The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-15
Gomez as He Is.

Grover Flint, q newspaper correspond
ent who spent four months IN the Cuban
army. has written a book entitled;
Marching With Gomez" in which he
gives some interesting pen pictures Of the
Cuban commander and deals In an enter
tanning manner with the Iatter,s methods
OF doing business In the neid- Speaking
Of his first meeting with General Gomez,
Aar. Flint says:
AS we fled past headquarters. n
straight, little vhits-bearded man. in a
gray cloth suit and riding boots. with two
golden stars On each lapel OF his coat,
came out 70 meet us, pesrtng with a sharp
eye from beneath his broad ortn. that
was cooked little 20 one side, while
group OF neatly dressed officers remained
q distance behind. This was Gomez, the
man who has made his name famous in
three continents"
Gomez holds in utter contempt all Gu
bans who have not taken UP arms against
the Spaniards, and with reference 10 this,
the author says:
Once Gomez paused as he saw far
mer blowing by the roadside Why DO
you work? be cried: DOM you Know that
you are working for Spain who will seize
your cropsg Don't you know that you
@A-~@ENG NAAS 4fN--0 SEsAAAi anu sAA~A
for your work she will be less ready 10
abandon 1t? To support your family? II
would be better # you fed them on roots
| in the forest or left them to starve. as my
men have LETT their wives and children
and parents 10 starve for the sake Of the
fatherland- You work when you should
destroy. When the war is over there viii
be need and time for blowing: Until then
the matchete should be lifted
Those who sought 10 escape service
were forced TO enlist, and the insurgent
forces were constantly sweled by large
numbers who were rounded up by Gomez
soldiers:
Every evening a silent. abashed line
was drawn up before the headquarters
while officers. soldiers and assistants
crowded IN anticipation of the lecture 10
come. Finally Gomez would come out
from under his piece of canvas. with a
towel IN one hand that served for a hand
kerchief. and look them through from IN
der his bushy gray eyebrows with his
haw's eyes.
'Ah-h-h. a-Ja-ces. neat. well-fed ma
ia-ces. living in houses, on fresh pork
and chicken. and milk, the food of the
women and children. swindling the repub-
lie. what do you do for the fatherland?
7
for ornaments. and ride her horses for
pleasure? You. you say your father was
| dying and you left your forge TO be with
him in December. and Il is now May and
he is still dying? And you over here, YOU
with the face OF a guerriilero, you say
you were wounded. Look at my men.
every one of them is wounded. l will
have the surgeon examine US and see
which is the sicker man. you OF l You
deceive the republic. but you do not de-
ceive me. l will make you serve your
country. If only as an example for others.
l will keep my eye on every single one OF
you. Officer Of the day, take these men
10 the impedimenta; make them walk with
the infantry
In camp no breach Of discipline was too
| small to escape the commander-in-chief
A major who had allowed a Spanish con-
voy to pass through his district without
attacking them, was brought before Co
meg to answer for his negligence. When
Gomez ordered his stars to be torn of
and told him that henceforth he was 70 be
a private soldier. the major pleaded that
he had served his country in the ten years
war. To which Gomez replied
- The more shame you. This is as II
said had money but had spent il: l had
health, but lost IL. Do you think the war
Is already over? II is not when a man
comes here saying. 4 an OF ancient fam
lily, OF 1 am college professor. or am
millionaire that he IS respected: but
only when he can say / fight White or
black or yellow. 1 fight is a mans glory
here We respect men for service alone
and your service does not entitle you 20
respect Oh, l haveheard OF you many
times before. II is my duty as command
er-in-chief to make you fight as a common
soldier Here. Colonel Bosa. take this
private soldier away"
And before the column was half way
through Camaguey. major and three
caplains were priNatas of the ascnltan