CHAPTER VI. CUBA'S HEROES. Brave, honest and patriotic men-Maximo Gomez-A manly proclamationMasterly tactics-Antonio Maceo-- His brother Jose-Two daring soldiersA magnanimous proposal-Calexto Garcia-Nestor Aranguren-A Cuban Centurion-Brilliant capture of a train-President Masso and his cabinetOnce a prisoner in Morro Castle-Cisneros ex-President-His address to the Junta. ITH a little strip of land as a battle field, Cuba has developed during her stormy history, so singularly checkered by glory and gloom, a number of heroes, whose names will live in history; and at no time have her sons fought more bravely for independence than during these last three years of ceaseless warfare. One of Cuba's greatest captains is Maximo Gomez, who has proven himself to be a genius in military affairs, both in the war of 1868-78, and in the present one. The Spanish accused him of being a traitor and selling out to them when Campos acted as peacemaker at Zanjon; but his simple life on a little farm in San Domingo, where all the members of his family were obliged to work hard for a livelihood, and the manner in which he again entered into war when his island home needed his services, disprove the slander. complete vindication of his character is found in a proclamation issued by him in December, 1895, in which he outlined his policy and defended his character. His opening words are these: 'When, at seventy-two years of age, I decided to abandon 66 A GENERAL MAXIMO GOMEZ, The veteran leader of the Cuban patriots in the field. my large family, in whose company I was living calmly and happily; when, in a word, I was embarking myself on the coast of San Domingo, to come back to my idolized Cuba, I could not hide the emotions that took possession of me, nor could I make allusions to the magnitude of the colossal enterprise that I was about to undertake. Born, educated, and having spent the greater part of my existence on the field of battle, it was not possible for me to ignore the question as to what kind of an enemy I had to fight in order to fulfill what I had promised on my word of honor, that if I did not die, I would have Cuba as soon as possible among the free nations." In referring to the accusation of the Autonomistic party, that he was merely an adventurer, he wrote: "Ah! The men who fought for half a score of years to give them a nation, honor and liberty, adventurers? The one who gained with his own blood the first rank in that army which filled the world with admiration, an adventurer? The one who abandoned his own happy land without accepting the rich booty to which the shameful peace of the Zanjon invited him, an adventurer? The one who could have offered as an excuse for his non-return his many years and the consequent fatigue; he who abandons everything and flies to occupy the place that his own brothers had reserved for him? Ah! he cannot be an adventurer, who, loaded with years and troubles, remembers still as if it were his own, the vow made by Cespedes and Agramonte, twenty-seven years ago, 'to vanquish or to die.'" After speaking of his confidence in the sympathy of those who believe in liberty, and after declaring that his soul grows sad as he thinks of the folly of shame of Spain in carrying on a cruel and useless war, he concludes with these eloquent words: "What will be the future of these unhappy people if the Spanish are triumphant? The rural elements being absolutely destroyed, their cities having been the scene of the most frightful misery; with the debt of the past war and that of the present, which will amount to as much as $500,000,000; having to maintain an army of 50,000 men, in order to annihilate the Cuban race so that they will not think of A VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR OF MATANZAS. The American Congressmen and Relief Workers are shown waiting in the Governor's Reception Room. repeating the disaster, every one who is able to do so will emigrate before so much misfortune; and there remains no solution but to turn their eyes toward the revolution, thus after a few years making Cuba, which is a young and rich people, the most enviable country on earth. And we will conquer and be free, cost what it may, or happen what will, and though we have to raise a hospital in each corner and a tomb in each home." In disgust General Weyler said about Gomez: "I have never been able |