The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-04-24
PALMA IS WELCOMED:
Cubans Vie With Each Other In
According Him Honors.
ENTHUSIASM WAS UNBOUNDED
Left Island in Chains and Returned to
Find His Path Literally Strewn
With Roses-Old Friends
Embrace Him.

General Thomas Estrada Palma
president-elect of the Cuban republic
+ who arrived on the steamer Admira
Farragut, from Old Point Comfort, Va.
was greeted, says Gibara, Cuba, dis
patch to the New York Tribune, with
great enthusiasm. Gibara's popula
ton Of 5000 was augmented by as
many more who came from all parts
of the island, from Havana to Santa
90, to pay homage to manly love.
When the steamer anchored in Giba
ra harbor, a salute of 81 guns greeted
General Palma. His face frightened
at the scene before him. How differ.
ent was his return to Cuba. He left
in chains and came back with his path
literally strewn with roses. The har.
Dor was a kaleidoscope of color and
animation. From every craft flew the
flag of Cuba libre and the stars and
stripes. Old friends who had known
General Palma in the ten years war
and had shared with him the hardships
and sufferings of many campaigns,
came on board and embraced him.
Many, were in tears. The vessel was
soon crowded with members Of COM
mittees, representing different cities,
who came out in steamers and
launches which were decorated from
stem to stern, from the mast to the
water line.
After a quarter of an hour of infor-
NAL talk, General Palma and his party
were taken ashore in a launch. 1t was
when he put his foot on the pier that
the pent up enthusiasm Of his compa-
triots broke forth in earnest. There
were rounds of cheers by the natives,
as they crowded around their presi-
dent-elect which could have been
heard across the bay.
Mayor Cespedes spoke few words
of welcome, and then proposed three
cheers for the first president OF the
Cuban republic" They were given
with a will.
With the village band playing the
Cuban hymn, procession was formed
to the principal street, whence the
president-elect and members Of the
committee were drawn in carriage
by a score Of stalwart Cubans to the
city hall. Every place of vantage
along the route was filled. Men, wo-
men and children crowded and pushed
to embrace and shake the hands of the
veteran.
Arches had been built across every
street which led to the city hall. Not
a house in all Gibara was without dec
oration in some form. From every
one flew the flag Of Cuba, and from al
most of many were displayed the flag
of the United States. While the red
and yellow colors Of Spain were con-
spicuous on the Spanish houses. The
Spaniards joined in the welcome.
The ceremonies at the city hail con-
sisted of speech making by the mayor,
members of the council, General Pal
ma and Gonzales de Quesada. Mayor
Cespedes spoke eloquently of the graf
itude that the Cuban people owed to
General Palma, and the honor of being
the first to receive the first chief ex-
ecutive of Cuba libre. His country.
men, he said, trusted General Palma
implicitly and you'd aid him in every
way toward a successful administra'
tion OF his office.
General Palma, in respondipgs spoke
with some difficulty, as he was almost
overcome by the reception given him.
He began by proposing cheers for Gu.
bar libre and for the United States.
He said the Cuban people should, with
the Inauguration of their independent
government, abandon politics and give
their attention to the betterment and
of their country. 1t was
his ambition to bring the various ele-
ments together, so that they may all
work to one end, the building up of
Cuba. He promised to devote hence
forth all his time, knowledge and ener-
gy to bringing about this result.
The mayor then granted him the
freedom of the city.
Senor de Quesada, in his speech,
said the happy union that now exists
between the two people was an omen
If future peace and prosperity; that
heir interests were so closely allied
hat it was to their mutual interest to
continue the good personal relation so
apparent in the demonstration.
General Palma then held a public
reception, and was overwhelmed with |
and good wishes