Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-01
WILL NOT STAND The RAISE
Gomez Determined to Play Beyond the
Agreed Limit Of the Game.
ADMINISTRATION CALLS FOR SHOWDOWN
According to the Cuban Leaders
Idens IL viii Require xGO,OOO,OOO
to Induce the Insurgents to
Lay Down Their Hand.

NEW YORK, Jan. 3l.-A SPECIAL to the
Tribune from Washington says: Maxine
Gomez, the Cuban commanding general, has
demanded nearly s6OO0O,O0O from the United
States and refuses to disband his army
until the money is paid. He has repudiated
the arrangement made by Calixto Garcia,
who came to Washington with authority
from Gomez to provide for the return OF
the Cubans to their peaceful pursuits, and
whose work was barely accomplished be-
fore his sudden death on December H.
1t was then agreed that the United States
IN order to secure the prompt resumption
of labor on the plantations of the island
with a view to promoting the speedy re-
vival Of prosperity and settled conditions
should distribute about $4,000, 900 among the
900 men still under arms in the ratio of
500 man, the officers in proportion to
their rank to receive greater amount, the
ordinary enlisted men to be discharged with
sums less than 500 depending on the
length OF service and other considerations
For over a month the pay corps of the
army has been making ready to carry out
this arrangement the national defense fund
being available for the purpose Accurate
lists OF the solders entitled to compensa-
tion had to be prepared and other formall-
ties gone through. 1t was, intended that
at established American garrisons in the
various provinces, where, on throwing down
their arms and presenting the proper ere
dentials, they were to receive their quota Of
allotment from the pay officers at the
stations. In the meantime, General Brooke
and his chief subordinates have been en-
deavoring to give employment, mostly of u
permanent character, to large numbers Of
Cubans, In order to reduce the number re-
quiring bounty and at the same time to
give the inhabitants opportunity to begin
governing themselves.
Gomez Wants More.
Gomez has come out against this scheme,
which was operating satisfactorily to most
Cubans, and has struck for greater stakes.
1t is officially known here that he is en-
deavoring to dissuade Cubans from accept
Ing office under the American occupation
and Is urging all the natives of every grade
to stay with him in the field until the
United States is compelled to accede to his
terms Of disbandment." Gomez alleges
that his army consists of 40, 900 men and he
insists that most Of them shall be paid for
three years service at the rates which pre-
vail In the United States army. He fixes
the date of the Cuban declaration of inde-
pendence February a. 1895, as the beginning
forces are to be remunerated and for him
self, with the rank of lieutenant general, he
will be satisfied with $1,000 annually, the
American rate for that grade. Gomez also
has about twenty major generals, for each
one of whom he wants $500 annually. and
his army is equipped with nearly 200
brigadier generals each rated according to
the United States army pay table at $500
annually This aggregates the nice little
sum Of $3.7S3,O00 for generals alone; then
there are colonels, lieutenant colonies and
majors whose numbers run into the thou
for they are mpara,,vely few, but each each
OF them will require $6.48 and the army
paymasters who figured out the total have
reported that over $57000,O00 will be re-
quired to crafty all the demands Gomez
has made, which Is an average Of ST. ,425 a
man. 1t Is to meet these demands and show
Gomez their absurdity that Gonzales de
Quesada, who for the last three years has
been the representative Of the Cubans In
Washington. started for Cuba last week
after reaching thorough understanding
with the War department authorities. Rob-
ert P. Porter went along with Mr.. Quesada
as the off1cial representative of the United
States in the matter.