The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1906-10-10

CUlcl cACCutINS.
1t is related that Palma wept when
some weeks before his Inauguration he
landed at CLARA and again set foot
upon his native soil. Again when he
visited his birthplace and met a sister
whom he had not seen for thirty years
he wept. And again when he caused
the disinterment of his mothers re-
mains and their reburial at the old
tome, the mother having died from
Spanish tortures and cruelties during
the ten years. war, General Palma's
grief Is said to have been as touching
as If his mother had just died. This
tender heartedness, this love Of family,
Is n Of the Cuban presidents most
distinguishing characteristics.
1.-THE Little Schoolmaster."
Palma came to New York after his
release from the Spanish prison In
1873. Being penniless and unable to
speak English, he soon found that
New York was not the place for him.
General Maxine Gomez, with whom
he had fought for years and who had
been his secretary Of war during Pal
mas brief experience as provisional
president, was then in Honduras. He
wrote to Palma, urging him to 60 to
that country. Palma borrowed money
from friends and went to Honduras.
where the president of that little re-
public appointed him postmaster gen
eral. The Cuban revolutionist soon
married the presidents daughter, and a
son was born to the couple.
Another president coming into power,
Palma lost his official position and
brought his family to New York, de-
termining to become an American citi-
zen He settled at Central Valley, in
Orange county, forty miles above the
metropolis, aud opened the Estrada
Palma institute In q roomy, old fash
Toned farmhouse, where he took up his
residence. Here for nearly eighteen
years he lived. teaching English to Gu
ban and other Spanish-American boys
and teaching Spanish to the boys Of
his neighborhood. Head Master Palma,
OF Estrada, as he was known in Cen.
trail Valley, soon became proficient in
English himself, though he still speaks
It with q strong Spanish accent. He
was known affectionately in Central
Valley as 1.-The little schoolmaster."
There five children were born to
the family, making the future Cuban
executives brood equal in number to
President Roosevelt's.
When in 1895 the second and success
full war for Cuban independence began
Schoolmaster Estrada was unanimous
" chosen by the Cuban revolutionary
societies in various countries to repre-
sent the revolutionists as their general
agent for the raising of funds with
which to carry on the war. Palma
opened a dingy little Office in New York
city and for three years worked inces-
sanity, raising hundreds Of thousands
Of dollars for the cause.
The war ended, Cuba free by grace
Of the Intervention Of the United States,
Palma returned to his home ut Central
Valley. He had closed his school upon
taking charge of the 'junta." He was
poor. There was still a mortgage upon
MO AiCuSS NAANA t"NAN -AouA uSAOS VI IullOS
at Central Valley. But the land was fer
tile, and the old patriot. like Cincin-
natus, set his hand to the plow and
started In to make a living as a garden.
er. In semisarcasm somebody called
him "a gentleman farmer"
Such was Tomas Estrada Palma
when there came from Cuba an IRE
sistlble demand that he should stand
for the presidency of the new republic.
At first he demurred. He was sixty.
seven years old. Married in middle life,
his children We're still growing up
around him. He vas deeply devoted
to his family and his quiet home life,
Moreover, he felt that the place of ex-
ecutive power, the honor Of being the
frst president, belonged to another.
General Gomez he said, lis en-.
titled to it. He has been fighting In
the field. have been away for many
years. Gomez should have It,"
But Gomez himself came to New
York and urged Palma to accept the
candidacy. The rest Is history.
Compliments Of the Ten Years War.
Ip in Central Valley the common
folk still call the president Of Cub,
"Mr. Stradder." They knew hin
chiefly as the village schoolmaster, nj
understood, grayish man. Of modes
demeanor. somewhat rusty blacl
clothes and a nervous manner Quit
handsome he might have been but 70,
two RESPONSIBILITIES. These wer,
Spanish compliments Of the Tel
Years war. One had blazed a bar
spot Oh the right side Of the upper lip
so that the old patriots mustachc OF
that side grew in two sections. Tn
other had clipped his right eye. nearl.
closing it. Frequently he rubbed thi
eye. as il it panied him. Then he hat
q habit Of tapping nervously with on
foot or with one hand while talking
When a newspaper man visited him a
Central Valley shortly after he becam
the president elect his foot tapped til
bare floor Of the room in which tn
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