The herald., 1898-10-26
AT SESSIONS OF THE CUBAN
ASSEMBLY
ARMY WILL NOT BE DISBAN0ED
Because It Will Be Needed for Police
Duty When the American
Troops Retire
Associated Press Special Wire.

| SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Oct. 25.-The
! first session of the Cuban assembly was held
yesterday at Santa Cruz del Sur. "A ma
jority OF the delegates were military dele
gates, each of the six army corps being rep
resented by eight delegates.
| The sensation of the assembly was the
appearance of General Garcia rs one OF the
delegates from the Fifth army corps, fact
which practically renders him supreme at
the assembly's sessions. His selection to
preside over the proceedings is considered q
foregone conclusion, and it is conceded
| that he controls majority of the delegates
| The Cespedes faction is defeated. Its
leaders now deny that they had any desire
TO dscredit General Garcia, and the at
fempts to impeach him before the assembly
probably will not be made.
| The principal question for consideration
will be that of disbanding the army.
| 1t being u military assembly, the annexa
| tion party has but small representation
| One proposition to come up for discussion
| is that the army should remain in armed
| force for the purpose of policing and gar
risoning the island from the beginning ol
next year, when the United States troops
| are expected to leave.
| The assembly will appoint committee tc
wait on President Mckinley regarding the
status of Cuba, consisting probably of Gar
cia, Quesada and Parragua, and it is safe
! to assume that the assembly will remain in
| session, and the army, in any event, not be
disbanded until the report of the commit
| tee is received.
Owing to the scarcity of food and water
however, the assembly probably will move
after few sessions to Mariana. The other
proposition to be brought before the as
| sembly is the division of Cuba into foul
states, to be called Orient, now the province
of Santiago de Cuba; Camaguey, now the
province of Puerto Principe; Las Villas
now the province of Santa Clara, and Occi
dent, now the province of Matanzas, Pinal
del Rio. Between the proposed states OF
of land which would be a special federal dis
trict or territory where the capitol would
be built, new inland town for this specific
purpose.
A delegation will propose the trial by
courtmartial OF all officers in the Cuban
army who have permitted their men to be
disbanded.
In these ways and others the assembly
intends to show the world that it consider;
the Americans merely temporary visitors,
who will evacuate the island after the Span
;.rds.
BUSINESS OPINION
The Santiago board of trade, represent
ing the commerce of the province, sent a
special committee to wait upon General
Woods, military governor, to congratulate
him on the work he has already done.
The committee also informed him that the
board of trade had subscribed $l0,O 900 for
harbor improvements, and that the amount
had been placed at his disposal to use as he
might see fit. This action was entirely
voluntary. and is considered to reflect the
opinion of business men here as to American
predominance
Last night while two Cuban boys were
playing near the gas works with six-inch
.on.cai sneil II exploited, portions beng
hurled into the camp of the Fifth immune
regiment. Another portion struck the up
per deck of the Reina de Los Angeles as the
vessel was proceeding down the harbor with
Colonel Woods Second regiment, but for
tunately did no damage. Colonel Sergeant
of the Fifth immunes hastily sent men to
ascertain the cause of the explosion. They
found one boy dead and the other badly
wounded.