Evening star., 1898-07-21
GEN. PALMA TALKS
Does Not Believe the Stories of Fric-
tion With Cubans.
GARCIA WILLING TO AID AMERICANS
His Soldiers Would Not Injure
Santiago Inhabitants.
NUMBER NOW IN THE FIELD

General Palma, president of the Cuban
junta, is in the city stopping at the Raleigh.
General Palma has just been to Tampa to
assist in completing some arrangements for
getting government supply steamers off to
Cuba. 1t was necessary to have some
Cubans on these steamers in connection
with the work of distributing the supplies,
and General Palma selected the men to go
with them. He will leave for New York
this afternoon. When seen at noon today
he had been in the city but short time
and had had no conference with any high
officials of the government here.
General Palma does not credit the stories
about the reported friction between Cuban
soldiers and The Americans.
II think he said, "all Cubans recognize
the nice work of the United States in help
ence"
When asked if he believed the reports
that Cuban soldiers had refused to do work
of building roads, digging trenches, etc-,
he replied promptly:
In the first place l know nothing about
that matter, and / do not like to express
an opinion about things which l have
no information But l cannot think any
regular soldiers of the Cuban army have
refused to do such work. l do not know
what some few scattered soldiers may have
done, but it Is not reasonable to suppose
that any of the regulars under Garcia have
declined to perform such service. General
Garcia from the beginning said he was
ready to do all that was necessary to aid
the Americans, and his soldiers have for
years been doing just such work as you
refer to. They have grown accustomed to
just such work.
Civil Government in Cuba.
When asked If the junta would send any
instructions to Gen. Garcia in regard to
assisting the American troops he replied:
I'm Cuba there is a civil government. and
it is not our business to send any instrue-
tions to Gen. Garcia or Gen. Gomez. Our
business is to attend to the foreign rela-
tions of the Cubans; to send them assist
ance, etc"
DO you credit the reports that Cuban
soldiers have showed any tendency to in
fiict injury on the people Of Santiago or
upon the property there after the surren-
der of the placer Gen Palma was asked.
Not the least" he replied. I'm the first
place many of the Cuban soldiers with Gar
cia in front of Santiago were natives of
that city. Their homes were there and
their own people livsd there. Cuban SOL
diers have always shown disposition to
treat the Spanish soldiers kindly after they
have surrendered, and we are all glad to
see that the Americans do exactly the same
thing. These reports Of friction between
the Americans and the Cubans and of i'm
proper acts on the parts of Cubans have
rot been substantiated. There has been
no official report from any source l am
aware of that credits such reports Gen
Shafter, in official report denied that
Cuban soldiers killed Spanish prisoners"
Cuban Soldiers Under Arms.
WHAT do you estimate as the number of
Cuban soldiers under arms in Cuba at the
present time?" the reporter asked.
Il think we have about 5000 Cuban SOL
diers under arms in Cuba now," said Gen
Palma. There are probably about 1000
or 1000 soldiers with Garcia and the bal
ance of them are scattered all over Cuba
1t must be remembered that we have pos
session of a good many towns and tharc
must be guard maintained over them by
our Cuban army. All through the prov
which is afforded by these soldiers Most
of our cavalry is in Porto Principe
Gen. Palma does not credit the reports
regarding the death of Gen. Garcia He
said he had letter from Gen. Garcia a
few days ago and believes he is still alive