The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-08
THE HITCH WITH THE CUBANS.
MAJ. SMITH EXPLAINS THEIR
Grievances AGAINST US.


Intelligent Cubnns Expect the Island
to Become Part of the United
States Eventually, Hut Think They
Earned the Right TO Run Their
own Government for ANhiIe-The
Trouble With the Generals Is That
They Think If They Hold out Long
Enough the United states VIII
Give Them What They Ask.
Maj. W. D. Smith, an account Of whose
adventures as an officer in the Cuban army
in command of Gen. Gomez personal es-
cort. offers an explanation of the present
condition of affairs in Cuba. and the action
of the Cuban generals in endeavoring to
prevent their followers from accepting the
s., 100000 offered by the American govern
ment, that throws considerable light upon
the subject Having spent the better part
of three years in Cuba, Maj. Smith has
learned 10 understand Cuban human ma
ture, which is something the American Of
ncials in Cuba DO not seem to have mas
tered
I'm the first place" said Maj. Smith,
"the trouble between Gomez and the as
sembly was simply this: There were a
large number of non-combatants in Cuba,
many of whom came to this country. While
they claimed to sympathize with the revo-
luton they were not willing to fight for il
and they did very little in the way of mon
ey contributions. As soon as peace was
declared the refugees began flocking back
to the country and the mont ombatants
declared themselves, and at once became
vocifeTous patriots. They are the ones who
have caused all the trouble, and who are
advocating that the United States govern
ment should turn loose and give them full
swing. These are the people who organized
the assembly and who deposed Gomez be
cause he was too friendly with the United
States authorities. They endeaVored TO put
| up a great bluff, but it didn't work.
The intelligent element among the Gu
bans is grateful 10 the United States for
its Intervention, and they expect their
! country to eventually become a part of
the United States" said Maj Smith.
They feel, however. that they have not
! been given proper credit for the part they
| played and they think that they should
! be allowed to have a voice in their own af-
fairs and 90 show what they are capable
! Of No people ever made greater sacri-
| fees TO secure their liberty than the Gu
| bans, and our people should not overlook
| this fact. The belief was very strong in
! the mind of the Cubans that they were
sure to win, anyway Gen. Gomez him
| self believed this, and I believe myself
! that they would have eventually won.
The intervention of the United States as
| they look at it, simply fastened matters
/ cd IN he Wiz
way. The United States has ignored them
treated them with contempt declined &c
| recognize their government or the rank
| of their army officers and naturally they
| feel sore about it, Their idea was to or
ganize an Independent republic of their
own, the more intelligent of them fore
seen that their natural destiny was TO be-
| come part of the United States
This was Gen. Gomez view" Mai
Smith said. Gomez does not think the
Americans have acted rightly in the mat
| ter. AT the same time he is a great ad-
mirer Of the Americans, and he believes
that the wisest thing for the Cubans to
do under the circumstances is to accept
the situation. The hotheads are unwilling
to accept this view"
1t Is not the dislike of the Cubans for
| the American policy which causes the
! generals to forbid their men from accept
ing the money offered them by the United
| States Their motive, Maj. Smith says, is
entirely a mercenary one.
"They are proceeding on the Spanish
idea" said Maj. Smith. I'm the Spanish
army the officers receive no pay except
when engaged in active service. Conse.
quently, when they get service, they en-
deavor TO prolong it as long as possible
! This is the reason why the Cuban wal
was dragged out at such length. The
| Spanish officers had no desire to see il
brought to a close. The Cuban officers
based their ideas on the Spanish custom
| They received little or nothing while the
war was going on, but they were fully
| confident that either the United States oil
some other power would intervene an6
| that they would be paid in full for theil
| services. They still think that the Unit.
ed States will pay them and that the
| longer they hold out the more they will
receive They think that they can veal
| out the patience of the United States anC
that our government will yield to then
demands in order to pacify them and OBJ
tain complete possession of the island
| This is ell there is in the contention Of
the Cuban generals. 1t isn't that they ar,
too proud to accept money from the United
States, but because the government hasn'
offered them enough, and they believe tina
by holding out the government viii final
~ yield to their demands and give then
what they ask.
Gomez, Maj Smith said, is the only
| leader among the Cubans who really un
derstands the Americans and the other:
are unwilling TO be guided by him.