Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-21
realize that the President of the United
States was the commander-in-chief Of the
army and they were subordinates.
Cuban Army Disbanded.


Gen. Gomez received the overtures prompt
ly arrangements were made for paying the
insurgents 100000 out of the United
States Treasury and the army under Gen.
Gomez's nod melted away almost in day.
He had his hour of triumph a little later
when he entered Havana and was received
with all honors by the American military
officials and by the people OF the city.
There can be no question that Gen. Go
American authorities. He urged on the Gu
bans a policy of Cancellation toward the
Spaniards who turned to him as the one
man strong enough to prevent reprisals,
Though he criticized some of the acts of
Gen. Brooke and of Gen. Wood usually in an
emergency when they turned to him he sus-
tained them. At that time he shared the
common distrust of the Cubans regarding
the good faith of the United States in its
announced intention of getting out. Some
10000 of the American volunteers who saw
no fighting in the brief Santiago campaign,
were sent to the island to help maintain
order. The comment attributed to Gen
Gomez was characteristic. For people who
are going to make a short stay he was
reported to have said. 1.-The Americans are
bringing a good deal of baggage"
When the Cuban constitutional convention
was held there was much speculation both
in the United States and in Cuba whether
Cen Gomez would be the first president of
the republic. By the precedents of revolu-
lions his choice seemed certain. Gomez re-
manned silent during the controversy When
it was settled and under the constitution
he was eligible he quietly announced that
he would not be a candidate. The reason
he gave to many of his friends was that his
own bad temper and his long habit OF mill
tary authority rendered him unfit for civil
ian duties of such transcendent Importance
as would fall to the lot of the first presi-
dent.
Gomez's DISTINGUISHED Patriotism.
There never has been reason to doubt the
disinterestedness of Gen. Gomez patriot
ism in declining to be a candidate He de-
clared in favor of ESTRADA Palma, and his
support made Mr.. Palma's election certain.
During the first two years he sustained the
Palma administration, but in recent months
he fell away from it, and has been counted
among the leaders opposing President Pal
mas reelection.
In spite of all that has been insinuated,
and Notwithstanding the snee;S at him as
professional revoutioniSt for revenue,
Gen. Gomez never took dollar where he
might have taken millions. He signed the
pact of Zanjon with Martinez Campos, by
which the ten years was ended, and
went to live in poverty in Santo Domingo.
During the last instruction, when Minister
Dupuy de Lone was giving assurances to
high officials in Washington that autonomy
would be accepted and that Gomez would
receiZe 81 600, 900 and settle a ranch in
California, the old chieftain was taking his
chances of the future in the promises to pay
issued by the Cuban insurrectionary govern
ment to it's soldiers. These might have
been calculated to be worth two or three
cents on the dollar. After the war he re-
ceived various sums of money for his serv-
ices, but he scattered it among his old COM
rades. He always has been improvident
The great source of Gen. Gomez strength
has been the confidence of the country peo-
pie of Cuba in him. He could scold them
drive them into war, abuse them in his
own way for their shortcomings, but he
never betrayed them, and that is why he
has made history
CHARLES M. PEPPER.