The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-03-15
APPLAUDINC GOMEZ.
Cabans Generally Resent the Action
-. Of the Assembly.
ONLY ONE POWER IN THE ISLAND

40 DVposCu NhUoh hSNoS-
nizes Only the United states-The As
sembly Issues a ''Document OF JUS
ttffcatlon."
Havana, March 15.-The action of
Civil Governor Mora and the police de-
partment in attempting to prevent Mon.
days popular manifestations in favor of
General Maxine Gomez is strong gly cen-
sured, and the i'll feeling against the
police runs high. The people consider
that their rights and freedom have been
attacked. The action of Governor Gen
eral Brooke in restraining the Cuban
authorities from interfering has pleased
the people, and is favorably commented
upon. 1t is rumored that several officers
of the police force. who were formerly
in the Cuban army, will resign. The
occurrence has done much to destroy the
popularity and efficiency Of the new po-
lice force.
General Gomez Is receiving hundreds
Of kilograms from all parts of the island
expressing the peoples allegiance and
loyalty ito him and to Cuba. General
Cespedos, who defended General Gomez
at Saturdays session of the military as
sembly, has resigned his membership of
that body. Senor Mola also resigned
yesterday.
General Gomez says he recognizes
only one power in the island--that of
the United States. All that the Cubans
can do, he declares is by pcrmission>of
the American authorities, and therefore
the military assembly can only talk In
his opinion the assembly is acting as 1t
does because it wants to get more money
out Of the United States. In this con-
ncction he points out that the assembly
first proposed to ask $SO,0O00 900. As
for himself he AYERS that he is not a
bcggar The United States government
offered the $3,000,0O0, and he has never
asked an increase in the gift. Indeed.
he says, to ask more would be undign-
fed and improper.
10 all callers General Gomez speaks
lightly of the assembly, declaring that
it was his creation, as he did not wish to
appear dictator, and that the real mill
tary members, who took no part in the
vote to depose him, will now resign. He
calls the assembly "a collection Of
black clouds. with much thunder but
little rain"
The military assembly met yesterday
afternoon with the ordinary guard.
Most of the time was occupied in discuss
in the pronouncement which is to be
issued with view Of justfying last
Saturdays action in the eyes of the peo.
pie.
General Sanguily introduced a motion
protesting against the acceptance Of the
$3,OOO,GOO, preceding it with long pre-
amhle declaring that the assembly was
ready to cooperate with the United
States in maintaining order in Cubp.
The motion called for the adoption of
the resolutions 'in the name of the arm
ed people of Cuba" The first extended
the thanks of the assembly to the United
States for aid during the recent war.
The second thanked the United States
for the offer of $3,O0000O. but went on
to assert that lowing to the assembly's
exact knowledge of the needs of the Gu
ban soldiers its members consider it their
duty to declare the amount insufficient
I'VE cannot honorably accept it as 4
gift, but only as a loan," the resolutions
proceeded, ''as President McKinley's
authorization is necessary to raise funds
needed to accomplish the disarming Of
the Cuban troops and exclusively used
for this purpose The third resolution
appointed n committee Of three to pre-
sent these conditions to President Nc |
kinley. General Sanguily's motion was
carried by 18 votes against 4.
The document of justification" was
then read. 1t is very long, and cites
cases to show the disobedience of Cen
eral Gomez to the assembly, declaring
that those familiar with the inner his |
tory of the war know that strained rela-
tions always existed between him and |
the Cuban civil authorities. 1t reviews
his interview with Mr. Robert Porter.
and lays stress upon the fact that Go.
mez has virtually ignored the assembly |
during the last two months. The docu-
ment is in effect an eulogy Of the mem
bers Of the assembly-a declaration that
they have done their duty.
Certain passages referring scathingly
to the people of Havana who expressed
their disapproval Of the assembly's ac-
tion on Saturday, were eliminated after
an undignified and heated discussion.
An attack on the assembly, printed at
MatanZas and signed by the mayor Of
Matanzas and others. was read.
The document Of justification was
finally accepted by acclamation, the as
scmbly deciding to print 10000 copies,
after which it went into secret session.
presumably to discuss means to obtain
funds for meeting the expenses at Wash
ington Of the committee appointed to pre-.
sent the resolutions, Scnores Vilalon,
Hovia and Despaigne. II their travel
ing expenses are assured they will pro-
ceed to Washington. nominally to hand
the resolutions to President Mckinley,
but really, it is said, to negotiate the
mysterious loan which has been the sub
ject Of the private sessions. The as
sembly fails to recognize the possibility
that President Mckinley will not recog-
nize it or its committee officially.
General Gomez is about to issue a
statement begging those who have en-
trusted petitions to him for his own
action or for recommendation to Gen
eral Brooke to call at his Office for their
return. Having ceased to exercise the
functions Of commander-in- chief he says
lie must not appear to usurp powers Of
which he has been bereft The state
ment will lament his inability TO serve