The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-28
FREEDOM AIM OF FIGHTING.
GOMEZ DENIES WRITING A LETTER
FAVORING HOME RULE.

iards OF the Island Within n
MOnth-Gomez Also Points out
That He Has Nothing to DO With
Diplomatic Negotiations.
Atlanta, Ca, Jan. 27.-Gen. MaXimo
Gomez denies that he ever wrote a
letter favoring home rule for Cuba. He
opposes a compromise with Spain, and
says that if he had $4,000 rifles and 1000
cartridges for each, he could drive Gen.
Weyler off the island within a month.
The general criticises Mr.. Cleveland for
non-interference.
The interview was obtained by c. b.
Hernando who was sent to Cuba by Rev.
A. ]. Diaz, with a commission to have
a personal interview with Gen. Gomez on
the subject of compromise and peace.
DR.. Diaz is the Baptist missionary, who
was released from Moro Castle last sum
mer, through the Intervention of the
United States. Mr.. fernando wrote him
from Jaruco, under date of Jan. 10. Mr..
fernando went from Atlanta direct to Ha-
vana. He left that city as a Cuban cow
| boy, and two days later reached the camp
| of Gomez in the mountains of Las Escal-
eros de Jaruco
Mr. fernando says: although it was
not yet o'clock in the morning. the gen.
eral was up, booted, wearing his large
sombrero and a clean linen dress. The
only arms he wore was small Spanish
| revolver.
Upon acquainting the general with the
report that had been given of his adhe-
sion to the policy of home rule and au-
tonomy for Cuba, the same as accorded
| to Canada by Great Britain, he said en-
phatically: No, sir; 1 have written no
such letter, nor given my assent to the
| policy. l am the general in command of
the Cuban forces, and my only business
| is to plan and fight battles in order to
| drive out the Spanish government from
| Cuba, and to conduct the war to sue
| cessful issue. have been entrusted with
| this duty by the Cuban government
| through it's proper agencies.
IF any action is ever taken in regard
| to the political settlement of Cuba it will
! have to be by President Cisneros and his
| cabinet, who alone are authorized TO act
| Besides this there is an article in the
| constitution which we have adopted, pro-
| viding that even the president and his
| cabinet would have to cali the general as
| sembly to settle such an important mat
| ter as this My only duty is to fight to
| keep the banner flying and in no manner
would / conflict with the properly con-
| stituted authorities of my government.
But 1 asked the general, do you know
! of any movement even on the part OF the
government for such purpose as this?'
why no. replied the general The
| Cuban people were never so determined S
| they are now. At no time since the be-
ginning has the army been in better con-
dition, or better drilled than it is at pres
| ent. Our men are full of enthusiasm for
the independence of our country and never
| in it's history have they been so set against
| taking advantage of any temporary offer.
| The Cuban army and the Cuban people
| have started out for absolute independ-
ence and they will never lay down their
arms until it has been achieved
directing the attention of Gen. Gomez
to the unfriendly policy of Mr. Cleveland,
he smiled grimly and said: When we rose
up in arms against Spanish tyranny we
did so trusting in God and in ourselves.
| We know the enemy whom we have select
ed to meet, so that we did not measure
the stature Of the giant, or the powers of
the lion. Consequently we are here. well
armed and organized and ready to sacri-
| flee our lives for Cuba.
1.-THE general walked up and down as he
spoke, his eye flashing, then he added L
know I should be guarded in what l say.
| ton, for whose people / have the most
profound respect, and he is we'll acquaint-
ed with the truth, but no man who was
not of Anglo-Saxon descent could act so
cold bloodedly as he has done. l know all
the people of the United States are i'm ia
vor of our cause, and am acquainted with
the position of the United States senator's,
| although there has been some friction
| among them, for which l am sorry.
There is one thing, however, that / do
not understand-how 1t is that Mr.. Cleve-
land can be so complaeent with the Span
| ish government which has insulted his
| flag as Gen. Weyler has done in Cuba
and mobs have done in Spain; how MIR.
| Cleveland can rest content when he sees
the Spanish government shedding the in
nocent blood of non-combatants, is past
my comprehension. If it was only for hu-
manitys sake he ought to stop the bar
barities In a friendly way
"At this point the general dropped that
phase of the conversation, and in reply
to a question as to how long he thought
the war would last, said If / had OODO
rifles and 1000 cartridges for each gun,
] would clean Weyler and his troops
from the island inside of thirty days I
have endeavored ip my conduct Of the
war to observe the rules of humanity. 1
have refrained almost at the cost of rev.
olution in my ranks from making reprisals
for barbarities never known in history
before. We recognize that we are in this
fight for life and death; that even the
strongest suggestion of peace, which
| Spain can make is only for the purpose
| of gaining advantage.
IF Spain to-day should offer US the
most complete home rule, backed by the
| United States, she would fail to keep hor
promise. Then we would have to wait for
| the United States to enforce the agree
| ment, and that enforcement would never
come, for there viii always be commercial
! and other interests strong enough 20 keep
the rulers Of nations In cohesion with each
| other. There is one thing IN which we
| trust-that Is the disappearance of the
| Spanish name and Spanish army, ana
| Spanish hag. and the supremacy OF the
| people Of Cuba "