The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-16

From the Agreement. to Assist In
Distributing the 100000 Pro-
vided for Payment and Disband-
ment of the Cuban Army.
HAVANA, May 10, $40 p. m.-Gen.
Maxine Gomez informed Gov. Gen.
Brooke today that he must withdraw
from the plan for distributing the $3,090,
600 appropriated to the payment Of the
Cuban troops. to the extent that he will
not name other commissioners to replace
those originally named by him, who have
refused to serve. Gov. Gen. Brooke Is to
go ahead with a new plan, Gen. Gomez
remaining in an attitude of friendly in
activity.
Gen. Brooke will issue an order for
Cuban privates and non-commissioned Of
fcers to meet at specified places on
specified dates to receive payment. They
are to be accompanied by their company
officers for the purpose of Identification.
Both Gen. Gomez and the governor gen.
eral feel that the privates ought not to
lose their share in the American gratuity
merely because the schemes of certain
high officers in the Cuban army have in
terposed obstacles. The belief among the
Americans is that the company officers
will assist in this way. Gen. Brookes or
der will be disseminated through the
newspapers, placarded in the postoffices
and given the widest circulation practica-
BILE
This afternoon Gen. Gomez wrote a his
tory of his relation to the army payment
question. 1t includes the correspondence
that has passed between himself and the
governor general, and 1t is intended to
make his position clear to the public and
to contrast his conduct favorably with
that of the other Cuban leaders.
CAUSE OF THE BREAK.
Gen. Gomez's fiat refusal at the last
moment to assent to the delivery of the
Cuban arms to the American authorities
is the immediate cause of the break.
The insurgents, from the ex-command-
er-in-chief to the rawest private, resent
the demand that they shall surrender
their rifles as the price of the payment
of the SS,OOo,0O0, and the younger element
does not hesitate to declare It's intention
to take to the woods rather than submit
TO what is called the humiliating bar
gain proposed by Gen. Brooke. 49,.
Gen, Gomez's personal following has
dWindled at a frightful rate since the
first publication of the fact that he had
assented to the American terms, and the
declination of Gems. Betancourt, Montea-
guido, Rojas and Llorente to serve as Gu
ban commissioners in the payment of
troops brought the fact that his power
was waning sharply to his attention.
The old insurgent yielded to the tre-
mendous popular pressure and served no.
tice on Gen. Brooke that he would not
attempt to force the So 900 upon the
army except as a free and unconditional
gift.
GOMEZ WANTS TO LEAD.
Gomez's continued leadership depends on
his ability to save the arms and equip
nlent of the Cuban army. He denies
that he ever approved of American Gus
tody for the rifles, and declares that the
utmost the Cubans could accept with
honor would be the delivery of the arms
TO the municipal authorities Of the prov
. inces In which the various corps were
operating.
There is no doubt that the atti ,ude of
the army is the same as that of the for
mer commander-in-chief. TeleRrams are
being received form every corps In the
island declaring that the Insurgents will
not surrender their arms under the terms
Oh the IOFner agreement.
The Society of Veterans of Independ-
ence, which is merely the old military
assembly under a new name, held an in.
augural meeting last night under tha
presidency of Gen. Fernando Freye de
Andrade. who acted as president of tho
assembly, at which meeting Gems. La
crete, Cisneros, Juan Gomez and Leyte
Vtnal and others were present The pro-
ceedings were devoted to dra wing nm an
agreement IN ho
meeting to be held this evening In the
announcement of tonight's meeting
which appeared today, the promoters saw
that their call is made upon all who as
sisted in the revolution, agents. ennis
sartes, conspirators, politicians, ETC., but
none can enter the meeting unless as
members of the society,""
BLANCo'S DUPLICITY.
La Union Espanola publishes today a
letter from Gen. Jose VaFona to Gen
Gomez, asking If 1t be true that Marshal
blanco offered independence to the Gu
pans on condition that they would CO.
operate against the United States The
paper says that Gomez replied in the af.
hrmative, but wrote to Varona that mo
answer was given to Blanco, as Spain had
deceived the Cubans SO often that thew
could not trust her again. A second let
ter from the captain general to the same
purport was received, and this also went
unanswered. Finally Blanco, accordIne
to La Union Espanola sent a messenge,
to Gomez to repeat the proposition. b,It
the Cuban commander refused to con.
slider it.
Col. Reide has been making an inspec
ton of the forts around Havana. prepara.
tory to a report to Gen. Brooke. He saws
that enormous sums were spent by tn,
Spaniards upon defenses that are now
utterly worthless. Cabanas fortress alone
cost originally $4,000 900, but two or thre.
well-directed shots almost demolished il
and the same Is said to be the case nj
all the rest of the fortresses, includlnt
Morro castle. Col. Reide says that one
sharpshooter, stationed on the roof o.
the Tacon theater, with an ordinar,
service rife. could practically render an1
Havana fort untenable. A single artii
lery shot could in many instances max,
whole wall crumble into dust.
Maj. Gen. Ludlow, military governor O.
Havana, visited the governor general to
day to consult him regarding Havana af
fairs, including the appointment OF s
civil governor. Several names are under
consideration.
Numerous inquiries are made daily a
stores dealing in firearms for old rifles
which goes to show that many so-calleS
insurgents intend, If possible, not to b.
found without arms when the SIS roll Il
called.
The Cuban national party is holdin.