The record-union., 1899-03-16
That the Problem will Be Settled Within
the Next Ten Days.
The Dissolution Of the Army What
General Sangui1ly and Other
Leaders of the Anti-Gomez Fac
ton Most Tenaciously Oppose,
as Their influence Would Van
ish the Instant the Troops Are
Dispersed.

NEW YORK, March ia dispatch
to the Tribune" from Washington
says:
War Department officials are salts
fed that within ten days the problem
of the disbandment of the Cuban army
viii be settled. Then, if there is rae
ton, that wants trouble with the United
States it will be known.
sSome of the insurgent Chiefs said
an official this afternoon, talk as If
they wanted to go on the warpath- The
quicker we know it, if that is so, the
better"
No advices have been received from
General Brooke indicating that he looks
for trouble 1t is only a question as to
how many followers the malcontents
if the Assembly can persuade not to
lay down their arms. The advices re-
ceived are to the effect that a majority
of the Cuban soldiers will sustain Go
mez in whatever action he takes. Those
who are likely to support the Assem-
bly, are included in the classes who
joined the insurgent ranks after the
surrender of Santiago and who would
not, therefore, be entitled to receive the
$100 to be given each actual soldier.
The best information is that the num-
Der on the rolls, as revised by Gomez,
did not exceed $4,000 men and officers
Gomezs plan was also to exclude those
who had become members of the Ha-
vana city police and who were, there
fore, receiving regular pay. The same
principle would apply to the rural po-
lice, which General Wood has organ
lied in Santiago Province. This would
increase the amount for tne remaining
men to something more th;,n SlOO
Definite word is expected Wednesday
as 10 whether the distribution Will be
made through General Gomez, in spite
of his deposition from the command OF
the insurgent army. or directly to the
inSurge in the six provinces. The or
dginal plan was that the American mil
itary commander in each province
should distribute the sum in conjunc-
nion with the ranking officer command
ing the insurgents in that province. 1t
rests entirely With Gomez what ar
rangements shall be made. In SO far as
relates to his position, with reference
to the insurgent troops all the reports
received increase the confidence felt in
his ability to meet the situation.
A dispatch to the Tribune" from Ha-
yana says.
Tuesday marked a temporary lull in
the opera bouffe tempest raised in Gu
ban politics by the rupture of the rela-
tion5 between the so-called Military
Assembly and the personal adherents
and supporters of the ex-General-in-
Chief of the army, Maximo Gomez.
With Gomez himself elected from office
his chief assistant in conducting nego-
tiations with the Government at Wash
ington. Gonzales de Queseda, has been
shorn of that Pigment of diplomatic au-
thority, shadowy as it was, with which
the favor Of the Assembly had formerly
clothed him. OF Gomez's few active de-
tenders within its members, General
Tamayo, General Nunez and Senor Ces-
pedes have been forced to vacate their
seats by resignation.
Little seemed left to do to complete
the cleavage between the two factions
of the revolutionary party, and the As
sembly's leaders devoted their energies
consequently for the most part to pre-
pairing and approving a manifesto to
the army and to the people, explaining
the causes which led to General Co
mez's dismissal and defining the policy
now openly announced of refusing to
accept the S3, ,000, 900 arrearages of pay
offered by the United States as a pre-
iiminary step to disbandment.
The dissolution of the army is what
General Sanguilly and the other leaders
of the anti-Gomez faction most tena-
ciously oppose, for with the dispersion
of the troops the political influence of
the Assembly would straightway van
ish To hold the army intact by SEEM
ing to stand out for more liberal al
lotment of back pay is the undisguised
purpose of these military politicians,
ialso to prevent either the return of the
rank and file to peaceful occupations or
their disposition into native auxiliary
army, officered by Americans.
The anti-Gomez cabal is ready to
break, in appearance at least, with the
Government at Washington and to sac
rifice the compensation. considerable
for the.men if not for the officers. fixed
by the agreement between General
Gomez and the Administration.
Were the Assembly a real political
power its present attitude toward the
United States would call for an imme-
diate definition of it's functions and
limitations as a factor in the pacifica-
ton of the island, but. as everyone
here realizes, the Assembly leaders are
for the most part mere poseurs. having
neither achievements nor records be-
hind them and lacking absolutely the
confidence and loyalty of the classes
which sympathized with and supported
the insurrection. Should they carry
their program of dissatisfaction and
overt hostility much farther, the pubic
opinion in Cuba will gladly acquiesce
in any measure which shall reduce their
share in the establishment of new