The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-12-09
UNDER GODS PROTECTION
SAYS SENORPALMA OF THE DEsTINY
 OF CUBA.

fresident Cleveland's Message Answered. Cuban Government Still Exercising It's Functions-Patriots Will Not Lay Down Their Arms Except When Complete In- dependence is Gained.
 New York, Dec S.-Senor Palma deI- egate of the Cuban republic in the United States, to-day gave out state- | ment regarding the reference by Pres- | ident Cleveland to Cuba in his annual message to congress. Senor Palma says: T think the message, generally speaking, is in great measure very | depressive to Spain as an independent nation. The message acknowledges the grievances which have led to the pres- ent revolt of the Cubans against the authority of Spain. It supports the | Cubans in their distrust of any promise that the Spanish government can make | to them, and pledges the guaranty of | the United States as a security for any agreement which Spain may enter up- | on with Cuba. President Cleveland finally declares that the patience of the 1 United States in waiting for Spain to end the contest has limit.
 ''As to the inference contained in the message that the Cuban government has now given up all attempt to exer- 1 else its functions, shall only mention | the fact, to prove to the contrary, that immediately after the capture of Guay- amaro by General Garcia, President | CiSnnrpc and his nah Ho the town and there issued and enforced various decrees, some of which related to the treatment of prisoners and to further military operations. At the time General Gomez, commander-in- chief of the army, was only eight miles from Guayamaro, receiving orders from the government and making ready to comply with them. This fact proves beyond any doubt that the civil gov- ernment of Cuba commands the re- spect and obedience of the military au- 1 thorities.
 Tt remains for me to say some words about autonomy. Autonomy would mean that the Cuban people will make their own laws, appoint all of their public officers except the governor gen. eral, and attend to the local affairs | course, interference by the metropolis. What, then, would be left to Spain, since there is no commercial inter- course of any kind? Spain is not and cannot be market for Cuban products and is, moreover, unable to provide Gu ba with the articles needed by the lat- ter The natural market for Cuban products is the United States, from I yTrhi in, ho h1,xy great advantage flour provisions, ma chinery, etc. What, then, Is left to Spain but the big debt incurred by her, | without the consent and against the will of the Cuban people? Then, on the other hand, it is idle talk to speak of autonomy to the Cuban people. They have framed a constitution for sov- ereign nation; they have bravely fought for about two years to main- tain their independence, shed their blood in torrents, lost their dearest rel- atives and friends, and forfeited their | possessions.
 Tn the meantime the hatred of the Cubans which the Spanish officers and the Spanish government have enter- tained, as evinced by the shooting in cold blood of prisoners of war in def1- ance of the laws of civilization and hu- manity, by the massacres of defence- less, people, including women and chil- dren, by the overcrowding with sus- poets of jails and dungeons and the de- | portation of thousands of them to the murderous penal colonies of Africa all this, a policy of terror, approved by | the queen-regent, woman and lady who professes to be eminently a Chris tian and Catholic, has defined to such an extent the political abyss rent be- | tween Cuba and Spain that it is abso- lutely impossible to fill it up with any sort of scheme which does not affirm the absolute independence of the Cu- ban people,
 Cuba has decided to get rid forever of the Spanish rule, and her people l count neither their enemies nor the many patriots who daily succumb in the struggle. They go OH, confident in the justice of their cause, the firmness of their resolution and the protection of God. They realize of course, that | they are in the very center of free America, left alone to themselves with- out hand outstretched, but far from being discouraged, they feel convinced of their ultimate success"