The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-03
PORTER is SUCCESSFUL
GOMEZ WILL AID IN DISBAND
ING THE ARMY.
ALSO IN PAYING OUT The s3,OOO,o 600
This Money is not 10 BE- Regarded as Part
Paym:nt If Salaries TO Soldiers, but
10 Facilitate Disbandment
and Afford Relief.

and Afford Relief.
Remedies, Province of Santa Clara
Cuba, February l. via Havana, Feb. p
General Maxine Gomez. the Commando
in-Chief of the Cuban army. placed him
self sQuarely in position to-day as IN
active ally of the United States Govern
ment in the work of reconstruction of
Cuba.
As a result OF the conference which
Robert p Porter, the special commits
sioner of President Mckinley. has had
with General Gomez, the latter cabled
to President Mckinley this afternoon
assuring him of his cooperation in dis
banding the Cuban army and in distriba-
ting among the Cuban soldiers the So.
0O0,0O0 appropriated for the purpose of
enabling them to return to their homes.
General Gomez also telegraphed
Major General Brooke, saying he would
accept the latter's invitation To go 10
Havana.
The success of Mr.. Porter's mission
greatly simplifies the returning of the
Cuban soldiers to the pursuits Of peace
In view of General Gomez's supposed
prior attitude of hostility toward the
United States, Mr. Porter came here
clothed with absolute authority, and the
tender of the S3,000,000 was practically
verbal ultimatum. Had it not been
accepted no more ultimatums would have
been made.
Mr.. Porter made plain the purpose of
the United States Government and wa
gratified at the ready response of Gen
eral Gomez. The conference took place
at the house here occupied by the Gu
ban General as his headquarters since
coming to town.
When Mr.. Porter arrived here last
week he was accompanied by Sen0
Gonzales Quesada, the special commits
sioner of the Cuban Junta at Washing
ton; Captain Campbell, of General
Brooke's staff; Lieutenant Hanna, of
General Woods staff, and correspond
ent of the Associated Press.
The Cuban commander was cordial in
greeting Mr.. Porter, and opened the in
terview by referring to the change for
the better which had taken place in
Cuba since he was last here in Septem-
Der. He also laid stress on the fact that
some people were asking where was
Cuba's promised liberty.
'The answer to this" said Mr.. Porter
SIS that Cuba now has commercial and
industrial liberty, and that President
Mckinley has directed me in framing
the Cuban tariffs to make no discrimin
alton in favor of the United States in
the manner that Spain favored herself
Cuba is free to-day to buy in the cheap
est market. People are returning to the
pursuits of peace, and our military gov
ernment will give way to the civil gov
ernment as fast as possible"
Mr. Porter also said that the purpose
of the American Government is to lay
a firm foundation of noble government
for Cuba, to give the Cubans all the
liberties they had fought for, and that
General Gomez must remember that and
more still For instance there are
25,000 or 10000 Spanish soldiers a
Cienfuegos who have not left Cuba:
that we had only been month on the
island, and that President Mckinley
needed. and was entitled to the CO.
operation of all interested in the welfare
and future of Cuba, and that he needed
all others.
The first problem, Mr.. Porter then
pointed out, was the disbandment of
the Cuban army. and the return of the
Cuban soldiers to work. This was the
specific mission which lad brought Mr.
Porter TO Remedies, and in which Presi-
dent Mckinley expected Genera
GOmeZ's aid.
H., ,1I.sx 9
that he was ready and willing to give
the aid required, but asked how he could
60 SO
To this Mr.. Porter replied that Presi-
dent Mckinley would be glad to have
him go to Havana and cooperate with
General Brooke in disbanding the Gu
bans, and in paying the S3,000000 APP
propriated for that purpose.
General Gomez said the amount was
too small, but that was not his fault
and he would make it go as far as possi-
BILE, while likening it to the miracle of
the loayes and fishes.
NO man in history said Mr.. Porter
'has done so much with so small re
sources as you have done. Hence you
cooperation with General Brooke vii
bring good results.
General Gomez especially requested
that the money. for which Mr.. Porte
had orders in his pocket, should be paid
over 30 General Brooke and not to him
self, as he did not want the persona
responsibility of keeping it.
The Cuban General then assured Cap
tain Campbell of his good feelings to
General Brooke and the formal compact
was presented to General Gomez by Mr..