The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-04
Cuban Commander Cannot Disband
the Insurgent Army.
HIS COURSE CRITICISED
DISAPPRCVAL OF CUE IN LEAD
Frs AT HAVANA.
They Ask No Charity From the Unit
ed States, and the Provisional As
semhly Alone Has Power to Dis
band the Army-General Gomez
Must Explain.

President Mckinley, through Robert p
Porter, has not yet been thoroughly
weighed in this city
The Cuban leaders seem uncertain fol-
the moment whether to support General
Gomez or crlticise him Public opin-
ion had been wrought UP to demand
and expect a larger payment. Some OF
; the Cuban major generals who have
not been consulted may strongly disap-
prove OF an agreement which gives
them minute portion of the $40. 0OO
which each had expected.
Among the Cuban leaders who have
gwen expression to their views on the
subject it IS asserted that General Co
mez was not authorized to agree to the
dlspandment of the army without con-
Suiting the Cuban assembly and OBJ
tanning its permission.
indeed, when the report arrived that
General Gomez had accepted Mr.. Por-
. ter proposition on behalf of the presf-
dent, many doubted it, refusing to be-
lieve that he would act in this fash
Ion. prominent Cuban said today:
If the news is true, the Cuban as
sembly will have ground for proceeding
against General Gomez. The idea of
S5,OOU,OOO as gift from the United
States to the Cuban soldiers is repug-
nant and wounds the pride of Cubans."
A number of interviews obtained to-
day With prominent Cuban generals go
to show the feeling in the higher mill
tary circles. General Mayia Rodriguez,
commander 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:
/ cannot think that General Gomez
would take this resolution regarding a
matter Of such transcendal Importance
= na =, s-f.,
| Cuban army without consulting the
Cuban generals. Although 1 still be-
lleve that the United States will fulfill
its promise to give Cuba her liberty, 1
think the Cuban army should continue
TO aid in preserving order in the island
until this promise has been fulfilled
and until certain important matter-
have been clearly decided. such as. for
instance, who is to pay the cost of the
numerous and unnecessary American
army of occupation-Cuba or the Unit
ed States General Gomez does not hold
the power to disband the army without
the authority of the Cuban assembly.
and until after consultation with the
generals.
Generals Leyte. Vidal and Perraza
concur in the views of General Rodri- /
guez. @h-
WANT NO CHARITY.
Cuban army cannot and should not ac- !
cept gift or charity from any nation. ]
We asked for what is rightly ours. That /
which Cuba owes to her defenders in 4
arms should be delivered up to no one.
because no one has vanquished US Our
allies cannot and should not enact such
painful sacrifice. The Cuban army
is danger to Cuba, but d guarantee
of order.
General La Cret said: II think Mr..
Porter must have assured General Co
mez most convincingly of our apprc ach-
ing independence before he would have
been willing to express himself as is
reported. AT the proper time General
Gomez will express his ideas to the
people of Cuta"
General Mario Menocal, formerly Gu
ban commander. in Havana province.
and now chief of police in Havana City.
said: Il doubt the truth of the state
ment attributed TO General Gomez. If
it is true I can simply say that General
Gomez is not authorized to solve this
problem unaiGed. 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 rightfully due
the army"
All the generals interviewed were in
clined to be guarded in their state
from General Gomez. which, up to $50
this evening, was not at hand. Still
the general feeling in Cuban military
circles is that the commandment chief
Will have an explanation, upon his ar
rival heres of his conduct, which to !
many is remarkable and Incompetent {
5ible.
POWER OF ASSEMBLY.
Senior Portuando. president of the
committee of the Cuban as :
sembly, which acts for the assembly l
when the latter is not in session, as is I
low the case, said: {
General Gomez is only commander !
n-chief of the army. AS such he is :
lnder the direction of the assembly,
which alone represents the army. The @
assembly is empowered to direct the '
army as to its line of conduct. l have I
10 official data enabling me to judge ;
# the conduct OF General Gomez re- !,
pecting the question of disbanding the G
roops, but he is fully aware of his own o
lowers, as well as those of the as n
embly.' / know, his spirit of subordina- +
ion TO superior authority and l am q
ure that he will act within the limits Il
Xed thereby f
While there promises to be trouble a
nth the assembly, some declare that a
iomez will be able to sway the depu- =
les to his will and to secure the dis
andment Of the arI.ss. 1t is signifi- +
ant, however, that the Cu5ans who (.
ave already been engaged as mem a
ers of the Havana police force had to n
eposit their arms and ammunition y
18th the officer commanding the regi- {.
lent to which they have belonged, in Il
1rm him as to their new residence,
nd give a pledge to return to the
rmy when called upon to by the Gu
an assembly.
The following message from Presi- G
ent Mckinley was received by Robert
. Porter this morning, and was trans
lifted to General Gomez:
Hon. Robert =. Porter, Havana: y,
'The President sends his hearty con- =,
and thanks for your dis :.
atch. Convey his cordial greetings to =,
eneral Gomez, and his grateful APP ~
of the generals frank and ~
iendly message. The cooperation of II,
eneral Gomez in the pacifcation of az
uba will be of the greatest value for W
9TH peoples.
(Signed.) JOHN HAY, 81
Secretary of State" III
RAILWAYS PURCHASED. tn