The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-27
NEW PRESIDENT OF
CUBAN REPUBLIC
Biographical Sketch OF the Succe ssor of
Senor Cisueros.
MASO A DETERMINED CHARACTER
DAeXibIe for Independence--P Paid
the Debts lie Night Have Repu-
dated Before He Went Into the
Nnr--Savcd the Revolution from
Hcing S,ramgied at Its Firth.
127 Wyoming Avenue,

There is nothing strange, says the
New York sun, i'm the report that the
Spanish government at Madrid and the
Spanish Captaingeneral in Havana
are very much diSploaScd over the news
Of the election Of Bartoloma Alaso as
president of the republic of Cuba.
MaSo is among his "Duntrymen the
very pink of political honor and devu-
tiOn to the cause of their freedom.
Under his torn of office, which, ac-
Cording TO the Cuban constitution, viii
last two years, To October, 1893. there
is not the least hope Tor the Span
ards that autonomy or bribery. or even
the force of arms will lead him to
abandon the struggle until Spain rec
ognizcs cuba as all irdependent nation.
h2rtolome Maso ls the author of the
motto, Independence or Death" when
the CubHns in arms have lately adopt
ed, and nG wields a commanding inilu-
cnce over all the army from Gems,
Gomez and Garcia. his close personal
friends, down to the last soldier
The election Of Maso," says Il letter
from Puerto Principe, "was received
Eyre with general JOY by all the Gu
candidates, as General Garcia and DO
miugo MGndez CapOte. participated
after the election was C1er. in the
foasts Of the people, because not man
~ Cuba fails to love and respect Naso
Tor his nusie character and his cener.
ou- patHJ,Ism
w hon the !nil result OF the canvass
Was announced at Guaymarillo. the
I'm hA oil
special couriers were sent all over the
state Of Puerto Principe with the news
Of Maso's triumph. In every Cuban
town it was the signal for public re-
jcicings. The officers of the army were
allowed to take part in the feasts.
During three days the military bands
played for the dances of the people.
The women and children left the
strongholds where they are safely
guarded against the raids of the Span
ish columns and joined the enthusiasts
tie soldiers in their songs and cheers.
1t is really pity that this scene was
not witnessed by those foreigners who
still doubt that the CubGns control the
country and believe in the Spanish re-
ports which describe them as a few
bands of negroes roaming to and fro"
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.
Maso received the official announce
m"nt of his election" writes another
correspondent, with stole calm. He
had not presented his candidature TO
the assembly of representatives. He
qua not make the least effort in favor
al IL. on the contrary, wien his friends
urged him either to write a manifesto
or tn influence in his favor some lead
"fS nf the army he openly refused an
SW'rlng: I do not desire to be elected
ana II | am | shall accept the election
"iiS as a duty imposed on me- He is
IN" very representation of mOdesty
honesty, and self-saCrifice to his c>.un-
Try we are not laboring for our
selves he always says, but we are
WORKING 10 make a free. happy and
prosperous country out of an enslayed
ana debased Spanish colony. For us
are all the hardships, and let us only
he satisfied with seeing, before our
'E'S are closed forever, that we have
attained the great end for which so
many Cuban generations have longed
before us"
Baltolome MasO was born in Santi-
ago de Cuba 62 years ago The only
picture of him that the Cubans have
in this city represents him much
younger than he is now. Some Span-
ish newspapers said early in 1895 that
Maso was native of Catalonia. Spain.
ana from that many persons i'm the
peninsula entertain the wrong idea that
he Is Spanlard fighting against his
own country. The mistake may be as
cribed TO the fact that a Catalonian
named Miro, gallant soldier, who was
the chief of staff Of General Maceo. is
also prominent leader in the Cuban
ranks.
Maso was conspicuous in the last ten
years war, and reached the rank of
brigadier, fighting bravely in Santiago
de Cuba province under Generals Gar
ella and MaceO. When the treaty of
Hanjon was signed in 1873 he refused
to surrender TO General Martinez Cam
pos, and kept up the war until Maceo
sailed for the United States. Then he
returned to the plantations he owned
near Man2anillo, and there i'm fourte en-
years of constant labor in the coun-
try, ne made a fortune estimated, when
the present war began, at 100000. Mar
tin, who prepared from New York the
new revolution wrote to him about his
plans, and Maso enthusiastically re-
''NNH theiH anu resolved 10 sacrifice
his fortune once more, and to risk his
llfe for the freedom of Cuba. He was
the first important man to take up
arms In the island against Spain, on
the gath of February, 1895.
When he made up his mind to revolt
for the second time he went to the
town of Manzanillo and paid his cred
itors, closing all his accounts as a
farmer KKfhn
him in his plantation business were all
Spaniards, and when they knew, a few
days later, that he was at the head Of
the revolutionists near Manzanillo. in
spite of being his political enemies,