Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-16

newspaper man posed as Patron
Saint Because of vague rumurs Of
impending conflict between Spain and
Uncle Samuel Trunks are packed in
hundreds uf homes. and arrangements
secretly completed 50 far as possible.
for Immediate fitting. According to the
usage of civilized warfare, should the
city be bombarded hy the United States
hatticships. due notice would be given
the american citizens and means for
their transportation to other points pro-
Nidcd. With war vessels In front, insur-
gents pouring in from the rear. and
desperate Spaniards at their last gasp
IN the midst, IA hot time in the old
town" would feeble express the situa-
ton in doomed Habana, Just now the
one predomirating element is the mill
tary. Tn" streets are literally lined
with men and boys in SPANS blue
cotton uniforms, hotels arc packed
with officers and the quletest pcdestfi-
an TX jostlcd on the streets by soldiers
and halted at every corner after night
fall by the click OF the musket and the
stern query, "Quien Vive?" The aver
age Spanish soldier Is not AN object 10
inspire terror. or even respect. He is
underslzed, often manifestly underfed,
slouching In gait and hang-do in gen.
eral appearance--about as wide a con>
trast as can well be imagined Ia "the
West Point out" which is the Amer
l'dlt VI MilN II WultlOf Nnuulu
be- These may understand the theo-
~ and practice of war all right, bu,
somehow the true martial ardor does
not seem to extend down into their
backbone and logs But do not ina.
CINE that America will have any
easy walk-over If she comes down here
TO settle the Cuban question by force
OF arms! These slouchy looking fell
lows fight like crazy fiends under ex-
element and the Spaniards are certain
to do wild things when the crisis comes.
The tragedy Of the Maine, in a time of
tranquility is u faint foreshadowinh
of what may be expected in the expir-
Ing throes Of outraged national "hon-
or" Fifteen thousand new recruits
have recently arrived from Spain, fresh
and well equipped. The hungry army
has been having extra rations of late
and plainly show the bracing qualities
OF a Few square meals, and the half
starved horses of the cavalry have been
replaced by well fed ones. stolen from
Cuban haciendas. The uniforms OF
officers and men are evidently cut from
the same piece-coat and trousers OF
blue and white striped denim. No
body can accuse any VI them OF wearing
corsets, as do some OF our nedglngs in
the military service; but why, In heav-
ems name-will somebody tell us why
do army tailors. the wide world over.
put the seat of the trousers near the
curve OF the knee joints and the waists
of the jackets midway to the aImplts
The officers wear few gilt stars on
their coat sleeves and a white canvas
hat: while the enlisted men wear hats
of panalna straw, turned up on one side
and fastened with rosette. The vo>
lunteers, corresponding to our National
Guard, act as adjuncts to the city po-
lice. Their guard mounting and in
spection every morning in the Prado, IL
worth coming far to see. II seems to
be sort of go as you please" arrange
ment. each man choosing his own carte
and department. Talking in the ranks
at all times. and even cigarette smok-
ing is allowed. At inspection, the men
become silent and immovable only
when the officer approaches them. and
relax into sociabililty the instant his
back is turned. There is no asserting
of sizes; perhaps a five-foot boy be-
tween men six or eight inches taller,
haphazard down the line. Some have
/ leggings, some have not: some have
| shoes. some sandals; some are bare.
| footed, and like the urchin Of the story,
are glad to come OFF So" In short,
| they look like job-lot of misfits. of
| mixed sizes and colors and conditions,
between the ages Of fifteen and fifty.
The rank and file of the regulars
have had the worst time of It, Last
| summer fully fifty percent of them
| sickened and died. and the hospital de
San Ambrosio is crowded with Their
living skeletons. Until latey 1t was