The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-23
KILLING OF RUIZ DEFENDED.
Head of the Cuban Junta Defends the
Action of the Insurgents.

Action of the Insurgents.
New York, Dec 22.-T Estrada Palma
of the Cuban junta made the following
statement last night:
"The death of Col. Ruiz did not occur,
as the Spanish have put it, while he was
negotiating as peace messenger under
flag of truce. Again and again have the
Cubans promulgated a law that all who
shall come to them with peace PROPOSE
tions not based on the independence of
Cuba should be treated as spies and dealt
with accordingly. Col Ruiz not only knew
of the existence of the law but, accord
ing to Spanish accounts, was personally
warned as to his fate. Gen. Blanco and
Secretary General CongoSto, too, were
well aware of the existence of the decree.
Nevertheless, these latter took advantage
of the unfortunate QuiXotism of Col. Ruiz
and sent him to the Cuban lines.
The blood of Col. Ruiz is not
on the hands of the Cubans, but on the
heads of Blanco and Congosto, who sent
him to his fate.
'If the penalty of the law had not been
carried into effect doubtless Spain would
have taken advantage of the fact to show
that the Cubans were not in earnest in
the rejection of autonomy absolutely, but
were willing to listen to arguments. This
decree was not promulgated because the
Cubans are afraid of disaffection in their
ranks, but because 1t is known that innu,
merable commissioners would otherwise
be sent, and on their return make false
statements, encouraging the belief that
peace might be established on basis
other than independence.
Such statements would only serve the
interests of Spain in gaining time with
the resulting death of thousands, owing TO
fka uSalnSs urOlOOgati0O of the war
Besides, the Cubans are advised that
the Spanish are seeking to enter the in
surgent lines with the purpose of assassi-
mating the more important leaders. Docu-
mentary proof of this fact Is in our hands,
and we are the more cautious when We
remember that in 1879 Gen. Blanco author
lied Gen. Polivieja, in Santiago de Cuba.
to execute as many unarmed Cubans as
the latter thought necessary, as an exam
pie.
1T is somewhat remarkable that with
the first news of the death of Col. Ruiz
came the announcement of the killing by
the Spanish of over forty sick and wound
ed Cubans found in a hospital, and not
a voice was raised in protest thereat. The
shooting of the Cuban prisoners by the
score passed almost without comment, the
thousands of wounded Cuban soldiers
slain in hospitals attracts but little notice.
According to all the laws of civilized war
rare IIle CuDdnS, from InS DcSlHHtHSt ndu
the right to retaliate in kind, but they
have never done so. On the contrary, all
prisoners taken by them were set at lib
erty and the wounded attended to.
I'VE are denied by the en-
tire world status as belliger-
ent, and might, therefore, claim
that we have no obligations to conduct
the war as belligerents, but we do not
intend to take this stand. The conditions
obtaining in Cuba and the character of
the Spanish demand, however, that we
take the necessary measures to speedily
terminate the war by convincing the
world that independence alone can satisfy
us.
1--WE accordingly issue a decree and SOL
emnly warn Spain of it's enactment. If,
despite this warming they persuade a man
to be rash enough to come to us to treat
on the basis of autonomy we must either
acknowledge that our laws are made only
to be broken or be compelled by a painful
duty to carry them out"
Senor Dupuy de LONE, the Spanish min
ister who is in town, gave out to-day the
contents of a cablegram from Senor Jose
Congosto, secretary of the government in
Cuba, which includes the following tele-
gram from Senor Marcos Garcia, autono-
mist governor of the province of Santa
Clara to Gen. Blanco:
mot in my official capacity, but as
0uDdH dulOHOfnlSl, COHOeHn WITH all
the force of my soul the cruel act of viii
lainy perpetrated on the defenseless and
chivalrous Lieut.. Col. Ruiz by a body of
men who claim themselves Cubans and
who say they aim al independence, not the
liberty of Cuba. The moment has arrived
when the immediate majority of the Gu
ban people under the new legal rule of
liberty and law, protests as one man
against the acts of devastation and cruelty
which are an opprobrium to civilization a
scandal to the laws of society and a de-
nial of respect to human feelings.
THE passiveness of yesterday should be
changed to-day to unceasing activity un-
til, within a brief space the pacification
of the country, due to the efforts of the
people generally, is attained after the tri-
umph of the autonomist ideal as meet rep
araiton to justice. The generous blood Of
Lieut.. Col. Ruiz, inundated in the cause
of civilization and peace, will hasten the
moment of peace in Cuba"
Senior Congoto's cable to Senior de LONE
says: THE press of the island and the
public generally, even those that sympa-
thize with the insurrection, express the
same sentiment"
Senior Marcos Garcia was a colonel un-
der Gen. Gomez under the ten-years war
Iiuet. Col. Ruiz was not an aide to Gen.
Blanco. He belonged to the royal engin-
eers and held a civil post as head of the
Havana water works. He organized the
Havana volunteer firemen on American
principles, and at one time was al the
head of the corps. He had frequently
been in the United States and had many
friends there.