Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-01-16
THE CUBANS WILL
SOON BE PAID
AMERICA WILL LOAN MONEY
WITH THE CUSTOMS AS A
GUARANTEE.

New York, Jan. 16.-According to Brig
adler General Jose Miguel Gomez, a mem
ber of the Cuban commission in Wash
lngton, the Cuban army is sure to re-
ceive the three years pay to which it
| is entitled, $40,00O,000 being advanced by
the United States, with the custom house
of Cuba as security for its payment.
BriSadier General Gomez, who has just
arrived in this city from Washington, is
grateful for the way the commission
has been received The negotiations, it
is said, will be completed by the end of
this month"; when the commission will
| return to Cuba. General Gomez said last
night:
Our hopes have all been realized
At first, however, things looked very
dark for us. Poor General Garcia was
the most pessimistic member of the COM
mission. He had little hope for the sue
cess of our plans when he left for Wash
ington. The rest of the commission, ar
gued, however, that as the Americans
had taken charge of Cuba, and thus pre-
vented us from raising money, we had a
right to request loan with which to
pay off our men. General Garcia asked
for only 500 for each man. The other
commissioners protested because of the
small amount. Then came the generals S
death, and for the time being negotiations
were suspended. AT our next meeting it
was agreed that an official list Of the men
IA VIC SuOdH WOulu De required
| before any agreement could be cached
Accordingly ! left for Cuba, whence
returned on January 6, with the required
documents. There are 47,000 men to be
paid in the Cuban army. The amount
we have requested is $40000,O00, to be
turned over to us either in one or three
payments We will give as security the
custom houses in Cuba Should the gov
ernment not care to lend us that sum
we are willing to take one third Of it,
and later pay the men the rest. AS af-
falrs now stand, however, l think we
Will receive the amount in three pay
ments. This, however is not decided vet.
The late Mr.. DingIey was in favor of
giving us the amount in one payment"
Speaking of the present condition of
affairs in Havana, General Gomez said
it was bad.
There appears to be much disagree
ment among the American soldiers" he
continued, and no one seems to know
what his power is. Someone gives an
order and the next man countermands it,
AS a result the government of Havana
is not as smooth as 1t might be. General
Brooke, however, is well liked, and the
Cubans are more than willing to help
nm. General Ludlows orders prevent
ing the Cubans from taking any part in
the evacuation parade caused great
deal of i'll feeling. This is now done
away with and there need be no fear of
clash between the Cubans and Ameri-
cans. The American soldiers are a fine
body of men, and do not give any trouble.
we 90 not want war, but peace, but
nevertheless we would never tolerate the
condition of affairs which is reported TO
exist in Porto Rico.
General Brooke, l am told IS about
to name committee of Cubans who
I Will act as his advisers. Mendoz Capote.
president of the assembly at Santa Cruz
dei Sur, viii be placed at the head of the
commission. General Maxine Gomez
will remain in the field until the army is
disbanded. He will then make his home
IN Havana. After the men in the army
have been paid off, we will try to prove
to this country that we are fully able to
govern cuba. The paying off of the
army IS the important movement toward
establishing tranquility On the island
II we should not be able to raise the
money, trouble with the men would fol-
low"
Gomez will return to Washington this
afternoon. The body Of General Garcia
VIII be taken to Cuba by the commits
SiOnerS