The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-21
1T MADEGEN. GOMEZ LAUGH
A REMARKABLE PROPOSAL SUD-
MITTED BIZ HAVANA SPzNIlRDS.

"A REMARKABLE SUBJ
MITTED BIZ HAVANA sPANIARDS.
Let spaniaras ara Cussns Units - Whip the
Waited states ana Thsn Tlsey Cas- Rssurae
Thcir Unpicanantness-Gen. Gounen'a Reply
to the Unhappy Bearer Of the Message.
HAVANA, June 18.-After the last failure Of
wcyler's agents in Sancti Spiritus to induce
Gen. Gomez to accept peace with Spain on the
basis Of reforms for Cuba, a proposal which was
manfully refused by the Cuban leader in his
letter to weylor of May 10. already published
in The SuN another attempt has been made by
the Spaniards to secure a more extraordinary
agreement with tho commander-in-chief of the
Cuban army.
This timc 1t was not proposed to Gomez either
to give UP Cuba's independence. or to end the
war by any other kind of treaty, but-an incon'
ceivable thing II 1t did not emAnate from Spanish
brains-to make an armistico with Spain and
join tho Spaniards in q war against the United
States. After tho Americans arc whipped-an
end Of tho struggle which Is accepted without
question by these sanguino Spa~nlards-Gomez
could take the field again to fight the mother
country. and the war would proceed between
the Spaniards and Cubans until q decisive set.
Element of their family dispute is reached"
The authors of this ridiculous scheme woro
some Reformists OF Havana who belong to the
CiTCl0ot supporters VI IL hoWppSpOtt thO DtNf
dc la Marina. Tho idea, It 10 said. met the
approval OF the Marquis of Rabell, President of
the Reformist party and the principal share
holders in the Didrio de la Marina Company.
While the Marquis, who was merely Don Pru-
dencio Rabell, o cigarette manufacturer q few
months ago before the Queen Regent gave him
his title, was in tho United States q few weeks
ago he held several interviews at Washington
with Senior Dupuy dc Lome, and tho latter con-
WINGED him that the policy Of the American Gov
crnment was to annex Cuba after Spain should
become thoroughly exhausted in her war against
the patriots, and too weak. therefore, to repel
an American attack.
Don Prudencio, tho Marquis. we'll known in
Cuba as q perfect ignoramus. who holds Q po-
litical position only on account Of his money
and the pecuniary support he gives his bank
rupt newspaper, felt his Spanish patriotism
aroused by Senior Dc Lome's statement, and
wrote Immediately to his friends in Havana
that something ought to be done to prevent the
success of Americas Machiavollism with regard
to Cuba. As soon as this letter was received
tho bright idea of "a race war" against the
United States occurred to tho friends Of the
Marquis and to some other Reformists.
Gen. Gomez was approached early this month
by a commissioner from these Spaniards at his
camp in La Reforma, Santa. Clara province.
Gen. Gomez's policy. since the hopeless financial
distress OF Spain began, 10 to listen to any COM
missioners coming from the Spanish side After
possible solution of the war is the Independence
Of Cuba. But he was extremely surprised when,
instead OF the old story OF home rule and re-
forms. he heard the commissioner unfold tho
great scheme Of war against tho United States.
in this city by a Cuban agent and written by
Gen: Gomez's private secretary:
The General has forbidden me to Civ the he
word to keep 1t secret before the man spoke, and
you know that he does not like to compromise
came here to speak to him.
-" can tell you that since tho General landed
laugh. SO heartily as when. after the spaniard
repeat it, he assured himself that he was not
treating with q mailman, but with q genuine
agent & OF some Spaniards OF Havana.
1.-The General called DIR. Hernandez. to his
sioner, and between his roars Of laughter, which
surprised the guards and every one who knows
tho new Spanish proposal.
"'Don'tyouk know, said Gomez to the spaniard,
.thet l myself have appealed to the United
Cleveland and President Mckinley ].
The main argument that an the Spanish
You forgot he said. with his usual severity.
s I1Ss T US ~ ssd p "a aSnra 9 1s. S Sess M II IS TOO Ssu ls sa,
for such talk; We will be glad only when we
Tho only importance which the General
gives to all this is that It shows the uneasiness
OF the Spaniards with regard to the United
States. He understands that President Nc
Kinley's policy Is already different from Mr..
Cleveland's. Notwithstanding all the official re-
ports TO the contrary circulated by Spanish dip
lomats.
says that all we need is to DO recognized as
belligerents by America. But IL such q war
comes the General believes that it will be only
n matter of q few days for us to roach Havana.
The United States would not need to land a
single man in Cuba. With tho support OF her
navy we would Immediately take Havana by
land"
notwithstanding the ridiculous end of the
race war" scheme. the Spanish newspapers
that this is to be q family war;" Ell Pueblo
and FL Concrete maintain grayely that Sin the
presence Of q common enemy fathers and sons
will unite La Ltchd also considers that such
will be the case. the Spaniards being tho fathers
OF the Cubans.
A Cuban wag who is ably working here against
Spain has remarked to your correspondent con-
the Spaniards to consider themselves the fathers
OF the Cubans. Tho Spaniards of to-day descend
from those contemporaries of the conquerors of
Cuba who remained in Spain. The conquerors
were the real fathers of the Cubans. II the con-
querors were brothers OF the ancestors of the
present Spaniards. the Cubans and Spaniards OF
to-day arc only cousins. This epigram is very
popular now In Havana as an answer to the
race war campaign.
Gen. Weyler knows about the commissioner
sent to Gomez. but he pretends to ignore 1t. His
most intimate friends declare that the only So
luton 10 to exterminate the Cubans.
-