Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1898-07-20
GOnEZ TALKS.
He Speaks to the cubans Like q Father to
His Children.

''CrBANs: The day is drawing near
when the war will be over; all strife
shall cease and Cuba, free Cuba, will
stand forth in her place among the
civilized countries of the world. That
1t shall become so quickly and with
out having previously to go through
trials and internal tribulations as
bad or worse than war itself, rests
wit b you. You must select for the
directors of the destinies of the Cuban
republic men of known virtues and
proved integrity. Take them where
you find them and do not ask where
they were while the island was i'm the
throes of a bloody fight for independ-
ence.
''You must see that the ministers
and administrators of the country
whom you select are not men who
will lavish honors and luxuries on
themselves while Cuba is as yet un-
reconstructed and has not an abund-
ance i'm camps. The ministers must
first look To the interests of the coun-
try, seek to promote, before their
own interests, the reconstruction OF
the island and the renewal of agri-
cultural and manufacturing interests.
They must be men who will not
abuse the power vested in them.
You must have no ministers whose
wives clothe therns. Ives in silks and
laces while the people of the country
have nothing to eat and are nude
and their children are deprived of the
benefits of education. Rather must
your appointed rulers and leaders de-
ny themselves and their families lux
uries that the people may have ne
cessities.
''Study the rights you have won in
time of war with bloody strife and
loss OF lives and property that you
may make the best use OF them in
time of peace. With less than those
dearly bought rights civilized man
must never be satisfied, lest he be-
come servile. But, on the other hand,
If he asks too much and makes too
many pretensions, he cheapens his
honors. Observe strictly the law,
for that alone is a guarantee for all
in every part of the world.
81 myself counsel the sublime idea
of liberty-a big, brotherly embrace
which closely unites for all time with
the noble principles which must be
the foundation of the Cuban nation
ality.
"The final triumph must leave the
people with majesty and grandeur.
There must be no petty hatreds, no
cherished animosities. A free and
full pardon must go from the heart of
all who ask 1t, and in that way your
work must he complete. Forgive
your enemies, and when you go to
the glorious tombs of your brothers
who died for the liberty which we
shall enjoy, to deck them with flow
ers watered with the tears of war
riors, let your hearts be in that blest
hour free from all hatred.
81 do not want to see you blinded
with the passion of victory or flushed
with the false pride that has lost 80
many. have seen men begin great
for their country and end small be-
cause of that. Do not forget that
while the sword is good to govern
and direct in time of war, it is not 80
In time of peace. At such times it is
not the sword but the word of the
law which must keep the people in
harmony and prosperity. You must
quickly bring about an established
civil government, for military rule is
too harsh to sweetly interpret the
spirit of that same law.
Law is order, and the order of
peace and good will must follow the
chaotic condition in which our be-
loved country has been now for three
years. Let each Cuban patriot, with |
the interests of his country and his |
brothers at heart, do all in his indi- |
vidual power to bring about such a
desirable condition. 1t is to be our
province to govern ourselves; let us
show to the United States and to the
nations of the world as well that we \
are capable of taking upon ourselves
such a grave responsibility. Our fu-
ture prosperity depends hereafter
upon our own efforts. Let US not be
to own that we havefailed
and to- again seek aid in governing |
from the country whose
generous aid is now bringing about
,ur blessed independence. Cuba must
stand alone, with a dead past and a
glorious future.
"You mast neverspeak of what has
never relate the thrilling sto-
les of the struggle for liberty. All
hat belongs now to the history of
your country, and the repetition OF
our past sufferings only fosters that !