San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-12-30
TALKED WITH GOMEZ.
The Old General Is In
Good Health.
HE SMIES AT THE IDEA OF AU-
T0N0MY AND HAS NOTHING
TO DO WITH 1T.
Cuba is Fighting For Her Iniepen-
ieHee and Will Secure it'll. S,
Intervention Would be Welcome
But it is Not Necessary,
Other Late News.

New York, Dec. 30.-A correspOn-
dent Of the Herald has just returned
to Havana after having visited the
camp of Gen. Gomez. After a long
and perilous ride through country
infested with Spanish troops he reach
ed Gen. Gomez's camp on December
10 and found the general in excellent
health and spirits. He was able for
the first time in many months to
mount his horse and make long
journey of inspection of the various
camps into which the men under his
immediate command were divided.
The correspondent put before Gen.
Gomez the program Of general auton-
omy in order to secure his opinion.
The general smiled contemptu0usly
after glancing over a copy Of Ha-
vana paper containing the terms and
said:
There is no use wasting time dis
cussing these terms. 1t makes no diff
ference whether they may be regarded
as liberal or not. The fact remains
that we are not fighting for autonomy,
but for independence. This, Spain
seems utterably unable to realize.
I'VE have been told that the auton-
omy offered is an act of liberality by
the mother country to induce the pa.
triots in arms to resume their allegi-
ance to Spain. This is worse than fol-
ly. 1t is an insult to the men fighting
for freedom. There is not in the Gu
ban army any one officer SO bad as to
accept such terms. We will not even
listen to any Overtures and any per-
son entering our camps for such a
purpose will be put to death in accor-
dance with my general orders"
Continuing, General Gomez said
that he had no faith in the ability Of
Spain to implant autonomy, even in
the sections under Spanish control.
but whether she succeeded or not was
was of no moment to the men in the
field, who would continue to fight,
animated by a love of freedom and an
absolute confidence of ultimate sue
cess.
The correspondent asked Gen.
Gomez for his opinion as to American
Intervention and the annexation of
Cuba to the United States. He replied
that intervention does not necessarily
imply annexation.
II would gladly accept the former.
as l would accept aid from any quar-
ter, although l believe if left alone
we will achieve our own indie
pendence unaided and am loath that
we should be robbed of any share in
the honor of the expulsion of the
Spaniards.
''As far as annexation is concern
ed, cannot admit its possibility. TO
that proposition l make the same re-
ply as l do to the autonomy plan
that our object is independence. We
have among us young men who have
sacrificed everything for this sacred
cause. For myself l am an old man,
who has now but one object in life,
and that is to see the flag of Cuba
supreme from Cape May to San An
tonic.
I'VE have already made fearful
sacrifices and we stand to make
more in order to achieve this glorious
end. l know that the people OF the
United States will never be at Us in
this hour of victory"
Asked what his views were on an
American protectorate over the is
land, Gen. Gomez replied that he had
no objection, believing 1t would car
ry guarantee of peace at home with
the respect of all nations and would
permit Cuba to work out her destiny
under the most favorable conditions.
In return he believes that Cuba
should in her commerce, favor the
United States above all nations.