The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-03-02

Cabanas castle, which has been
| frowning at us all day, is a tremendous
fortress, built by the Spaniards at
great expense many years ago.. In
of the slightest use to anyone; it has
never been used in the defense of the
city. But some of the old castles else
where have been used in making his
tory; some of them have been assault
ed months at time, and finally taken.
During the Sepoy mutiny in India, the
native soldiers at Delhi seized the
castle ne. and an..i fort 1saving the English
stormed the place regularly for six
months, and finally took it. If you are
disposed to be cowardly, you can not
understand how men can be as brave
as the English soldiers were at Delhi.
As sat on deck awhile ago, a pas
Senger came up and said a man in a
boat on the other side was calling for
me. 1t turned out to be Ed Dennison,
formerly of Atchison, now secretary of
Havana's publicity committee. He sent
me copy of The Weekly Globe; which
contained a good deal of news. But
he could not assist me in my pres
emit predicament which is that I can
not go ashore. When he rowed away
ne SAID: III see you again. He
may have scheme whereby can
steal ashore tonight While I am here
would dearly love to see q little of
Havana and Cuba. But 1t seems am
to be denied the privilege. The pros
pect of landing grows worse hourly,
and 1t is announced that we will prob
ably sail for Nassau at s a. m. tomor-
row. without setting foot on Cuban
soil. Because of the failure to land
here, the captain promises to stop at
the Bermudas. if possible.
1t is unfortunate that I have trav-
eled SO far. and am unable to land in
Havana, although am within a few
hundred yards of its principal streets,
but I can tell you a worse situation:
am out of shirts. The laundry on the
ship is swamped with work, and my
bundle was sent back this morning.
And have my last clean shirt on my
back! I have plenty of ,inderclothing
OF three different weights, but no
shirts, and only one more clean collar.
I intended having washing done in Ha-
vana, but that is now impossible. What
will do? I don't suppose the presi-
dent of the Cuban republic Is interested
in that question. but am.
The doctor of the "Moltke" says the
only reason we are refused permission
to land at Havana is that we are
And think of the millions we spent to
free the Cubans from the tyranny of
Spain! Being good to people often
causes them to hate you. My personal
opinion has always been that the Span |
ish trated the Cubans as we'll as they
deserved. The Spanish-American war
was a case of Muck Raking, and no
enc will! ever be able to convince me
that the Spanish blew up the Maine"
But the accident on the Maine" ex-
cited the American people, and they |
demanded war. They got 1t. and the |
war was a joke from start to finish. |
died US with a lot of island possessions |
that will always cost us more than |
they are worth. And what is still worse, |
the war with Spain Y@n the start of
our present fool naval policy. We have
no more use for a big navy than a |
sheep farmer has for cur dogs, and ev- |
cry time I think of Cuba, I become /
angry. Now that am in Havana har-
Dor, don't know that I would care
to burn the town, but I would like
to kick e. few of the Patriot-Loafers |
who cried without cause until the
Great Heart Of our nation was aroused !
and We engaged in war with a blind |
and crippled adversary. And we
handled the war SO wretchedly that
Japan will finally force us into a fight, |
If regards US as so easy. Every time
I think of the ridiculous manner in
" hich some of our Leading Men are
carrying on. it makes me so mad that
I could whip Spanish warship, which
7 would rather fight any time than
rabbit.
But there is no way out of the difi-
Guilty, so at dinner tonight, 1 showed
my valentine, with big red heart on
the back of the envelope, and the other
at our table felt ashamed
because they hadn't received one.
Within a few hundred feet of the
"Moltke'' anchored an American
boat which sails tomorrow morning for
Florida. I intended taking this boat,
but am now compelled to go on to
Nassau. and will be delayed several
days. Maybe you think I am not mad
at the Cubans: 1 wish I had the nerve
to quit smoking. and thus cripple the
principal Cuban industry.
Monday. February IA.
Today at noon we left Havana har-
Dor, without being permitted to land.
We spent 80 miserable hours looking at