Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-22
THE INDEPENDENCE OF CUBA
And This Alone viii Be a lifting
Monument
TO OUR FALLEN COMRADES
Says Gen, 7. Estrada Palma in an Open Letter
to the People.
TOO MANY BROKEN PROMISES MADE
By The Mother Country and No More
Are Wanted by the
Cubans.
at the Very Gates OF Havana hester Ar
rangueren Captures a Train and
Takes Away Fifteen Spanish
Officers-Weyler Threat
ems Every Man, Wo-
man and Child.
TOO MANY BROKEN PROMISES MADE

New York. Jan. 21.-Gen. I. Estrada
Palma, of the Cuban junta in this city,
issues the following statement today:
$50 much has lately been said of the
probability of the termination of the Gu
ban revolution, by the acceptance on the
part of the Cubans of autonomy or re-
forms, that I feel it Incumbent upon me,
as the accredited representative of the
Cubans. to make brief statement on the
subject.
Reforms were passed by the Spanish
cortes, but the outbreak of this revolu-
ton was not stayed thereby 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 of more reforms, enough of
promised autonomy. Every intelligent
man would rightly condemn the lead
ers and participants of this movement IL
anything short of independence be the
basis of treaty of peace with Spain.
1T is claimed that Gen. Gomez is will
ing to treat with Spain upon the basis of
autonomy, and that letter to that eff
feet has been received by me.
There is no such letter.
knowing Gen. Gomez as a comrade in
the last revolution; knowing his opinions
aus expressed to me before and during
ism, can vouch for him. He is made of
too stern material to surrender on any
such terms, particularly when in his lat
est letters to me he writes contentedly
of his resources and glowingly of his con-
victions that this winters campaign will
be most successful.
But even though any one of our fore
most leaders should be inclined to term
mate the war by the acceptance of au-
tonomy (Which is barely within the
ha,, dc IF HtyN xubiIo ha hiDncpR
might surrender, he would do so. alone.
We Cubans are not worshippers of indi-
viduaHties; we are steadfast followers Of
our ideal.
1.-The death of our glorious Maceo
struck sorrow to every heart; but we did
not fa1ter; his forces did not surrender
and the revolution received no perceptible
> check.
1.-The leader who proposed peace under
the Spanish flag would find himself with
out followers
mo treaty of peace can be made by the
Cubans unless ratified by specially con-
voked assembly. 1t is beyond the bounds
of possibility to expect that the Cubans,
after two years of sanguinary strife,
when they find themselves In a position
such as has never been their good for
tune to occupy in point of numbers,
equipment and resources, will now weak
]y accept the terms of compromise.
EVERY Cuban, every American knows
tory spirit of Spain springs, not from her
strength, but from her weakness 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 well
advised of Spain's plans and SPANS pre-
carious situation to counsel this STEP
I'm the cities, Spain's only stronghold,
men of position, of refinement, of wealth,
y, h1if lot oil q amt in
which they unequivocally say to those of
this country who seemed to labor under
the error that autonomy would be So
luton of the so-called Cuban problem,
that nothing short of independence is ac-
ceptable to them. They base their state
rnent not only on political, but also on
economical reasons.
What form of autonomy would help
Cuba when saddled not only with her
previous debt, but with the added burden
of the cost of the present war? The fu-
ture of the country would be ruin and
starvation.
News of our successes in the field may
be suffocated by the censor; pacification
of the island provinces may be falsely
proclaimed as in the case of Pinar Del
Rio; DEGREES allowing grinding of sugar
may be issued where all cane has been
destroyed; promises Of reform and au-
tonomy given and amnesties promulgat-
ed; but we Cubans will continue to fight
for independence and nothing but indie
pendence, 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 written
that even should he fall, the revolution Is
strong enough to continue to Its triumph.
'@The only excuse we will have for hav-
ing begun the war will be its triumph;
the only fitting monument for our fallen
comrades. the independence of their coun-
try.
(Signed) "T. ESTRADA PALMA"