The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-14
CUBANS WILL DlSBAND.
President Maso Readily Accepts
American Suggestions.

Santiago de Cuba, Oct. 14.-Senor
Bartolome Maso, accompanied by two
members of his staff, arrived this morn
ing at Manzanillo from Santa Cruz del
Sur in Puerto Principe, about rs miles
from Manzanillo, where the Cubans now
have their headquarters and where, on
October 20, the Cuban assembly will
meet to elect a new president and to
decide as to the plans for disbanding
the army, if disbandment is considered
advisable, and as to other important
matters. He called at once on Ray,
who received him courteously, express
ed pleasure at the opportunity of an in
terview and said he hoped Senior NIaso
would arrange for disbanding the Gu
bans under Gen. Rios in the neighbor-
hood of ManzanillO, so that work in the
fields could begin. He also earnestly
advised the president of the Cuban pro-
visionaI government to disband the Gu
ban troops at all points now in posses
sion of the United States forces in or
der that the men might give the assist
ance so greatly needed to place the
the effects of the three years war.
SenOr MasO readily agreed to carry
out Col Rays request and said that
Gen. Rios would receive orders 1Tnmed-
lately to disband his men. He said he
much regretted the OutrageS commit
ted on the estates at Rigney and else
the deeds complained Of were not done
by Cubans, but by Sp2niards. Thor
oughIy in accord with Col. Rays prOpO-
sal to get the Cuban sOldiery at work
throughout the province of Santiago, he
promised to do all in his power to bring
about this result, believing he said that
the sooner the country was prosperous
and happy, the sooner Cuba Libre
would be an accomplished fact, and be-
Heving also that the best policy for the
Cubans now was to cooperate heartily
with the Americans in their plans for
building up the country.
Il believe said SenOr Maso in term
mating the interview, that Cuba in
two years will be more prosperous than
ever before"
The interview lasted over an hour,
and apparently was satisfactory to
both. Senor NTasO leaves tomorrow on
his return, going by the insurgent
steamer FernandinO.
A question has cropped up that is
causing Gen. Wood, who, in the alb
sence Of Gen. Lawton, is in command
of the military department of Santiago,
not a little perplexity. A majority of
the officers of the immune regiments
from the southern states object to eat
ing at the same restaurants with col
Ored officers, the most of whom are
from the northern states. Some of the
cOlored men apparently desirous of
bringing the matter to an issue formal
ly reported that they could not get
served at the principal Spanish restau-
rants under existing Spanish law,
whereas the American law compelled a
proprietor of any house of public en-
tertainment to serve all who pay. The
restaurant proprietor involved COM
planned that when he served the colored
officers he would lose almost his entire
patronage, as a majority of his custom
ers were southerners.
General Wood has apepaled to the
comm onsense of the colored officers and
advises that the restaurant be turned
into a club.
General Wood, who is determined to
get over the Jamaica emigration prob
lem, will ship back all who desire to re-
turn by the Reina De Los Angeles next
Kingston for dry dock repairs. She
can carry 500 men and will probably
take her full complement. Quintin
Bandera, the famous negro general of
the Cuban army, will soon be appoint
ed assistant chief of police of Santiago.