The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-05-19
GOMEZ'S ADVICE.
Tells the Cubans to Take the Money
and Go Home

and Go Home
Havana May 19.-The expected man
ifesto of General Maxine Gomez was
issued last evening. It reviews his part
in the negotiations with Governor Gen
eraI Brooke and speaks of his love for
Cuba and his sufferings on her behalf
in the past.
General Gomez says:
THE hour has now arrived for me to
raise my voice in justification of, my
position and to describe the arduous
work 1 have done since my first visit
to General Brooke I protested to him
against the sum offered by the United
States as insufficient to accomplish the
good intended. While waiting an an
swer to my protest I sought solution
of the question. General Brooke, rep
resenting the chief magistrate of the
United States announced his inability
to add to the sum already settled upon.
Spectators then attempted to in
tervenes offering suggestions which
were refused by me. They presented a
proposition to the military assembly
but the scheme was frustrated by Pres
ident McKinley's refusal to recognize
that body. I deemed the formation of
militia a practical solution and Gen.
Brooke who approved the idea asked
me for summary of my views on the
subject. To this I replied that ten
thousand men were all it would be pos
sible to get from the former Cuban
army without distinction as to race.
My answer was sent to President
ter giving explicit reason why such
course was necessary.
Il had many conferences with Gen.
Brooke in my endeaVors to discover
such plan of payment as would not
exclude the men who had never car
ried arms. Gen. Brooke insisted upon
the surrender of arms before the re-
ce1pt of money, and also desired that
such arms as had already been surren-
dered and such as should be surrender
ed hereafter might be delivered to
warehouses in the care of Cuban ar
morers, to be paid out of the Cuban
treasury. | do not think it a disgrace
that the Cuban soldier should receive
from a government which is able to
pay, sums that will relieve their i'm
mediate needs. Special certificates will
be given to all, redeemable by the Gu
ban republic so soon as it rs estab-
lished
Il am convinced that it is compatible
with obtaining peace to have an army,
with arms reserved, to defend Cuba
against her enemies, and in the mean
time to be regarded as the relics of
glorious struggle. In my judgment,
whether the arms were disposed of to
the municipalities or to the armorers,
it would be all the same under the in
terVening government. The Cuban
commissioners, however refused to
agree with Gen. Brooke and the Amer
leans and declined to fix dates and
places where the Cuban soldiers could
deliver up arms and receive payment
from the American paymasters after
Identification by their. respective
Chiefs
After further praise of Ger. Brooke's
consideration" and declaration of his
own desire to correct an error existing
in Cuba with respect to the United
States he goes on to say:
II acted alone as seems to be popu-
1arly believed but always consulted
with our officers. My advice to you is
to return to your homes with the
amounts offered by the intervening
government and to practice patience,
which will be an additional proof Of
your heroism. In this way we shall
reconstruct most rapidly the homes
consecrated by the blood of martyrs,
blood poured out in behalf of a purpose
now attained and thus begin this cycle
of liberty with the grandest prospects,
preceded by the heralds of future pros
perity and peace. "
This work is your portion Let no
pretext interfere with the attainment
of the independent government for
which three generations of CubanS
have struggled with all sacrifice and
which is now promised by a noble ma
ton pledged to obtain for as our rights.
Meanwhile I shall remain where am
generously invited, among the CubanS.
aspirations and in a narrow sphere as
signed me if necessary and if it hap
pens that all logical and just methods
shall be exhausted without the desired
result, [ will go to Washington and
there tell of Cuba and her sacred ideals
of an independent republic and will ar
bitrate the destiny of our country bap-
tised with blood and sanctifed with our
love of independence and liberty which
we will cease demanding in tones of
subtlest diplomacy, for the sake of the
nation that is to be in the near future,
always asking that independence and
liberty which we covet in the name of
right, civilization, justice and democ-
raCY.''