those who We're In the
Philippines al thst time 1T is also said
that his integrity was something the other
Spanish Officials could not understand.
When General Aroas was transferred to
Cuba he was in favor OF keeping up per-
sistent warfare on the insurgents. He may
not take high rank AS a tacticlaf or strate-
gist, bur he saw that the only way the
instruction could be subdued was by
plan of campaign was IN occasional demon
s:ration by the troops against the lnsur
gents and then a long rest. Arolas was
fretted into acquiesceifce. He built the
trocha across the western pant OF the
island, which was known the Weyler
trocha and which was measuraably success
full in keeping THE insurgents under Maceo
from crossing at will. Arolas' independent
character brought him into conflict with
General Weyler. He was sent to Santiago
province and remained there till several
weeks after Blanco stIerseded Weyler
Then he was recalled asd made military
governor of Havana province.
General Arolas arrived in Havana on the
afternoon of THE day in January ON which
the army officers precpitated the riots
against autonomy. The officers feared him
far more than Blanco He took immediate
command Of the military forces. During
the days that followed he himself led many
charges against the rioters, sometimes on
horseback and sometimes on foot He never
failed 10 clear the streets. He would rush
among a group OF rioters. beat them with
his sword and send them flying.
Frequently the mob would tire OF cry
ing death 10 autonomy, death 10 ban
co. and would roar long live Arolas.
Then Arolas would reply with string OF
vigorous oaths and would scatter the riot
ers. He had genuine popularity With the
Havana populace. Ut did not quail before
him. but il yielded to the general who
could abuse it so heartily. In spite OF his
roughness, General Arolas was also popu,,
lar with his soldiers If the peaceful
blockade Of Havana by the United States
had been changed into an assault by lana,
many persons believe that the honor OF
herloc defense woulf have fallen more to
the military governor, Arolas, pran TO Cap
tain General Blgnco. General Arolas was
sincere In not wanting war with the
United States. Since its conclusion ne mas
hated the American nation with the robust
hatred OF a soldier who feels the humiiia-
ton Of his defeated and humbied country.
This feeling has not affected his official re-
lations nor mas II lessened the esteem IN
which Americans In Havana hold Nun.
They And no fault with the Spanish general
VITO feels defeat too deeply to affect Gym
cism or Indifference
IL 10 known that breach exists between
Blanoo and Arolas and that 1t does moi ln-
prove the~mtlook for getting tae troops
away peacefully Blanco would concin-
ate. and IN that he Is wise AToias does
not know what Cancellation neans When
the company of orden publico drew up IN
front a the palace Thursday TO demand
their nay. ID WAS i've who went among them