Evening star., 1897-01-11
Spain Speeding Rumors That Will
Aid in Her Policy.
An INTERVIEW WITH SENIOR QUESADA
He Declares That Gomez VIII
Never Surrender.
INDEPEND ENCE THE AIM

As stated In The Star Saturday. Mr..
Gonxalo de Cuesada. charge daffaires of
the Cuban republic. has received teIe-
gram from DIR. Castillo one of the Cuban
representatives in New York authorizing
him to deny emphatically the story
printed Saturday morning in a New York
paper to the effect that General Gomez
had submitted to the leader of the Spanish
liberal party the terms upon which he
would agree to a treaty OF peace. 1t was
said that General Gome4's terms were COM
municated to the Cuban junta in New York
In a letter received December -. DIR. Cas-
ti1lo denied fatty that any such communi-
cation was ever received from Gomez
The publication referred TO in DR. Castil-
los dispatch purported TO have been sent
to the New York World from a Washing
ton correspondent, and begins as follows:
Gen. Maximo Gomez, commander-in-
chief of the Cuban army, has sent through
an intermediary to Senor Sagasta. liberal
leader in Spain, the conditions on which
the Cuban insurgents are ready to treat
with Spain for peace.
''Senor Sagasta, who would succeed Ca
novas del Castillo if the present spanish
ministry falls. has already pledged himself,
In an authorized interview With 'he World
correspondent at Madrid, to undertake
sweeping reforms in Cuba ii be becomes
prime minister
The World correspondent is now able to
state. authoritatively and exclusively Gem
eral Gomezs terms. They were communi-
Gated to the junta in letter received on
December -
General Gomez begins with a vehement
declaration that the insurgents will con-
tinue the fight as long life lasts. and un-
I'll the island Is laid in ruins. unless their
demand for practical home rule is complied
with. General Gomez names seven terms
or conditions Of treating with Spain.'
Intentions of the Report.
In conversation with a Star reporter this
afternoon Mr.. de Quesada said: j..
There is absolutely not one word OF
truth i'm the story. The reasons for Its
publication, however are not hard to find.
To make the statement that Gomez would
agree to terms of peace has four evident
purposes: To pave the way for the down.
fall of Canovas, for you notice that the
letter from Gomez is said to have been sent
to the man who would succeed Canovas:
to pave the way for the recall of Weyier:
10 stem the rising tide of interest in the
United States In the Cuban cause and
last, but not least. counteract the effect
OF the news OF the landing of the latest ex-
pedition to Cuba.
If Weyler should be recalled and
charges not only of incapacity, but also of
dishonesty have been made against him IL
would be possible to say that II was done
In accordance with the terms of peace, and
not because of his utter failure 10 put
down the insurection. The Spanish are
simply continuing their favorte method of
lighting for delay. 1t is anything 10 put
off the evil day IT is the old story of
'manana,' put Off till tomorrow.
Fake on the Fnce of IL.
1.-The story is a fake on the face Of It.
Does any sane man believe that Gomez.
whose son was SO recently killed by the
Spanish, would seek or agree 10 peace with
his bitterest foe? Gomez is in favor now.
as he always has been, of continuing the
war to its bitter end, and the same New
ork paper had an article to that effect on
January L. Furthermore II is not in
Gomezs power to make peace IL he wanted.
At the close of the last war he stepped
aside and refused TO have anything TO do
with the negotiations. on the ground that
he was simply officer In the army and
that his duties ceased with the close of
hostiities. In January 1896, Gomez wrote
to Gen. Campos letter, i'm which he said:
We will not yield one single point until we
nave accomplished our purpose-liberty'
There Is no. reason to believe that the
death OF his son has caused Gomez o., to
change his views in the matter The con-
st1tution Of the Cuban republic contains
the following provision:
The treaty of peace with Spain which
must necessarily have for its basis the alb
solute independence of the Island of Cuba
must be ratified by the government council
and by an assembly of representatives
convened expressly for this purpose
lhis seems to me to dispose pretty ef-
fectually of the statement that Gen Gomez
has laid down the terms upon which he
will agree to peace" ..