The evening times., 1899-02-22
gomez TALKS OF
His AMBITIONS
Wants Cuba Free, United, and
Independent.
Elated at the Personal Following of
Spaniards on the Island.
Natives. He Says. Are Grateful to
America. But Not willing TO He
Under Foreign Control.

New York. Feb. 22.-The "Herald's' cor
respondent at Matanzas telegraphs the fol-
lowing to that paper:
Cuba free, Independent, aud its people
united for honest government. peace and
prosperity" That is what Maxine Co
mez says is his hope for the future
Pausing i'll his triumphant march the
old general spoke of his plans and aspira-
tons. He is in good humOr and fairly good
health. having disposed of the cold which
Sripped TO his lungs last week.
His attempt to create personal follow
ing among the Spaniards OF the island has
met with greater measure of success
than he expected and he is corresponding
ly elated. The enthusiastic manner in
which he has been received at all points
has mellowed his temper. and he Is more
easily approached than he has been be-
fore since he last took the field for Cuba
Libre.
His reception in Matanzas has been mag
niticent. He is holding a veritabie court,
and it was with the greatest difficulty that
| secured his attention. but when I did
meet with success he spoke with approxI-
mate freedom.
Cuba" said General Gomez. must de-
eide its own future, and | realize that the
present problems are quite as serious as
those solved by force of arms and that
]
so freely spilled might be thrown away by
few acts of folly. But the conduct of the
real Cubans since the protocol was signed
by Spain and the United States must chal-
lenge the admiration of the world Our
forces, half OF them without sufficient
| nOurfshment, have kept the peace. and
compelled the camp followers. who focked
TO US when victory was assured to OBJ
serve the laws
prio
but there has been none Some Spanish
guerrillas recently began depredatfons
( and the Cubans have suppressed them.
No reprisals have been levied upon those
who did not favor our cause during the
insurrection.
We now invite all classes to join us in
forgetting that war ever divided the peo-
pie of the island My greatest ambition is
TO see Cuba free and independent and its
people united for honest government
peace and prosperity. This can be accom-
plished more easily than many think The
Spaniards in Cuba are displaying a will
lngness to meet the Cubans half way
| They are beginning TO learn that we de-
sire peace and protection for all
Since January l sentiment throughout
| Cuba has changed materially. Another
! TWO months will see all classes fraterniz-
! ing. One year will do more to blot ont
the hatreds engendered by the Insured
tion than ten did to reconcile the paopIe
OF the North and South after the civil war
in the United States"
1t was with the greatest difficulty that
General Gomez, was persuaded to discuss
| the relations existing between CuSa and
the United States. He knows that the
subject is fraught with danger, and evil
IDENTIFY preferred to keep silent until fur
ther progress is made in reaching an un-
derstanding with the representatives oil
the American Government. At last how
ever, he said:
There has been so much misrepresenta-
ton of facts that the American peopIe are
perhaps. not blameworthy if they have
mlsJudged the Cubans, but of one thine
you may be isure-all Cubans lacknowledge
their deep debt Of gratitude to the Ameri.
! cans. Go where you will in this island
and you will find the Cuban and America
flags floating together. But that does moi
| mean that the people wish the latter tc
| replace the former
If good Judgment and forbearance be
| used Cuba will ever acknowledge a com
mercial and sentimental allegiance to the
United States, but those who have risked
their lives and those who have sacrificed
loved ones at the call of patriotism canno,
| be expected to relinquish their ,sondes,
who held out had almost said tardily-s
helping hand in the hour of need
Patriotism and love of country car
never properly be weighed in the balance
against gold, yet many American periodi.
| calls say that the Cubans are blind because
| they cannot see the financial advantage Of
linking their fate with the United States
| The Cuban birthright is not for sale.
| Now let me say that unless / greatly
misjudge the people of the United States
| the majority of them will demand the re.
| demption of those promises made by Con.
gress. The selfish politicians in the United
| States form dangerous element, as the,
do in all other countries, but they cannot
control the will of the people, in whose
hands the future of Cuba is safe.
You ask what proportion of the insur.
gent troops will return to their erdinar,
vocations when the forces are disbanded
The same proportion that has kept the
peace since the war ended-all OF. them
They want enough money to give. them ,
proper start, and / hope some means will
be discovered Of providing that those who
| return to the fields should have a yoke o,
oxen and seed. !.
There has been some complaint I an
told. because / have not hurried to Havana
/ had greater duty to perform in bring
| ing about reconciliation between those
classes that have been separated for four
and after few days devoted to the people
shall proceed with those conferences tc
which l have been invited