Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1899-02-23
A GRAND CUBAN PATRIOT.
Old Gen. Gomez Pleased With the
Presidents Policy Commissioner
Porter's Estimate Of the
General.

Correspondents of the Ledger.
MEXICO, Mo-, Feb. 15.-President
Mckinley sent Robert P. Porter as q
special commissioner to Cuba to offer
the Cubans certain terms for the dig
bandment of the Cuban army. He
went to Gen. Gomez's headquarters
and was received with distinguished
honor by that sturdy old warrior.
Mr.. Porter was gratified at the ready
response of Gen. Gomez. The old
general wore no insignia OF office.
The first problem Mr.. Porter pointed
out was the disbandment Of the Cuban
army and the return Of the Cuban
soldiers 10 work. The Cuban COM
mander-in- chief replied that he was
ready and willing TO give the aid re-
CURED, but asked how he could do
so. "No man in history" said Mr..
Porter, ''has done 30 much with 90
small resources as you have done;
hence your corporation with Gen.
Brooke win bring good results"
These are extracts from the report
Of Mr.. Porter. Among other things
that Gen. Gomez tslegraphed to Mr.
Mckinley, he says: 81 am now aware
Of and pleased with your Wishes"
How does this sound In comparison
with the dispatches sent out daily by
the Associated Press and copied by
nearly every newspaper in the land
criticising and ridiouling Gomez and
other Cuban patriotsa 1t is only when
we get an official report that we see
anything commendatory Of Cuban
patriotism, or when, perchance, some
Congressman breaks the charm en-
forced by some unseen great and
mighty awe-inspiring power that
seems to hold our nation spell-bound
and Indifferent to all the principles
underlying our republics birth. The
average reader sees this so seldom
that his mind is trained to picture
Cuban patriotism as myth--to be-
lieve that Cuba's ten-years' war and
her recent conflict with Spain was
brought about by a few worthless
renegades who engaged in war for the
sake Of plumber and to keep from
work. The people could inform them
selves through war histories, but the
struggle for existence is pressing 50
hard upon the masses that they can
not buy books and would hardly dare
to try to read II they could buy. The
secular press from some cause deals
indifferently with all subjects that
look to the betterment Of the unfor-
tunate and lower classes. Writers In
easy circumstances, whose money, In
herited, or earned in other days, and
whose incomes now come from the
''brow of laborn that enjoys not what
ii produces, launch Trades against
scowlers and dyspeptics and those
who see ard feel the bitter side Of life
and knotC that prosperity will not come
by simply saying it Is here. The rich
are becoming richer and the poor
poorer and such conditions as have
named help to widen the breach.
Strange that thousands who now
fancy that they belong to the first-
named class cannot see that they are
30 near the brink that their posterity
will be engulfed by the very opinions
they now advocate and which now
prevail, II these conditions are not
changed by the so-called dyspepticsf
Selfishness blinds their eyes to the
future. Patriotism and the spirit Of
justice are dying out In the hearts Of
the people. The homes-that pillar
Of brotherhood and union and lustics
and patriotism-are passing from the
people. Every lover Of liberty be-
holds, In the handling of the Cuban
and Philippine questions, the de-
cadence of the principles that founded
the greatest and grandest nation that
ever existed-a meteor traversing the
constellation of nations--an asylum
for the oppressed OF all nations-the
cradle Of liberty and dhumanitarianism
The reprehensible Tories, after being
oombatted and restrained ITO years.
have gained the ramparts and are
reveling in the spoils Of victory. Do
you realize itf Do you know that
to-day the cause of the Cuban-mis-
Represented and ignored-is your own
cause, linked closely with your own
home and fireside and that Of your
posterity? Il is even 30. Watch the
rapidly shifting events and with the
minds eye penetrate the glamour Of
v,~-ur.. sll...s-- NJ rR----