The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-06-03
COL. FRED.
N Letter and an Interview which Throw
A Bright Light on Some Things
That Have Not Been Very
Well Understood Up
This Way.


My dear Scott:-I am here like
everybody else, waiting. Gen. Miles
ts still ia Washington but the most of
his staff are already here. There are
IN camp In the suburbs OF the city
about 10000 soldiers, of whom 10000
are regulars, and In the hay are
twenty transports ready to take them
to Cuba. The invasion is being de-
layed, not only by the fact that the
Spanish feet is still at large, but by
the wretched equipment of the volun-
teers. Even the crack National Guard
Regiments of New York and Penn
sylvania are in no condition to 90 to
the front. So few of the old men of
these Regiments volunteered to go
and such large proposition of raw
material got in that the Regiments
are only half drilled.
Nothing of note has happened to
me since my arrival in Tampa. 1
wish we would get down into Cuba
and get this thing over with. There
is fear here among many well in.
formed army officers that unless we
give Spain heart blow pretty soon,
Emperor Bill is liable to get on high
horse and mix in this thing, and when
he does there is going to he - to
pay!
The difficulty of getting the volun-
teers equipped and hammered into
shape has been an unanswerable
argument in favor of those who con-
tend that we must hereafter keep
much larger standing army. If we
had had $4,000 available regulars
Havana would have been ours ten
days after the declaration of war
But / am preaching. which is bad for
the health FRED FUNSTON.
AS OTHERS SEE HIM.
Under date of May %, the special
correspondent of the Kansas City Star
at Tampa, writes: Colonel Fred
Funston put on his Uniform yesterday
dor the first time, at the suggestion OF
headquarters, but shortly rebelled
and took II of. He claimed it was
too hat. Colonel Funston, with all
his mOdesty, promises to be one of
dhe most useful men OH the staff. He
DIS conservative In all his statements,
and when ignorant of subject does
not hesitate to say so. In this he is "a
great exception to the men who
have furnished information
about Cuba. These sources of infor.
matiOn are being rapidly sifted out,
and checked up, and only the reliable
men are consulted. Colonel Funston's
name heads the list. He reiterated
his belief today that no cooperation
from the insurgents could he d pend
ed upon as an organized army He
estimates the total strength of the
Insurgents year or 80 ago at 10000
men Now, he says, there are not
over $4,000. General Garcia, in the
two. eastern provinces, he credits
with II, 600 soldiers. General Gomez
in the our western provinces, ne al
lows 1900. General Garcia's men,
he says are in fairly good shape; those
OF Gomez in very bad shape He
says the decrease has heen caused bv
star walton. disease and Spanish bull
let's. General Gomez. in his npiniou
can be counted on for little or no 60.
operation and General Garcia's men
cannot reach the western part OF the
island owing to the long distance and
lack of transportation. He says Gen
'eral Garcia can help by cutting Off
BlsncO's lines of communication, but
that Is aDoUt all.
When asked ii the decreasing
strength of the insurgents did not
indicate "A Spanish victory i'm time If
the United States had not interfered
in Cuba, Colonel Funston said: I'm
doubtedly they would win in the
long run. 1t would. however. he an
other ten years war"