The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-08-18
GOMEZ PROCLAMATION.
Words of Wise Counsel from the
Cuban Patriot to His Emanci-
pated People.

country now 1Or the HrSt time demon
strates that the great Cuban soldierSis
a statesman as well, full of unselfish
patriotism and cherIshing the highest
ideals for the future Of the little repub-
lie and its people. The proclamatioh
in part is as follows:
'Cubans: The day is drawing near
when the war will be over; all strife
shall cease, and Cuba, free Cuba, wll
stand forth in her place among the cir
ilized countries of the world. That 1t
become so quickly and without having
previously to go through with the trials
and internal tribuIations as bad or
worse than war itself rests with 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
rot ask them where they were while
the island was in the throes of bloody
| fight for independence.
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 unreconstructed
and has not an abundance in camps.
| The ministers must look first to the in
terests of the country, seek to pro-
mote, before their cwn interests, the
reconstruction of the island and the
renewal of agricultural and manufac-
turing interests. They must be men
| who will not abuse the power vested in
them. You must have no ministers
whose wives clothe themselves in silks
and laces while the people of the coun-
try have nothing to eat and are nude
and their children are deprived of the
benefits of education. Rather must your
| appointed rulers and leaders deny
themselves and their families luxuries
that the people may have necessities.
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 become 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 ideal
| of liberty, a big. brotherly embrace,
which closely unites us for all time
with the noble principles which aust
be the foundation of the Cuban "a
| tionality.
1.-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 to all
who ask it, and in that way your work
must be complete. Forgive your enc
mics, and when you go to the glorious
tombs of our brothers who died for
the liberty which we shall enjoy to deck
them with flowers, watered with the
tears of warriors, let your hearts in
that blest hour be free from all hatred.
Il do not want to see you blinded
with the passions of victory or flushed
with the false pride that has lost so
many. | have seen men begin great for
Nilt+A NObhtl y anu cru SllIttIl DtCduSt VI
that. Do not forget that while the
| sword is good to govern and direct in
time of war j is not so in times of
peace. At such times it is not the sword
but the word of the law which must
keep the people in harmony and pros
perity. You must quickly bring about
an established civil government, for
military rule is too harsh to sweetly in
terpret 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 beloved 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 individual power to bring
about such 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 we'll that we
are capable of taking upon ourselves
such grave responsibility. Our fu-
| ture prosperity depends hereafter upon
our own efforts. Let us not be com
PEELED to own that we have failed and
to again seek aid in governing our
selves from that country whose gener-
Gus aid is now bringing about our
blessed independence. Cuba must stand
alone, with a dead past and a glorious
future.
"Gou must never speak of what has
passed; never relate the thrilling sto-
ries of the struggle for liberty. All
that belongs now to the history of your
country, and the repetition of our past
sufferings only fosters that irritation
of spirit which brings disunion and
lack Of harmony. Let all that be; talk
and think rather of future glories than
past sufferings.
IF you would see Cuba prosperous
and happy you must work with that
single purpose in your hearts. Look to
the education of your children. Teach
them TO be good citizens. The best be-
ginning is to preserve the heart and
soul from anarchy, to lay aside thoughts
of strife when the sword is cast aside
and live in the future for peace honor,
the prosperity of the nation and the
glory of God.
For myself, if I survive the war and
live TO see Cuba frCe and SeIfUovarn