The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-27
GOMEZ AS A GUEST
TIRE CUBAN LEADER ATTENDS :,
BRILLIANT BANQUET GIVEN
At HAVANA
INDEPENDENCE THE THEME

Promising Augury of Freedom
Since the Peace Protocol Was
signed-Pntriot Feted by the
People OF the Cuban Capital
Speeches by Brooke and Lee.
HAVANA, Feb. 26.-The banquet at
the Tacon theater last evening proved
a brilliantly successful affair. Gov.
Gen. Brooke and Maj. Gen. Lee spoke.
Cubans generally regard the occur
rences at the function as the most
| promising augUry of Cuban independ-
ence since the peace protocol was sign
| ed.
The theater was crowded to over
| flowing with spectators and more than
| 200 covers were laid for the banqueterS.
! Beside the governor general and Gen.
Lee the company included Maj Gen.
| Ludlow, Gen. Chafee. the governor gem
erals chief-ofstaff; the staff Of Gems.
Lee and Ludlow and other army and
naval officers, together with many
| prominent citizens and Havana Of
| ficials. Gen. Andrade sat on the right
| of Gen. Gomez and Mayor Lacoste on
his left The boxes were flied with
| people representing Havana's best So
! ciety.
AS the American generals entered a
trumpeter at the door blew once
| whereupon a concealed band played
The Star Spangled Banner" When
the Cuban commanders entered the
trumpet was sounded twice and the
| band played the Cuban hymn.
| Among the speakers We're Senior
| Pedro Llorento, Col Carlos Garcia,
| Culberto Gomez and Gen. Lanusa. sec
| rotary of the department of justice.
The tendency of all the speeches was
| towards independence for Cuba, with
| a eulogy of Gen. Gomez and assertions
| that he must never more leave the ISL
and. The spectators called vociferous-
| ly for a speech from Maj. Gen. Lee.
His remarks and those of Gen. Brooke
! We're translated for the benefit of the
assembly by Senior Pablo Desvernins,
| secretary of the department of finance.
Both the American generals repeated
former statements of the military adj
ministration along the line Of assur-
ance that the United States intended
to establish a stable government in the
island and then to deliver it to the
Cubans themselves. These assurances
We're vociferously applauded.
Col. Garcia explained the disinter-
ested position of American officers in
Cuba.
GOMEZ'S VIEWS.
Gen. Gomez himself did not speak,
! owing to the hoarseness from which he
is suffering. Gen. Lanusa expressed
thanks on his behalf, adding that the
banquet had done much to bring the
American and Cuban elements to a
clear understanding and to define the
position, work and aims of the United
States military administration in Cuba
Gen. Gomez withdrew from the theater
bout midnight crowds in the streets
applauding him wildly as he emerged
and followed his carriage for blocks.
Gen. Gomez, who is much in need of
rest, said last might to a friend: This
popularity is killing me-"
Tomorrow Gen. Gomez will visit the
governor general and hand him a writ
ten reply regarding some matters dis
cussed at the conference which was
private and dealt presumably more OF
the ways and means of handling ques-
tons than with the questions them
selves. He will visit Gen. Brooke as
business may require, and the visits
will be Informal unless Gen. Gomez
should desire otherwise, which is inn
probable
The presence of Gen. Gomez in Ha-
Vana and his participation in the car
nival demonstrations has increased
the feeling and open talk in favor of
Independence and of a brief contin-
uance of the military occupation.
A mass meeting of 5000 persons in
central park today was addressed bv
Gualberto Gomez, Senior J. M Borjis,
one OF the vice presidents of the Ha-
Vana chamber OF commerce, Dr. Dom
sided. All the speeches favored inde-
pendence, but We're moderate in tone
and in no way unfriendly to the United
States.