The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-10-08
IT PAYS TO REVOLT IN CUBA.
MOST or THE PATRIOTS HAVE
PICKED UP HORSES.

four months respite from the carking cares
Of the toilsome plantation life. YOU fare
beautifully during all that time at the ex-
pense Of whomsoevers land you cross. You
lose nothing, since o haven't anything
to lose, and IL you win, which Is always in
these parts about a 10 TO 1 chance, you
return to your fertile fields a veteran, the
hero OF the neighborhood.
Moreover, you are more than likely to
be at least one good horse ahead OF the
game. The reasons for this, it appears,
run as follows:
You i~naugurate your revolutionary career
for a variety of good and sufficient reasons.
Either you and your friends have been
beaten away from the polls with stuffed
clubs when you went there, filed with a
freeman's determination to put out the
ins, or your wife has limited that you have
no spunk, or maybe you are just bored.
Anyhow, you 20.
or course you take nothing with you
but your ~overalls and a gun. II you took
anything else somebody might get 1t.
Which IL not the object OF a revolution.
On the other hand inc true patriot can be
reasonably expected to fight the battles OF
his country on foot. Certainly no lover
OF his ountry would be 40 ungracious as
to offer the least objection if you helped
yourself TO a mount from his stable. Where
fore you help yourself, and are then called
blessed.
Furthermore II Ia always customary in
Cuba when the insurrectos are -disarmed'
to make them a present OF whatever horses
or mules they are riding at the time. This
Is an old revolutionary custom. II has
prevailed in Cuba for at least six months.
Il prevailed early this morning when
The sun correspondent travelled out over
the Western Havana Railway to see the
Arst Of the disarmament OF insurgent troops.
All this contingent, 800 strong, was under
command OF Gen. Pine Guerra, who, to-
Rether with Gen. Loynoz del Costello and
Gen. Eduardo Guzman. called yesterday
at the American Legation on Secretary
Taft to inform him that all arrangements
were complete for closing up the revolution
factory and discharging the 5000 hands
that have been engaged in the business.
Guerra, del Castillo and Guzman are all
three picturesque chieftains OF no little
address. They looked the part when they
called at the Legation and their uniforms
were much admired both on the Prado
and at the Hotel TELEGRAPH where the Liberal
leaders and Generals had a celebratory
dinner last evening.
In short, the town ia full OF Liberal Gen.
erals. They drive up n down the Prado
or motor madly here and there, the observed
Of all observers, the gayest OF the gay.
Had they entered the capital at the head
of their troops, blown up the palace and
pillaged the treasury, they could not appear
more satisfied or triumphant than they
do at present.
1t was at Ricon and Santiago de las Vegas
that the so-called disarmament began.
Here were about 900 insurrectos in charge
Of Col. B~etancourt. Every last one OF them
rode a horse or q mule. These animals
averaged surprisingly high in quality ,
many OF them being worth from $3.50 to $500
in the open market. They are greatly
mourned in those bereft homes whittier
they will never return.
Putting aside The mounts, there is little
OF a complimentary nature TO be said OF the
equipment Of the patriots" in the field. In
short, they were almost as heterogeneous
a lot Of patriots as could we'll be collected
Uniforms, Of course, there were none.
A shirt, a pair of brooches; ragged and
filthy, and a pair Of high boots composed
the usual gear. A belt was anything that
would enable a pair OF breeches to defy
the law OF gravitation. A hat was anything
that would stay on a patriots head.
One instructor wore a pair Of trousers
that resembled most closely those WORT
by the rural guards. Inquiry revealed
the fact that the original owner Of this
garment had been caught at his siesta and
compelled to divest himself Of the badge
Of loyalty to established things for the
benefit Of his Liberal brother. The Lib
erals, in fact, were, like all good revolu-
t~ionists, eXceedin gly liberal with the prop
erty Of other folks.
Guns were Of all conceivable varieties,
90 that several correspondents who have
seen fighting the world over declared that
no weapon that has seen use in the last
half century was without representation
at Rincon or Santiago de las Vegas. Most
of the rifles were Of an ancient Remington
p~attern, OF the sort that has furnished di-
version and ~provender to Cuban patriots
in all the revolutions OF recent times. But
there we're a few Winchesters, a number Of
Mausers and even afew Krag-Jorgensens.
1t is a safe guess that most OF these
weapons saw service against Spain and
were retained when the Cuban troops were
disbanded at that time. At that -disarma-
ment" about 81, 900 troops were dispersed.
Each Of them got SIS, the money being part
Of the $50, 900 900 appropriation placed at
President McKinley's disposal in the early
days Of the Spanish war. All bands were
supposed to turn in or lay down their arms.
Constructiyely they did 30. But il they
laid them down they took them up again
and carried them home, for how can a
patriot serve his country without a gum
The result Of this forethought was seen
In the equipment Of the insurrectos OF the
present revolution. To-day, too, the troops
were supposed to lay down their arms.
~Constructively they did so again, but it
requires no gift Of prophecy TO foresee
that should Cuba ever again call her patriot
sons to put out the ms there will be no lack
Of rifles in the field.
Second only to ri fes in point Of impor-
lance as a munition OF war are gamecocks.
No great movement for the regeneration
Of the Pearl Of the Antilles can be successful
without cockfights. Consequently about
one out Of every ten patriots when he took
the field three months z carried with him
q gamecock. Through thick and thin he
stuck to the bird.
Scores OF patriots carried these feathered
fighters with them this morning. some
- 49,, lid. "a ,a-r4A1 "a, Tho han1 nNhnwu