The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-04
CRITICIsE GOMEZ, ACTIoN.
Not Authorized to Agree to u Disband-
ment of Army.

Not Authorized to Agree to Disband.
ment of Army.
Havana, Feb. 3.-Among the Cubar
leaders who have given expression tc
their views on the subject it is assert
ed that General Gomez was not author
lied to agree to a disbandment of the
army without consulting the Cuban as
sembly and obtaining it's permission
Indeed when the report arrived that
General Gomez had accepted Mr.. Por-
ter's proposition on behalf OF President
Mckinley, many doubted it, refusing
to believe that he would act in this
fashion. A number of interviews had
to-day with prominent Cubans will go
to show the feeling in the higher cir
cles. General Mayia Rodriguez, COM
mander of the Cuban forces in the
provinces of Pinar del Rio, Havana,
Matanzas and Santa Clara, and second
in command in the Cuban army, said:
II cannot think that General Gomez
/
matter of such transcendal Importance
as the disbandonment of the Cuban ar
my without consulting the Cuban gen
erals. Although l still believe that the
United States will fulfill it's promises
to give Cuba her liberty, l think the
Cuban army should continue to aid in
preserving order in the island until this
| promise has been fulfilled and until GER
| tain important matters have been clear
| ly understood. General Gomez does not
hold the power to disband the army
without the authorization of the Cuban
assembly and until after consultation
with the generals" Generals IIeyte vi
dal and Perraza concur in these views.
General Enrique Collazo said: 1.-THE
Cuban army cannot and should not ac-
cept the gift or charity from any other
nation. We asked for what is rightly
ours. That which Cuba owes to her de-
tenders in arms should be delivered up
to no one, because no one has van
quished Our allies cannot and should
not exact such useless and painful
sacrifice The Cuban army is not
danger to Cuba, but a guarantee of or
der"
General Lacret said: II think that Mr..
Porter must have assured General Go
mez most convincingly of our approach
ing independence before he would have
been willing to express himself as is
reported"
General Mario Menocal, formerly Gu
ban commander in Havana province and
now chief of police in Hayana city, said:
II doubt the truth of the statements at
wi IN Coparo1 Go,,a1 Tf tbnr 10
true / can simply say that General
Gomez is not authorized to solve this
problem unaided The Cuban army
does not ask and cannot accept charity
from the American government The
country has asked a loan to facilitate
the payment of money rishtfully due to
the army" All the generals interview
ed were inclined to be guarded in their
statements. pending the receipt of word
from General Gomez, which, up to half
past nine this evening was not at hand.
Still the general feeling in Cuban mill
tary circles is that the commanderin-
chief will have an explanation, upon his
arrival here, of conduct which to many
is remarkable and even incomprehensi-
BILE.
Senor Pertuendo, president of the ex-
ecutive committee of the Cuban army,
which acts for the assembly when the |
latter is not in session, as is now the !
case, said General Gomez is only the
of the army. AS such, he
Is under the direction Of the assembly, /
which alone represents the army. The /
a ssemby is empowered to direct the
rmy as to it's line of conduct. / have
no official data enabling me to judge of
he conduct of General Gomez respect
ng the question of disbanding the
roops; but he is fully aware Of his own
powers, as well as those of the assem-
bly,. l know his spirit of subordina-
ion to superior authority and I am sure
hat he will act within the limits fixed
hereby"
While there promises to be trouble
With the assembly, some declare that
General Gomez will be able to sway the
of the army. 1t is signifi-
ant, however, that the Cubans who
ave already been engaged as members
# the Havana police force had to de-
,osit their arms and ammunition with
he officer commanding the regiment to
which they have belonged, inform him
IS to their new residence and give a
hedge to return to the army when ,
allied upon to do so by the Cuban as ,
embly. Colonel Bacalla, former chief ..
staff of General Rivera, has been ap-
ointed police inspector.