Omaha daily bee., 1899-04-29
SPECULATION ABOUT GOMEZ
Cuban Politicians Busy Figuring Out the
Old Generals Purposes,
FRIENDS SAY HE FAvoRS INDEPENDENCE
Recognizes Temporary American
Control is Neccssury-Brignnd-
u Reported in Several
of the Provinces.

HAVANA, April 2S.-The attitude of Cen
eral Maxine Gomez toward the "interyen-
ing power as he calls the United States,
causes a lively controversy among poll
ticians here and even among his friends
La Discussion and FL Reconcentrado treat
him as an ally of the United States and re-
fer to him as a traitor to the cause of
Cuban Independence La Lucia and La
Patria view him as a consistent leader of the
Cuban people. From time to time copies
OF his private correspondence, embodying
illusions to public business, are supplied to
the press and afford material for specula-
ton and argument regarding his real posi-
ton and purpose. For instance, one Of the
papers today publishes extracts from a let
ter Gomez recently wrote to Redolfo Men
endez of Merida, Yucatan, in the course of
which he said: MY energy, my strength
and all my prestige l am giving here in
my devotion to the cause of independence
for this heroic country, and | devote myself
especially to the labor in concert with the
provisional government which attends and
serves the country"
A member of his household has given the
following explanation of the position of
Gomez: o course General Gomez con-
tinues to favor, as he always has favored,
ultimate independence; but he considers a
period of American control as a logical
preparation for that independence. There
fore he wishes to cooperate with the
Americans without reservation in disband-
ing the troops and in ~quietlng and recon-
structing the country. He cannot tell how
long this period should be, but he would
probably have Issued a statement, declaring
his formal support of the American pro-
visional control, il the recent severe at
tankc iipnn hig ytourg hoI Not honr mazda - |
The report that General Gomez is draw
ing up a proposal for the organization of
Cuban militia is not verified by him.
Reducing Taxation.
General Brooke today issued a decree re-
ducing the taxes on mortgages, deeds, be-
quests and inheritances 80 per cent and in
some instances to one-third the original
amount.
DIR. Armstrong, chief surgeon at the city
of Puerto Principe, telegraphs that no new
cases of typhoid fever have developed among
the United States troops there and that the
convalescents are doing well.
General Gomez and the consulting COM
mittee, or junta of Cuban generals, are
pushing their inquiries in the work Of veri-
flying the Cuban army rolls, and it is now
believed that the final list will not include
more than 5000 names. The lists will
iobubty pS iNous pCioiS ~ ~ "a |
Major Francis Dodge Of the pay depart
ment, who will distribute the SO, 900, 900.
La Lucia publishes a telegram from
Sancti Spiritus describing the conditions
there as most deplorable. The correspond
ent says citizens can get neither food nor
work and that thousands are applying daily
for assistance to the municipal authorities.
La Lucia suggests cleaning and paving the
streets of Sancti Spiritus as one way of
providing employment.
The temperature in Havana at 3 o'clock
this afternoon was 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
d La Lucha Publishes a dispatch from Hol-
gum, province of Santiago de Cuba. report
ing that bandits yesterday sacked the viii
lagos Of Saro. Huti, Peregrina, Canelon and
Sauna, all in the northern part of the
province, and that another party Of fifteen
attacked San Andres, about twenty miles
northwest of Holguin. The outlaws robbed
the houses at each place, securing prin-
cipally groceries and clothing.
The dispatch says the Cuban general,
Salazar, with seven men, pursued the ban
dts and overlook them in the Vijalu noun
tains, where a hot fight ensued. The rob-
bers were eventually driven from behind
the rocks and retreated, leaving one dead
"a negro-four horses and several bundles
Of plumber. The dead man was identified
as Domingo Martinez, a Jamaican, who had
long resided near Holguin.
According to La Lucha's correspondent the
alarmed inhabitants of the district will
send a petition to General Brooke, asking
authority TO raise Cuban forces to defend
the various villages. A squad OF American
cavalry has been sent into the hills from
Holguin to search for the marauding bands.
AS bearing on La Lucha's dispatch, Major
General Leonard Wood, military governor
of Santiago de Cuba. addressed the gov
ernor general that the planters in the
neighborhood of Hclguin have been conniv-
ing at the operations of the bandits in
order that American troops might be sta
toned on the plantations. General Wood
says that the reports of outrages are ex-
aggerated.
SmeIter Trust Articles Filed.