Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-08-27
CUBA'S FREEDOM NEAR.
So General Wood Intimates to
People of Santiago.
URGES UNITY OF THE ISLANDERS.
Cubans Regard His Utterances as
Most sigpificant-First Time Since
the War American, Cuban and
Spanish Flags Are Entwined.

the War American, Cuban and
Spanish Flags Are Entwined,
Santiago, Cuba. Aug 27.-Governor
General Wood was officially banqueted
here by the Republican and Democratic
parties. The civil governor, the arch
bishop of Cuba, the principal judicial
and civil dignitaries and 100 representa-
1--WE merchants Were present.
The archbishop in the course of his re-
marks said the time had arrived for peace
and that he believed n consolidation of
political parties would be of greater ben
eht to Cuba in the future than a house
divided against itself He said he was
happy to greet the people of the United
States in the person of General Wood.
Senor Tamay0, secretary of state, in a
forcible speech said:
This is one of the most important
epochs in the political history of Cuba.
A constitutional convention, where the
fundamental law of the land is to be
framed, is about to be formed. In that
convention the people of Cuba are to
prove themselves capable of constructing
a government, of guaranteeing life and
property and of preserving order. They
are also to prove that Cuba is land
open TO all men, not only to those who
are Cubans' by the accident of birth or
who participated in the revolution, but
also those who can claim the privilege
under the treaty of Paris.
Cuba is about to obtain what three
generations bled for, and if the constitu-
tonal convention is not what it should
be the noble dead will rise to demand that
that blood shall not have been shed in
vain. If we fail in this conventions we
shall be unworthy of the blood that was
shed at El Cancy and on San Juan hill.
General Wood is the true friend of Cuba,
and l can certify to it,"
General Woods Speech.
Governor General Wood on rising was
greeted with shouts of appreciation and
''vivas,' which were taken up by some
5000 people assembled outside the club
house on the Parque de Cespcdes. He
spoke in part as follows:
Il am here as your friend and in no
other capacity. Only those who remcm-
ber the Ten Years war can have as full
knowledge of the conditions of this PROV
ince as | have myself. When | first saw
El Caney matters were in Il most de-
plorable condition. The road to Santiago
was marked with dead and dying In the
Improvement one sees everywhere we
have n proof of the friendly interest
shown by the American people.
Everybody in the United States was
astonished at the satisfactory way in
which the municipal elections passed off.
President Mckinley personally asserted
that he thought the time for the next
step had come. Whatever the ultimate
destiny of Cuba may be, its immediate
future is independence. This is no po-
litical move on the part of the United
o'a.es' "',I II sincere deSire 10 DO what
Is flght. 1hererore' neg you as per
soilal lnVor 10 me ana 10 the United
sites government 10 SINK your poiitlcal
u'i'trences anu p"SS,ohS ana 10 send men
~ 'he 'oi,'en''o', WHO are reno"hen ior
n"i'or anu c"p"'i'!' ~ .h'' lhe cohNeh-
tioh may mean more thah the Cupahs
even ho" "ht''ip"'e-
Advised to send GOOD Men.
again | say, send the best men. The
work before your representatives is large
ly legal work. / care not what your par
ty politics are, but whatever they are for
the present party considerations must be
suspended for the sake of the great end
in view, the end that will make history
and affect the welfare of all Cuban peo-
pie.
"Your delegates must be competent to
draft a constitution, and it is duty you
owe yourselves and your fellow patriots
to see that your representation is with
out party prejudice. Bear in mind that
no constitution which does not provide
for stable government will he accepted
by the United States. | wish to avoid
making Cuba into a second Haiti al
"You want liberty for all and for no
~.