The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-06-14
FAREWELL ADDRESS
OF lIAXInO GOMEZ.
Parting Words Of Old Patriot
Those of Wisdom.

| AAooapo, ou' " Oou. " oAtUo
Gomez, the former commande7-in- chief
Of the Cuban army. issued his farewell
manifesto today 10 substance i. says ::
"The mission [ have been intrusted
with is nearly concluded. | have at
tempted to fud a solution of Questions
concerning the army which l command
ed during the bloodiest war known 10
America. I am now leaving, regret.
fully, to attend to necessary privates
business.
"a parting word to the people fox
whom I have sacrificed 80 years Of my
life, and to may friends 10 the army just
disbaoded, which action should have
been taken instantly after the removal
of the bloody weight of Spain's meroi-
less regime. We armed ourselves and,
therefore, now We no logger want
soldiers but men for the maintenance of
peace and order, which are the basis Of
Cuba's future welfare
cit is necessary to understand that
the nation in this epoch, most difficult
aud unequalled 10 history, should avail
itself of the opportunity to show it
possesses virtues, 10 spite of the vices
epgendered by colonial government
and the harshness Of warlike life.
We wanted and depended upon
foreign Intervention to end the
var. This occurred at the most
terrible moment of our contest, and
resulted in Spain's defeat. But none
of Us thought this extraordinary event
would be followed BY military occupa-
ton of the country by our allies, who
treat Us as people incapable Of acting
for ourselves, and who have reduced us
to obedience, to submission and to a
tutelage imposed by force of circum.
stances. This cannot be our ultimate
fate after the years of struggle, and We
should aid by every pacific method 10
finishing the work Of organizing, which
the Americans accepted in che protocol,
and which is disagreeable for them
as for ourselves. This aid will prove
useless without concord among all the
islanders. Therefore. it is necessary
to forget past disagreemenes, to com-
pletely unite all elements and to or
ganizs political party, which is need.
ed in any country.
ut is always said that countries have
the government which they perif, and
Cuba will have that which her heroism
entities her to. Today she can ooly
have one party iu Cuba, with one object,
that Of obtaining the aspiration Of
years.
We must devote ourselves to pacific
labors, gain the respect of the world
aud show that though our war vas non-
o.able, our peace must be more so.
"We must make useless BY our be-
bavior the presence Of strange power
10 the island and must assiss the Amer
leans TO complete the honorable mission
they have beeo compelled to assume by
force of circumstances This work
was not sought by those rich northern
owners of continent think
doubts and suspicion are unjust We
must form Immediately committee or
a club to be q nucleus Of a government
This will serve Cuban interests purely
and act as an aid TO the intersenors.
II, as one of the fret Cubans, al
though one of our last old soldiers and
not far from the grave, withou. passions
or ambitions, call on you With the SIN
cerity of father and urge a cessation
of the superfuous discussions aud the
creation Of parties of all kinds, which
disturb the country and tend to cause
anarchy In this country there should
be no one man whom We consider a
stranger Today We no longer have
auton omists OF conservatives, bot only
Cabans.
"My mission having ended, I will
absent myself temporarily, to embrace
my family. but 1 will return shortly to
Cuba which I love as much as my own
land.
"My last words for my soldiers are
that. as always, where my tent is the
Cubans have friend"
The farewell manifesto of Gen.
Gomez is the principal topic Of
conversation among Americans and
Cubans of sll shades of politics. The
Americans for the most part consider it
an affecting address expressing the real
views Of the old patriot, and also his
sincere intention to retire from public
life. His Cuban admirers say the
address will rank among the most
famous in history.
His opponents. especially the mem
bers of the former military assembly,
Insist that he has no intention to retire
for more than few weeks, and that
his real object is to gain public
sympathy. They say also that Col.
Carlos Cespsdes virtually writes the