New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-20
BROOKE NOT OVERRULED.
PLAN FOR DISARAIING CUBANS SUB
MITTED TO fHE PRESIDENT
POSSESSION OF THE MOTLEY COLLECTION
OF WEAPONS A MATTER OF LITTLE
CONSEQUENCE-CUBAN ARMY
WON'T FIGHT AGAIN

ONSEQUENCE-CUBAN ARMY
WON'T FIGHT AGAIN
my TELEGRAPH TO THE THfBrSE.s
Washington, May 19.-Secretary Alger to-day
characterized as the sheerest nonsense the
statement that he had countermnnded the ar
rangements just completed by Governor-General
Brooke for the disbandment OF the Cuban Army
on the ground that the Administration disap-
proved the policy of storing the surrendered
arms with the alcaldes of the different towns
and cities. AS matter Of fact General Brooke
simply sent to Washington the terms OF the
proclamation he is about TO issue and asked
for its specific approval by the War Depart
ment, and Secretary Alger decided to submit
the new plan to the President before returning
his Endorsement
General Brooke's entire willingness to have
the arms Of the disbanded Cuban soldiers stored
in armores In the different municipalities sur
prises no one at all familiar with the situation
In Cuba for the disposal of these harmless relics
is detail in the disbandment project of little
or no consequence. Too much Importance has
been attached by alarmists both here and in
Cuba to the possession by the nsurgent army
OF few thousand practically useless weapons.
and the insurgents themselves have been en-
couraged to hold out against surrenderng their
motley collection OF rifles simply through the
carefully fostered suspicion that the United
States was eager to get hold Of the guns and
would eventually pay some inflated price for
them.
THE GUNS PRACTICALLY USELESS.
years misuse has made most OF the rifles
still in the hands OF the Cuban soldiers prac-
tically worthless for military purposes and as
the supply Of ammunition on which their owners
formerly drew is also virtually exhausted
military museum seems certainly the most ap
propriate place In which these sacred relics"
could now be deposited. The department com
mander in Cuba who has had the widest expert
ence with Cuban peculiarities and shown the
acutest comprehension OF Cuban character long
ago told the Cuban soldiers IN his province that
their arms Of no value to the military gov
ernment. and that they could sell them to Amer
can curiosity hunters or take them home 10 pro-
tect themselves against bandits. All the Gov
ernment wanted was their names and addresses.
so that each could get his share in the arrears
advanced from Washington. On these terms the
Cuban Army in that province was virtually
dsbanded nearly three months ago.
POINT YIELDED TO GOMEZ
No one who knows the Cuban Army suspects
that II would fight even II It were reitted with
Krag-Jorgensons and launched in the field
with agcommissary department Of up-to-date
variety and repletion- The proposal OF General
Gomez to store the present stock Of arms in
municipal safe-keeping is not q yelled strata
gem, beneath which are hidden ominous threats
of future disturbance. On the contrary, 1t is
only a bit OF by-play. calculated to appeal to
the radical separatist gallery, which Is sure to
find in this harmless concession to patriotic aDc
nationals tic sentiment an ample justification OF
much that was puzzling in the general-n -chiefs
recent programme Governor-General Brooke
plainly appreciates General Gomez's position
and in concluding his latest disbandment ar
rangements considerably yielded for General
Gonez's benefit quite inconsequential point.
It is not expected that the War Department Will
interfere TO upset the agreement so far made.