The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-20
HAVANA IN FERnENT
CUBANS ARE ALL WROUGHT UP
OVER ALLEGED ACTION OF
SECRETARY ALGER
WORSE THAN CANNED BEEF

Latest Roast for the War Secretary
Coming From the Cubans-Charg-
ed With a Desire to Cause Fric-
ton With the American Govern
ment Gen. Brooke Going Right
Ahead With Distribution scheme,
HAVANA, May 19.-Havana Is In a fer
ment again over the idea that the WASH
ington administration has determined to
take the arms of the Cuban troops, and
to retain them In military possession
This view of the latest news from Wash
1ngton has been telegraphed to the vari-
Gus cities.
Gov. Gen. Brooke is thus far unaware,
save through the press kilograms, of the
dissatisfaction on the, part of Gen. Alger,
secretary of war with his (Gen. Brooke's)
plan to have the arms deposited In the
care Of the mayors of the municipalities,
nor has he received any other 'ini1ling of
the secretary's purpose to lay the mat
ter before President Mckinley. Conse-
quently, unless Instructions to the con-
trary are received from the Washington
order respecting the disposition of the
$S,0o0,o0O will be issued tomorrow. The
secretary Of war has been informed as
to the substance of this order in the usual
course of business.
Hayanas midday papers publish the
Washington news, some of them COM
menting editorially upon it. AS the point
about where the arms are to oe kept ap-
pears to be thought of vital Importance
in Washington. the conviction announced
there that the mayors will not be trusted
with them is cause of fresh discomfort,
just at the moment when the various COM
plications appeared to be unravelled
The mayors are the appointees of the
governor general, and when the Cuban
assembly dissolved they were made It's
representatives to receive the arms On
this point the agreement between Cen
Gomez and Robert p Porter, President
McKinley's special representative, runs
as follows:
The Cubans shall surrender their arms
to the Cuban assembly or it's representa-
tives."
Gen. Gomez, at the time of coming to
the agreement with MIR. Porter, Fad not
quarrelled with the assembly, and insist
ed on this point. Since the quarrel he
v,
saying also that Mr.. Porter brought full
written authority from President McKin-
ley, and in the presidents name agreed
that the arms should go into the custody
of the assembly, or Its representatives
ROAST FOR MR.. AI.GER.
At Monday nights meeting of the So
ciety of Veterans of Independence or
ganiZed by former members of the as
ljsembly, the speakers dilated upon article
plenipotentiary had agreed to deposit the
arms with the representatives of the as
sembly, while through the connivance of
Gen. Gomez they were to be surrendered
to the American army. La Discussion
says:
Secretary Alger desires to provoke the
anger of the Cubans. He is more dis
tinguished in the United States as a
business man than as a politician, and
his relations with certain syndicates are
| well known. He opposes everything that
| Cuba wants. and favors everything that
would cause feeling and provoke excite
ment. His attitude prompts the question
| what does he want? Does he desire a
| war here, similar to that in the Philip
| pines? We re forced to believe that he
| favors only what is unsatisfactory to
Cubans.''
Cubans of prominence object to talking
| for publication on the subject, but where.
| say, without exception, that such orders
| as forecasted in the press dispatch from
| Washington would cause more trouble