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Page 2
In the mean while, he has slipped past General Weyler, who is marching
over the country, declaring it pacified.
The truth of the matter is, that in the so-called pacified country, which
lies between Weyler and Havana, the entire insurgent army is assembled and
at work.
In this very district that General Weyler declares to be so quiet, the
rebels are using dynamite with deadly success. They are placing bombs on
the railroad tracks, and trains are being blown up almost daily, killing
many Spanish soldiers.
News of encounters between the enemies is constantly being brought in.
Every day some small fight occurs that does little for the cause, but
shows that the Cubans are still unconquered.
General Gomez had a long talk with the representative of one of our most
reliable newspapers, and told him that he has over forty thousand soldiers
fighting for freedom, but that unfortunately he has not enough guns or
ammunition for more than half the number. He says that nearly every
soldier carries a machete, which is a weapon in use among Spanish
Americans. It is half knife, half cleaver, and is carried by the peasants
for general use upon the plantations. It makes a formidable weapon, but
is, of course, not so valuable as a rifle would be.
General Gomez said that if his men were only well armed, he would give
battle to Weyler, and would without doubt beat him. He declared that he
could raise seventy-five thousand men in a month, if he only had the
means of arming them.
He spoke in a most determined way about the proposed reforms, and repeated
that he would take nothing from Spain but freedom. He went on to say that
the hatred of Spain was now so strong in Cuban hearts, that were the
revolution to fail, he was sure that a large majority of Cubans would
leave their homes, and go and live in a foreign country, rather than
continue under the hated rule of Spain.
He was asked what he thought about the way the United States was treating
Cuba.
This was rather a difficult question for him to answer, because he was
talking to an American; but General Gomez is a brave man, and a sincere
man, and he was not afraid to give his real opinion.
He said, that while he did not think that the United States was allied
with Spain to bring about the defeat of the Cubans, he thought the refusal
to recognize the Cuban government, and the assistance given to Spain to
stop filibustering, looked very much as if the United States was more
friendly to Spain than to Cuba.
This being the case, he said it was out of the question for the Cuban
government to listen to the advice of the United States about the reforms
that Spain offered. Cuba could not regard the United States as her friend,
and would not therefore take any suggestions from her.
Many people have supposed that even if the Cubans were successful, peace
would not be restored to the island. There are so many negroes and
"half-breed" white people among the Cubans, that the idea has got about
that the white Cubans and colored Cubans would fight each other for the
right to govern.
General Gomez spoke with much feeling on this point.
He said the colored people had borne their share in the revolution bravely
and nobly, and that there never had been, and never would be, any
distinction made between the white man and the man of African origin. All
Cubans had fought shoulder to shoulder, as brother patriots should do, and
brother patriots they would continue, white or colored.
Only once did General Gomez show any excitement, and that was when
Weyler's name was mentioned.
"He is not a soldier, he is not a man, he is not a Christian!" he said.
"If he were a true soldier, I would respect him; if his troops were true
soldiers, I would respect them, even though they had come to hold Cuba in
chains. But he is not a soldier, nor are his men soldiers; they are here
to butcher and destroy. They think to exterminate us; but though Cuba may
weep and bleed and burn, God is with us, and the right will come at last."
He said that he had often thought over Weyler's cruelties, and considered
whether he should not treat the Spanish prisoners in the same way. But he
could not do so. The very thought of the cruelties ordered by Weyler, the
murdering of innocent persons, the attacking of hospitals and killing the
poor invalids, filled him with horror.
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