The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1896-04-22
.A Strong PLEA FOR CUBA
Estrada de Palma TO the People of the
United States.
NO COMPROMISE WITH SPANIARDS
The Cuban Patriots Propose to Carry on
the War Until Spain is Forced to
Acknowledge the Absolute In
dependence of the Island.

NEW YORK, April 20 II Estrada Palma,
president of the Cuban revolutionary
iunta, last night gave out ths following
address to the people of the United States:
The persistency with which the Ameri-
can press has during the last few days
been treating of supposed administrative
reforms to be introduced in Cuba by the
government of Spain compels me to re-
quest the publication of the following
declarations which 1 make in behalf of
my government, of the army of liberation
of Cuba and of the Cuban revolutionary
party
The question of the supposed reforms is
not a matter which at all concerns those
who have already established an indepen-
dent government in Cuba, and have re-
solved so shrink from no sacrifice of prop
erty or life in order to emancipate the
whole island from the Spanish yoke If
the Spaniards resident in the island, who
are favored by the Spanish government
with all sorts of privileges and monopo-
lies, and If the handful of Cubans too
pusilanimous or too proud to acknowledge
their error or a few foreigners, guided
only by selfish interest, are satisfied that
Cuba should remain under Spanish abomi-
nation, we, who initiate under the flag of
the solitary star, we, who already consti-
tute the republic of Cuba and belonging
to free people, with its own government
and its own laws, are firmly resolved to
listen to no compromise and to treat with
Spain only on the basis of absolute indie
pendence for Cuba.
If Spain has power to exterminate us
then let her convert the island into vast
cemetery. If she has not, and wishes to
terminate the war before the whole coun-
try is reduced to ashes then let her adopt
the only measure that will put an end to
it and recognize our independence. Spain
must know by this time that while there
is single living Cuban with dignity-and
there are many thousands of them-there
will not be peace in Cuba, nor even hope
of it.
All good causes must finally triumph,
and ours is good cause 1t is the cause
Of Justice treated with contempt, of right
suppressed by force, and of the dignity of
a people offended to the last degree.
We have thrown ourselves into the
struggle advisedly and deliberately We
knew what we would have to face, and we
decided unhinchingly to persevere until
we should emancipate ourselves from the
Spanish government. And we know that
we are able to do it, as we know that we
are competent to govern ourselves Elk
perience has taught us that as people we
have nothing to envy in the Spaniards
In fact, we feel ourselves superior to them
and from them we can expect no improve
ment, no better education.
With regard to the knowledge of mod
ern institutions and to democratic senti-
ments we are far more advanced than the
Spaniards. In that respect and in many
others we have nothing in common with
the Spanish people. We are Americans
We breathe the pure air of free institu
tions, and we contemplate with envy the
government of the people, by the people
and for the people