Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-22
THE CUBAN REVOLT.
ALLEGED ACCEPTANCE OF RE-
FORMS OFFERED BY SPAIN.
STATEMENT FROM GENERAL PALMA.
independence. and Nothing short of
IL, VIII he Made the Basis OF n
treaty OF Pencc-cubans Stronger
Than Ever.

| NEW YORK, January N.-General r.
Estrada Palma, Of the Cuban Junta, in
this city, issued the following statement
to-day
80 much has lately been said of the
probability of the termination of the
Cuban revolution by the acceptance on
the part OF the Cubans of autonomy or
reforms that l feel IT incumbent upon
me, as the accredited representative of
the Cubans. to make a brief statement ON
the subject
reforms were passed by the Spanish
Cortes. but the outbreak of this revolution
was not thereby stayed one hour. There
was, and is, but one idea for which the
Cubans are fighting. We have had enough
OF so-called reforms, enough of promises
or more reforms, enough of promised au-
tonomy. Every intelligent man would
rightly condemn the leaders of and mar
ticipants in this movement if anything
short Of independence should be made the
basis of treaty Of peace with Spain.
1T is claimed that General Gomez is
willing to treat with Spain on the basis
OF autonomy. and that "A letter to that
effect has been received by me.
There Is no such letter.
knowing General Gomez as a com.
rade in the last revolution; knowing
his opinions as expressed to me be-
fore and during this war; knowing his
stainless patriotism. ! can vouch for
him. He is made of too stern a mate
rial to surrender on any such terms.
particularly when i'm his latest letters
10 me he writes contentedly of his re-
sources, and glowlngly Of his conviction
that his winters campaign will be most
successful.
But even though any one of our
foremost leaders should be inclined TO
terminate the war by the acceptance
Of autonomy (Which is barely within
the bounds of possibility, while he
himself might surrender, he would do so
alone We Cubans are not worshippers
of individualities; we are steadfast fol-
lowers of our ideal.
DEATH OF MACEO.
1.-THE death of our glorious Maceo
struck sorrow to every heart. but we
did not falter; his forces did not surren-
der, and the revolution received no per-
ceptible check The leader who proposed
peace under the Spanish flag would find
nlmStlI without followers.
mo treaty Of peace can be made by
the Cubans unless ratified by spe-
cially convoked assembly It is beyond
the bounds Of possibility to expect that
the Cubans, after two years of
sanguinary strife. when they find them
selves i'm "A position such as il has never
yet been their good fortune to occupy. In
point of numbers. equipment. and re-
sources, will now weakly accept terms of
compromise.
every Cuban-every American-knows
that the apparent generous and con-
ciliatory spirit of Spain springs, not
from her strength. but from her weak
ness. How can we, then, under the
circumstances. be expected TO waver?
''If the Cubans in the field are too
strong to even consider such proposals,
the Cubans in the cities are too we'll
advised of Spain's plans and Spain's pre-
carious situation to counsel this step.
"In the cities, Spain's only stronghold.
men of position, of refinement, of wealth.
have but lately signed n statement in
which they unequivocally say to those
in this country who seem to have la
bored under the error that autonomy
would be solution of the so-called Gu
ban problem that nothing short of in
dependence is acceptable to them. They
DdSe lltlT SldltUtHl, uOl OnlN OE pOllll-
cal but also on economic grounds.
what form of autonomy would help
Cuba when saddled not only with her
previous debt but with the added bur-
den Of the cost Of the present war? The
future of the country would be ruin and
starvation.
CUBAN SUCCESSES.
'News of our successes i'm the field may
be suffocated by the censor; pacificaton
of the island provinces may be falsely
proclaimed, as in the case of Pinar del
Rio: DEGREES allowing the grinding Of
sugar may be issued where all cane has
been destroyed; promises Of reforms and
autonomy given, and amnesties promul-
gated; but we Cubans will continue 10
fight for independence. and nothing but
independence. first, last, and all the time.
"Our leaders may fall, but others will
take their places. The opportunity will
find the men, Gomez himself has writ
ten that even should he fall, the revo-
luton is strong enough to continue to
its triumph.
''The only excuse we will have for
having begun the war will be its triumph;
the only fitting monument for our fallen
comrades. the independence Of their coun-
try