The Monticellonian., 1902-04-25

steamer Admlfdl faffagllt rom Old Point Comfort, Va. was greeted. says Gibara (Cuba) dispat, to the Trib- une, with great enthusiasm. :. Gibara $ population of 6,000 was augnsppted by as many more who came from Il parts of the island. from Havana to Santiago, to pay homage to Il man they love. During the voyage the weather was magnificent, and Gen Palma's forebodings of sea sickness were not realized.
 When the steamer was anchored in Gibara harbor q salute of 2l guns greeted President Palma. His face frightened at the scene before him How different was his return to Gu. ba, He left in chains and came back with his path literally strevn with roses. The harbor was q kaleidoscope of color and animation. From every craft flew the flag of Cuba LibFe and the Stars and Stripes. Old friends who had known Gen. Palma in the ten years war, and shared with him the hardships and sutferings of many campaigns. came on board and em- braced him. Many were i'll tears. The vessel was soon crowded with mem bers of committees, representing diff ferent cities, who came out in steam. CTS and launches which were deco rated from stem to stern, from the mast to the water line. After guar ter of an hour of informal talk Gen Palma and his party were taken ashore in his launch. II was when he put his foot on shore at the pier that the pent-up enthusiasm of his compatriots broke forth in earnest There were rounds of cheers lv the natives as they crowded around their president-elect. which could be heard clear across the bay. Mayor Ges- pedes spoke a few words of welcome, and then proposed three cheers for the first president of the Cuban Re public They were given with a will
 With the village band playing Gu ban hymns, procession WAS formed to the principal street. whence the president elect and members of the
 
 by score Of stalwart Cubans to the city hall. Every place of vantage along the route was filled. Men, wom- en 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 n house in all Gibara was without decoration in some form.
 From every one flew the flag of Gu ba, and from almost as many were displayed the flag of the United States, while the red and yellow col ors of Spain were conspicuous on the spanish houses. The Spaniards joined in the welcome. Galrands of roses and palms figured prominently in the decorations. \ procession. headed by q detachment of the Tenth United States cavalry, commanded by Lieut.. Hart, and made up of local civic so- cieties, school children and women proceeded with the Palma party to the city, and then lined up on each side to allow his carriage to pass. Every woman and girl was armed with small boquets, which they threw into the carriage.
 Gen. Palma sat with barred head. boWlng ip response to the cheers. He was deeply affected by the demon- stration. The ceremonies at the city hall consisted of speech-making by the mayor, members of the council. Hen. Palma and Gonzales de Quesada. Mayor Cespedes spoke elequentlv of the gratitude that the Cuban people owed Gen. Palma, and of the honor of being the first to receive the first chef executive of Cuba Libre. His countrymen, he said. trusted Gen. Palma implicitly, and would aid him Tn every way toward d successful ad- ministration of his office
 Gen. Palma, in responding. spoke with some difficulty, as he was almost overcome by the reception given him. lie began by proposing cheers for Cuba Libre and for the United States. ell said the Cuban people should, with the inauguration of their inde- pendent government, abandon poll ties and give their attention to the betterment and reconstruction cf their country. 1t was his ambition to bring the various clements togeth- CT, so that they may all work to one end the building up of Cuba He promised to devote henceforth all his time, knowledge and energy to bring