The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-07-10
Gomez For Annexation.

the moment, Gen. Gomez intending to
return to Cuba today and not deciding
to remain over until the morning,
when he accepted MI. Stokes's invita-
ton, and the guests were summoend
by telegraph. .,,.
The Cuban general was the hero OF
the occasion and was warmly received.
He made a brief speech. which was
interpreted by Gen Gonzales.
Gen. Gomez said be was almost
touched to tears by the remarkable re-
ception be had received in the United.
States. but he never knew until he.
came here how deep that debt vas
that It was not merely the Obligation
of one people to another, but OF broth
er to brother. Every Cuban born and
bred, he said. lived and died with the.
idea of Cuba libre before him, with
the hope of the people being free and
relieved of the yoke of oppression.
Cuba and the United States, said
the General. belonged together. tbs
only question of gravitation when
thev will be ore. But at present. after
the great struggle, in which hundreds
of thousands of lives were sacrificed,
and when men returned to their homes
only to find their wives and children
starved to death in the restricted bar
riers in which Weyler held them under.
his policy Of concentration. they felt
that thew must have Cuba libre. 1t is
realized fully, he said, that Cuba can
not get along without the United
States, but the Cubans do want to feel
freedom.
Gen Gomez referred to Gen. Palma
as the hold-over President of Cuba,
having been elected during the insur-
rectionTof 1868, and he pointed to his.
fellow Cuban as the first President OF.
Cuba libre.
Gen Pima made feeling reply,
warming to the subject of Cuba libre,
and speaking enthusiastically of the
future of the Pearl of the Antilles.
After dinner Gen. Gomez said to the.
newspaper men that he wished to ex-
press his gratitude to the press OF the
United States and Of the world for the
great good they had done to the cause
Of Cuba ibre. He said that when ne
came here years ago he was very sad,
but that on this visit he was very hap
py and was glad to recognize how
much the American people had done
for the Cubans. He had felt a bond of
sympathy with the American nation
when he first mingled with his people,
but he now felt much more strongly
the reality of that bond. He was sure
that the Cuban would now establish
their own government and would show
how much they feel gratitude for the
successful help Of the Americans IN
removing the Spanish yoke.
els there any feeling Of apprehen-
sion in Cuba with regard to the inten-
tions of the United States?" be was
asked.
.. No, there is no question about it, .
he replied. 11Cuba trusts implicitly In
the honor of the American people. -
What can you say as to the future
policy Of Cuba?''
That cannot be answered. - replied
Gen Gomez, because no one can for
see the future, but / believe that the
attitude of Cuba will be one Of graft
tude in accordance with the obliga-
tions Of Cuba to the United States. y
..Whom do you think will be the
President of the Cuban Reprblic?
don't know, but I hope that it
will be Gen Palma. y
9. No, no, . said Gen Palma. that is
| for the Cuban people to say.
Well, there are three candidates, =
said Gen Gomez, or rather three
persons named, myself. Gen Bartolome
Masso and Gen Palma, I will not
accept under any circumstances. Gen
Palma was elected during the Ten
Years war and I hope that he will be
elected again.