The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-19
GOMEZ TELLS CJBANS
TO GO TO WORK
Accept Money, Rebuild Their Homes and
Prepare For Independence
WHICH is SURE TO COME
Reviews the Negotiations With General
Brooke.
HOW HE HELD OUT FOR MORE
Believes That Cubans Should Have g
Militia to Defend Their Country
Against Their Enemies-No
Importation of Pistols.

OIL GENERAL COiHeZ was issued tOuay. 1t
reviews his part in the negotiations
and speaks of his love for Cuba and his
sufferings in her behalf in the past. General
Gomez says:
1.-THE hour has now arrived for me to-
raise my voice in justification, of my posi-
ton and to describe the arduous work I
have done since my first visit to General
Brooke. protested to him against the sum
offered by the United States as insufficient
to, accomplish the good intended While
awaiting an answer to my protest I sought
a solution Of the question. General Brooke,
representing the chief magistrate of the
United States, announced his inability to
add to the sum already settled upon.
Spectators then attempted to intervene,
offering suggestions which were refused by
me. They presented a proposition to the
military assembly, but the scheme was
frustrated by President McKinley's refusal
to recognize that body. 1 deemed the for
nation of a militia a practical solution,
and General Brooke, who approved the idea,
asked me for summary of my views on
the subject. To this L replied that 10000
men were all it was possible to get from
the Cuban army without distinction as to
race. My answer was sent to Pres dent
Mckinley, together with personal letter,
giving explicit reasons why such a course
was necessary.
Plan without Exclusion
81 had many conferences with General
Brooke in my endeaVors to discover such
a plan of payment as would not exclude
the men who had never carried arms Gen
erali Brooke insisted upon the surrender of
arms before the receipt of money, and also
desired that such arms as had already
been surrendered and such as should be
surrendered hereafter might be delivered
to warehouses in the care of Cuban armor-
ers to be paid out of the Cuban treasury
I don't think it disgrace that the Cuban
soldiers should receive from government
which is able to pay sums that will relieve
their immediate needs. Special certificates
will be given to all, redeemable by the
Cuban republic soon as it is established.
Il am convinced that it is compatible
with peace to have an army with arms
to defend Cuba against her enemies, and
in the meantime to be guarded as the
relics of a glorious struggle. In my judg-
ment, whether the arms were disposed OF
to the municipalities to armorors, it
would be all the same under the interview
ing government. The Cuban commission
ers, however, refused to agree with Cen
eral Brooke and the Americans, and de-
clfned to fix dates and places where the
Cuban soldiery could deliver up arms and
receive payment from the American pay
masters after Identification by their re-
spective chiefs"
Praises General Brooke
After further praise of General Brooke's
consideration" and a declaration of his
own desire to correct an error existing in
Cuba with respect to the United States, he
goes on to say:
Il did not act alone, as 1t seems to be
peculiarly believed, but always consulted
with our officers. My advice to you is to re-
turn to you homes with the amounts offered
by the intervening government and to prac-
tice patience, which will be an additional
proof of your heroism. I'm this way we
shall reconstruct most rapidly the homes
conseerated by the blood of martyrs
poured in behalf of a purpose now attained
and thus begin this cycle of liberty with
the grandest prospects, preceded by the
heralds of future prosperity and peace.
This work is your portion. Let no pre-
text interfere with the attainment of the
independent government for which three
generations of Cuhans have struggled with
all sacrifice and which is now promised by
noble nation. pledged to obtain for us
OUR rights.
Meanwhile shall remain where L am
generously invited-among the Cubans.
shall work without cessation for our as
pirations, and in a narrow sphere as
signed me, if necessary. AS il it happens
that all logical and just methods shall be
exhausted without the desired result, T
will go to Washington and there tell of
Cuba and her sacred ideals of an indepen-
dent republic, and will arbitrate the des-
tiny of codRtry, baptized with blood
and sanctified with our love of indepen-
dence and liberty, which we will fever
cease demanding in tones of subtlest d-
plomacy for the sake of the nation that is
to be in the near, always asking that in
dependence and liberty which we covet in
the name of right, civilization, Justice and
democracy"
importation of Revoivers Stopped
The importation of 500 revolvers was
stopped by the customs house authorities
today, the weapons being taken into mill
tary custody. The dealer to whom they
were consigned has been informed by Ma
1or General Ludlow, military governor of
Havana, that he may sell them to such
individuals only as shall give the authori-
ties satisfactory reason for the purchase.
General Ludlow's instructions to the dealer
were written, and they allude to "the law
less element to whom 1t would be danger
Gus to allow the possession of arms"
Enrique Gray, the wholesale hardware
merchant in whose possession 1900 Maui
sers, bought of the Spanish, were found
few days ago, has been required to sur
render them, and on the orders of General
Ludlow they have been stored in the ar
senaI subject to shipment out of the island.
Every day or so there comes a fresh
story of brigandage, but at the salon
trocha the headquarters OF General
Brooke, 1t Is asserted that investigation
invariably shows that such reports have
IL