Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-05-20

HABANA IN A FERMENT
Washington Plan Of Disarmament
Distastefu| in the Extreme,
BAD FAITH IS ASSERTED.
Porter Agreed TO Delivery Of Arms to
Cuban Representatives.
NEWSPAPER ROASTING FOR ALGER
"Ue Opposes Everything That Cuba
wants, and FavOrs Everything
Provoke Excitement"

to retain them in military possession.
This view Of the latest news from Wash
ington has been telegraphed TO the va
rious cities.
GovernOr-GcneralB Brooke is thus far UNI
aware, save through the press kilograms,
Of any dissatisfaction on the part Of Gen
eral Alger, Secretary OF War, with his
General Brooke'D plan to have the arms
deposited in the care OF the mayors of the
municipalities, nor has he received any
other inkling Of the secretary's purpose
to lay the matter before President Nc
Kinley
Consequently, unless instructions to the
contrary are received from the Washing
ton administration, the Governor-Gene-
rails order respecting the distribution of
the $S,OOoOOO, as modified. will be issued
tomorrow.
The Secretary Of War has been inform
ed of the substance Of this order In the
usual course Of business.
PRESS COMMENT.
Habana's midday papers publish the
Washington news. some OF them COM
nenllnR GhllOIl1llF upon It, - lut lOAhN
about where the arms are TO be kept APP
pears TO be thought OF vital Importance
i'm Washington, the conviction announced
there that the mayors cannot be trusted
with them Is a cause of fresh diecOntent,
just at the moment when the various
complications appeared to be unraVelled.
The MAYORS are the appOintees of the
Governor General. and when the Military
Assembly dissolved they were made It's
representatives TO receive the arms. Artl-
Gle " Of the agreement between General
Gomez and Robert J.. Porter. President
McKinleys special representative, runs
as follows: 1.-THE .cubans shall surrender
their arms to the Cuban Assembly, or 10
it's representatives"
General Gomez, who at the time of
coming TO the agreement with Mr. Porter
had not quarrelled with the Assembly, in
sisted upon this point. Since the
quarrel he has again raised the point
repeatedly. saying also that Mr.. Porter
brought full written authority from Presi-
dent Mckinley, and in the President
name agreed that the arms should go
into the custody of the Assembly or its
representatives..
CHARGE OF BAD FAITH.
At Monday nights meeting of the So
nized by former members of the Assem-
bly,. the speakers dilated upon Article ".
asserting bad faith the Presidents plen
ipontentiary having agreed 10 deposit the
arms with the representatives. OF the AS
sembly. while through the connivance OF
Gomez they were 10 be surrendered 20 the
American army.
La Discussion says: secretary Alger
appears to wish 10 provoke conflict
here. He is more distinguished i'm the
United States as a businessman than a
n politician. and his relations with GER
tain syndlcates are well known. He op
poses everything that Cuba wants, anC
favors everything that would cause feel
ing and provoke excitement. His attitude
prompts the question, What does he
want? Does he desire a war here. similar
10 that IN the Philippines? We are forced
10 believe that he only approves what is
unsatisfactory 10 Cuba
THE ORDER MEANS TROUBLE.
Cubans OF prominence object to talking
for publication on the subject, but where
ever they have been interviewed they say
without exception. that such an order as
is referred TO in the press dispatches
from Washington would cause much trou
BILE. and would still further separate Cuba
from the United States.
STATEMENT FROM ALGER.
WASHINGTON. May 19-'It is tho
sheerest nonsense" said Secretary Algei
to-day, i'm commenting upon the published
story that the President or himself hac
countermanded any order made by Gene
raj Brooke relative to the disarmament
Of the Cuban troops.
The state OF the case, in brief is as
follows:
The President canvassed very thorough
~ with Secretary Alger and Genera
Brooke the best method of securing the
DISARMAMENT of the Cuban troops anC
their re-entry into industrial life II was
! decided that a necessary step towards
this end was the surrender of the arm.
! held by the Cuban soldiers. 1t was ap
pretended that. retaining their arms
some. if not a large proportion, OF then
influenced by their past predatory exist
ence. would lapse into brigandage. 81
| the President himself ordered Genera
Brooke to cause the arms of the Cubaf
soldiers to be delivered up to representa-
| tives Of the United States army.
REFERENCE TO THE PRESIDENT.
with these Instructions General Brook
has been patiently striving TO carry GU
the Presidents plan. He has arrived a
matter OF sentiment. they say. make in ;
condition of disarmament that the arms
| shall be placed in the custody Of thu
| MAYORS OF the Cuban towns. Realizing
| that to assent to such conditions wouiC
| be contrary TO the Presidents instruc
| lions, General Brooke has telegraphed Z
Secretary Alger the facts In the case ant
asked for a decision. The Secretary, II
turn. has communicated with the Presi
dent and asked for instructions, for M
| feels that he Is not authorized TO amen'
| or revoke an order originally emanatlni
| directly from the President. That Is IN
state of the case at present.
BROOKES LAST RECOURSE.
| The President has not yet notified tn
War Department of his intention. II Il
held at the War Department that shoui'
| the Cuban leaders refuse TO accept Gene
raj Rrookes prOffer. whether II IS con
ditioned upon the surrender or arms u
United States army officers or TO CuDaI
MAYORS. that will terminate the EFFORTS o
the Goyernor-General 10 come To a satlS
| factory ARRANGEMENT with these leaders
| For thereupon, General Brooke VIII pro
| -, 20 address himself directly 10 th'
,~uhan nrlvate soldiers. He Will have MI
arents-United States army oincers-pa!
| off every bona-fide Cuban soldier VINO u
willing TO comply with the conditions lai9
| dovn bv him. and this will be done with
an, further reference to any OF the mai
.o,,t1nt leaders who have so long retard