Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-26
CUBAN ARMY IO WAIT
President.Elect Palma confers
With Generals Who Fought
Against Spain.
Agreement That Matter OF Pay.
ing Cuban Army will Rest
for the Present.
The Agricultural Interests OF the
Island Will Be Given First
Consideration.

Bayamo, April 26.-An important
conference was held between President
elect Palma and several of the generals
who participated in the late insurrec-
| ton against Spain. The meeting was
at the request of the president elect
who desired to obtain the views of for
mer Cuban soldiers on the question OF
pay for their services. Those who at
tended were Generals Rabi, Lora, Sal
cedo, and Capote, representing the
province of Santiago, which was the
pivotal point of the rebellion.
This was the first opportunity Gen
eral Palma has had for personally
gauging the sentiment of the people on
| this question, which will be one Of con-
siderable importance.
The result of the consultation was
entirely satisfactory to the president
elect, all his confreres acquiesci1g to
the plans outlined by him. He is OPP
posed to Immediately paying the army
His proposition is to give first attention
to agriculture of the island. BY foster
ing this industry, he argues, will be OBJ
tanned the wages of the army. The
constitution Of Cuba and the Platt
amendment provide that the budget
and interest must first be taken care OF
from the loan that will be negotiated
General Palma said that it must first
| be determined who is really entitled to
| be paid, which means an overhauling OF
the rolls. The amount now asked is
about sS0,000,000, which is considered
far too much. 1t is believed that $15,-
100000 will suffice to settle all legiti-
mate claims. Perhaps two years will
be required to settle in full
The resident-elect also proposes to
have the government take care of those
crippled in the war who are invalids
as result. Provision will also be made
for widows. The question of pensions
will not be favorably received.
The remains of PaIma's mother,
buried by him thirty-two years ago
near C. nto river, were removed to this
city and will be removed to this
today. They were placed in a cas-
ket perhaps two feet long and brought
in by 200 neighbors of the president
elect, all mounted. The village priest
headed the long procession which re-
ceived it. Behind walked General Pal :
ma, Gonzales de Quesada, and 500 citi4
zens, all with barred heads. 1t was a
particularly solemn ceremony, and the
president-elect was as grief stricken as
If his n,ther had died yesterday. Mass
In ha 10 rhr1 h
which he attended when boy.
General Palma was accompanied by
1900 mounted men when he arrived here
yesterday morning after a most trying
trip IN a yolante from Holguin, dis
lance of sixty miles. A sister of Cen
eral Palma still lives here, and the two
met for the first time in thirty years.
The trip from Holguin will live in the
memories of those who made it. Two
of the incidents that made it exciting
were dash thru an immense forest fire
anu the crossing of the river Canto on
horseback. The fire was encountered
several miles from San Pedro. The
blaze had been caused by the suns
rays. SO a good idea can be formed as
to the terrific heat that prevailed. No
one seemed less affected by it than
General Palma. He is sunburnt, but is
in better health than when he left New
York The people Of Bayamo are APP
preciative of the honor that has been
done the town. Arches had been erec..
ted, which have such inscriptions as
.Bayamo to Her Illustrious Son." One
of them was built by the Spanish resi-
dents, which bore the words: 1.-THE
Spanish Colony to the President of
Cuba"
Yesterday afternoon at Manzanillo
the american flag was hauled down and
the Cuban flag hoisted in it's stead. The
American post was abandoned, all
tr"e ps embarked OH the Ward line
steamship Seguranca. by way o. New
port News, for Fort Robinson, Neb.. and
Immediately the Cuban flag was hoisted
by the captain of the Rural Guard. An