The evening times., 1899-01-25
MEN Who FOUGHT
FOR CUBAN FREEDOM
General Greene Reports His In.
spectiOn of Troops.
Elemen S of a Fine Army Differed
by Americans.
Necessity of Immediate Work for
Those Tired of Life in the Field.
Multitude of Orphans.

gave out today synopsis of Major General
Francis V. Greenes recent report con-
cerning the duties recently assigned to
him in Cuba.
Speaking of an inspection which he made
CT the Cuban troops General Greene re-
marks that he found them TO be of all
colors, black, mulatto, and white. They
! were an able bodied lot of men, although
smaller in stature than Americans. They
had been Injured TO hardship during the last
three years, seemed well disciplined and
so fully controlled by their officers that, al
though their sufferings from lack of food
were very great no cases of pillage had
been reported. The horses of their cavalry
were small, but strong and in fair condi-
ton. With this exception, their equipment
was wretched. Their arms were OF various
patterns and calibres. Some were Mausers
and Remingtons captured from the Span
isrds. and some were Winchesters obtained
by purchase.
About one-half carried the machete.
| Their clothing was insufficient and ragged;
| their saddles piece of leather with
straw pad. Frequently the alleged saddle
possessed only one Stirrup. The brides
for the horses were usually composed of a
piece of rope. In the line of equipments.
such as tents and wagons, as general
thing they had none. The officers impress
ed General Greene most favorably For the
most part they were intelligent, educated
men well mounted and well dressed. Gen
eral Greene gives il as his opinion that
this force possesses the elements of fine
body of native troops, provided they are
properly organized, equipped, and their
! regimental and possibly battalion, COM
manderS selected from American officers.
! ;e h the nrg1ulylIlOQ
Of these troops should be begun at the
earliest possible moment, otherwise there
! is danger that the force may disintegrate
! and turn into brigands. Under the eX-
/ listing conditions of lack of food and
] clothing it will be difficult TO hold them
| much longer. The chief OF one OF the
cavalry regiments, Colonel Delgado, was
| in his youth the most noted brigand in
! Pinar del Rio province. Delgado knows
| every path and lane in that province and
| many OF the soldiers in his regiment pos
! sess similar knowledge General Mono
| cal recommends Delgado an excellent
soldier thoroughly subordinate and
! man whose services can be utilized in
hunting up criminals through the coun-
| try in case there should be any disorder.
Would Make Good ConstabIes.
General Greene is of the opinion that
this officer and the men under him. under
proper discipline. would be very efficient
as a part of a rural constabulary. If al
lowed to drift apart they might give the
military forces of the United States
great deal of trouble. The roaming life
they have led for several years has dis
qualified them for the work of peaceful
farmers, but they viii make good sol
diers if properly organized. 1t would be
possible TO get from ten to flf-
teen thousand such men who
would be suitable for military
service. Two-thirds of them should be
mounted. About 5000 men suitable for
! military service could probably be OBJ
tanned from the discharged Spanish SOL
diers. While the Cubans might dislike
at first to have the Spanish associate with
them, General Greene thinks it probable
that this dislike would disappear if
the Spaniards were employed solely in
subordinate capacities as enlisted men.
The remaining half of the Cuban forces.
about ten to fifteen thousand who are
not especially adapted to the life of a SOL
der and are peaceful laborers and farm
hands. seemed anxious 10 return TO their
/ homes. But as their homes have been
destroyed, their families having perished
/ in the RECOMMENDATION, their fields grown
uD with weeds. and as they have no
money to purchase implements for farm
ing purposes for the time being this is
/ impracticable. 1t is of the utmost urgen-
| cy to provide work for these men imme-
diately. In General Greene's opinion
money could be put Immediately into the
bands of the starving laboring class by
employing them in the construction and
repair OF roads, the rebuilding of hospi-
tails, asylums and public buildings Of all
classes in the various towns. Many o.
the buildings named have been destroyed
during the last three years and such as
have not been destroyed have been used
as barracks, hospitals and for other mill
tary purposes, and are being turned over
in great need of repair. These buildings
are necessary for the restoration OF order,
carrying on of the government and the
sheltering of the orphans and sick.
In every province and town men can be
put to work in this manner and by re-
ceivng their wages every Saturday night
! can obtain the means with which to get
food and then clothing. In a few months
| by pursuing this course, they would be en-
| bled TO return to their homes and start
life over again. Money thus disbursed
would find its way through the ordinary
! channels of trade. This would revive busi-
ness money would accumulate in the
banks. whence ii could be loaned to such
I, planters as could give reasonable security
This would also enable them to restore the
damages done to their plantations and en-.
,
ing implements and to begin planting. TIL.
scheme recently proposed in the Havana
papers for the establishment of an Agricul
/ tural Bank, with capital of fifty mil.
lions for the express purpose of loanini
money to the planters at low rates of in
terest to enable them to resume agricultu
| raj operations General Greene does not ap
prove of.
I Needy Laborers and Farm Hands.
Such scheme could only be carried ou
: by the Government, and presents all th
objections which have been urged agains
similar propositions in the United States
General Greene holds that it is not th
planter. but the laborer and farm hanC
| and the small farmer who are in need o
immediate assistance. This could be givel
in the manner above indicated, and full
equivalent would be returned for all th
money thus disbursed, because the con
struction of roads, repair of buildings an'
sanitation Of towns are all works whicl
must be done and can be done more cheap
ly now than in the future.
The prosecution of this work and the
prompt payment Of wages will gain tht
| gratitude of the Cubans and at the sam
time enforce respect for the authorit!
and Government of the United States.
S would not support pauperism, becaus
= there are plenty of men willing and abl
G to work, and those who would not do
S fair days work would not get employ
i ment There were several strikes 70
higher wages among the force employe,
at Marianao, as well as in the stree
4 cleaning of Havana. The wages pai
t were very liberal in view of the circum