Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-22
Cuba Must Prove Her Ability
to Govern.
is NOW GOING TO HAVANA
He Says All His Soldiers Would Work
If They Received Part of
Their Back Pay.

New York, Feb pa dispatch to the
Herald from Matanzas says: General
Gomez, in an interview, said:
"Cuba must decide it's own future and
I realize that the present problems are
quite serious as those solved by force
of arms and that independence for which
blood has been so freely spilled might be
thrown away by a few acts of folly. But
! the conduct of the real Cuhans since the
protocol was signed by Spain and the
United States must challenge the ad
mration of the world. Our forces, half
of them without sufficient nourishm' mt,
have kept the peace and compelled the
camp followers who focKei to us when
victory was assured, to observe the laws.
I Brigandage might have oeen expected,
but there has been none. Some Spanish
guerillas recently began depredations ana
| the Cubans have repressed them.
mo reprisals have been levied on those
who did not favor our cause during the
i insurrection. We now invite all classes
to Join us in forgetting that war ever
divided the people of the island My great
est ambition is to see Cuba free and in
! dependent and it's people united for ;lon
est government, peace ana prosperity.
This can be accomplished more easily
than many think. The Spaniards in Cuha
are displaying willingness to meet the
! Cubans half way. They are beginning to
learn that we desire peace and protection
for ALL Since January 1 sentiment
throughout Cuba has changed materially.
Another two months will see all classes
/ fraternizing.''
1t was with the greatest difficulty that
General Gomez was persuaded to discuss
the relations existing between Cuba and
the United States. He knows that the
! subject is fraught with danger and evil
IDENTIFY prefers to keep silent until further
progress is made in reaching an under
standing with the representatives of the
American government. At last he said: /:
i There has been so much misrepre-
sentation Of facts that the American peo-
pie are, perhaps, not b1ameworthy, if they
have misjudged the Cubans, but of one
thing you may be sure-all Cubans ac-
knowledge their deep sense of gratitude
to the Americans Go where you will in
this island and you will find the Cuban
and American flags floating together. But
that does not mean that the people wish
l the latter to replace the former. If good
judgment and forbearance be used Cuba
will ever acknowledge commercial 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 cannot be
expected to relinquish their fondest
hopes even at the invitation of that
friend who held out had almost said
tardily-a helping hand in the hour of
need.
"Patriotism and love of country can
never be properly weighed in the balance
against gold, yet many Americans say
the Cubans are blind because they cam
not see the financial advantage of link
ing their fate with the United States
The Cuban birthright is not for sale. Now,
let me say that unless l greatly nlisjudge
the people of the United States, the ma
jority of them will defend the redemption
of those promises made by congress. The
selfish politicians in the United States
form a dangerous element as they do in
all other countries but they cannot con-
troll the will Of the people, in whose hands
the future of Cuba is safe.
You ask what proportion of the insur-
gent troops win return to their ordinary
voca tions when the forces are disbanded
The same proportion which has kept the
peace since the war ended-all of them
They want money to give them a proper
start and l hope some means will be dis
covered of providing that those who re-
turn to the fields should have a yoke of
oxen and seed Much can be accom-
plished with the 900 provided by
President Mckinley, but more will be
needed. With Cubas natural resources
pledged as security, there will be little
difficulty in securing a loan sufficient to
pay the army in full. Those who are en-
titled to pay will have it, Those who are
not entitled to it will receive not one cent
There will be no padded rolls. But this is
a matter which can be discussed with
better judgment after have reached Ha-
vana and conferred with the American
/, officials.
There has been some complaint, 1 am
told because l have not hurried to Ha-
vana. I had a great duty to perform in
}, bringing about a reconciliation between
those classes that have been separated
: for four years. I shah reach Havana on
|, Thursday and after a few days devoted