Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-04-23
NO. a..
PALMA'S ADDRESS.
The President of the Cuban Junta
Makes a Statement.
THE ISLAND MUST BE FREE.
A Firm Resolve to Listen to No COmpro-
miso aud to Treat with Spain Only
on the Basis of Absolute In-
dependence for Cuba. ~

New York, April 90. IT. Estrada
Palma, president of the Cuban revolu-
tionary junta, gave out the following
address to the people of the United
States last night:
The peTsistency with which the American
press has, during the last few days, been treat
! Ing Of supposed administrative reforms to be
! introduced In Cuba by the government OF
Spain compels me to request the publication
Of the following declarations which make In
behalf Of my government, OF the Army OF
Liberation OF Cuba and OF the Cuban reVolu-
tionary party:
The question Of the supposed reforms is nob
a matter which at all concerns those who have
already established an independent govern
ment In Cuba and have resolved to shrink
from no sacrifice OF property or life In order to.
emancipate the island from the Spanish yoke.
II the Spnniards resident In the Island. who.
are favored by tho Spanish government
with all sorts of privileges and monop-
Olies, and II the handful of Cubans.
too pusllanlmous or too proud to Rc-
knowledge their error; or few foreigners,
guided only by selfish interests, are satisfied
that Cuba should remain under Spanish domi-
nation, we, who initiate under the flag OF the
solitary star: We. who already constitute the
republic OF Cuba and belong to free people,
with its own government and It's laws, are
| firmly resolved to listen to no compromise and
to trent with Spain only on the basis Of abso-
Lutte independence for Cuba.
| II Spain has power to extermlnate us, then
| let her convert the island into u vast cenie-
| terry: II she has not, and wishes to terminate
the war before the whole country is reduced to
ashes, then let her adopt the only measure
! that will put an end TO it, and recognize our In
! dependence. Spain must know by this time
| that, while there Is q single living Cuban with
| dignity-and there are many thousands
| OF them - there will not be peace
| in Cuba, nor even hope OF 1t. All
good causes must finally triumph, and ours Isl
q good cause 1t Is the cause OF justice treated
with contempt, of right suppressed by force
and Of the dignity OF people offended to the
last degree. We have thrown ourselves into
the struggle advisedly and deliberately. We
know what we would have to face and we
decided to perseverc until we should enamel
pate ourselves from Spain. And we know
that we were able TO do 1t, as we
know We are competent to govern our
selves, Experience has taught US that,
MS u people, we have nothing to envy the
Spaniards. in fact we feel ourselves superior
to them, ard from that we can expect no i'm
prOvement, no better education With regard
20 the knowledge Of the modern institutions
ind democratic sentiments, we are far more
advanced than the Spaniards. In that re-
spect, ana in many others, we have nothing In
common with the Spanish people. We are
Americans we breathe the pure air Of free in
st.tutiOns, ana we contemplate with envy the
government Of The people, by the people and
for TIE pecplc