The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-06
ANSWER TO SPAIN
THEY ARE FOR PEACE, BUT MUST
HAZE LIBERTY FIRST.

HsthinE short OF the Absolute Freedom or
the Island WIN Ne Considered By the Pa
triets as . Prelude 60 the Making or Peace.
The meeting which the Cuban revolutlonists
held last niRht at Chickering Hall to express
their opposition to autonomy was one OF the
most enthusiastic patriotic assemblages ever
seen in New York. The hall was crowded from
tho platform to the doors, and many could not
ind even standing room. The house was deco
rated with the flags of tho FREQ countries of
America and those Of the two Spanish colonies
which are now struggling to be free.
Tho meeting was preeided over BY Delegate
Tomas Estrada Palma. All the speakers were
representative Cubans, and, most Of Thorn COM
ing from the Autonomist party. their declara.
ton that autonomy was q failure 10 Of tho
greatest Importance. Among those on the plat
form were: Or. J. J. Henna, DR.. Aragon, Raj
mundo Cabrera, Chenard. DR.. Fonts. Leopoldo
Abren. DR.. Menocal, Sellen. Parraga. Antonio
Gonzalez. Rafael Sierra, Benjamin Guerra.
Ernesto dc Zaldo. Gen. sanguily, DR.. Sanchez
Agramonte, and many more.
The manifesto from tho Cuban colony In the
United States, which was adopted on Monday
at the Astor House meeting, was proclaimed
and enthusiastically applauded. The document
has been signed by nearly four hundred persons.
1t reads thus:
To the Government Of the Republic Of Cuba:
iquities and Corruption Of The Spanish admin.
}@siTStthys policy impslle ! the people Of Cuba to
been the wonder Of the world. From the first
moment tho Government of Spain Inundated
Sur territory with soldiers, proclaimed the bar.
mined to drown in seas OF blood the legitimate
aspirations Of the colony, weary of bribery.
With frenzied fury, amid tho acclamations
of the entire nation, the Spanish soldiers have
with corpses 20 They have laid aid waste ' Hssse our r' aeids
and have killed our animals, as II they ,gur.
Roosyssd h to stamp out out S all n1s on m o%r s s1an They They
BY the sacred shelter Of the hospital. They
have driven the families from their homes and
have huddled them together In filthy and un.
wholesome places, in order that hunger and
Restilence may complete tho work Of iron and
Such barbarity has proved Intellectual. Cuba
vain has Spain multiplied her armies. ravaged
by the lead OF the patriots and annihilated by
the riEors of the climate.
Spain has at last become convinced that she
tempted to employ other arms, to obtain, BY do;
neg She s''s RPss begged sSssde fSr ske support, even though
which turned a deaf ear to Spain's petition.
She then endeayored t2 gain over BY wiies
them the;exploitation of our market; but she en-.
Sonntered IS an insurmountable barrier the
H Halabnsi poli 81 'H Of s sTferm pHoRtfs nsai It them SRai BE-,
came necessary for Spain to change her me:h-
3d, at least in form, to, conciliate, In some way,
the world Mt large, and to introduce differences
Of opinion and enmity among the ranks Of tho
patriots and their supporters In the snigTa.
colony what Spanish statesmen call autonomy.
From this 1t appears that the political reform
sficacioas should have been the spontaheouS
product Of the national conscience. convinced
snt to which the Madrid, Government has re-
course. now that 1t has exhausted all the means
No political change can be stable or fruitful!
under these conditions. What is granted
saFfiest o 1spc ea ,feer'i Rnt 'i io %1ihsra ASIDE q th Ies
considerations, which are so essential, the So
called reform is unacceptable to the Cubanss.
fuIness Of their rights.
that she shall obtain the legitimate remunera-
ton for her labor, within the general laws that
to her special Industrial conditions. Her pc.
htical connection with Spain would impose
the fulniment OF this essential condition an
utter impossibility, now and FOR a long time 70
place, and at the very least, the payment of
the interest upon a monstrous debt. the cost
of a large army of occupation. of a navy and a
bureaucracy, whatever may be the term under
which 1t viii be disguised. Our possible and
probable net income. during many years after
suffice to pay the obligations of the debt with
which Spain has overwhelmed us.
The Cuban, no longer willing to suffer a for
eiGn guardianship. aspires to govern himself.
But q Cuban government, surrounded by Span
TONED ali along the coast Of our territory,
whose laws, IL the power OF legislation be con-
S Ssded . to it. Ib must ra Ss sPpiis @itb 6y 0t SSPsn donn tTlss'
must run along the channel Of Spanish diploma
cy, would not be even tho caricature of a gov
The essential rights Of a citizen may be
summarized In the full liberty Of suffrage, his
system Of individual guarantees that shall pro
tect him against all usurpation, which may
30 long as there shall exist in Cuba a GOV.
srnor responsible solely before a distant power.
sSS snslRi b by an an army ni Of %f1sh 6 he + iu SsRtsi Of
which no Is the inspirer. and by a hundred
thousand resident sPaniards who regard him
will be a myth. II our own history had not
tapght US the lesson during the so-called con;
forms which Spain granted to it recently, in
lion which Is a]ssitatlnss that island. have served
no other purpose than to make more secure the
RS ss BRGsEaS OF fS' s 2sssS SP 3Re: ad miinGfslts SaiS q
S az , SSSu% noIiyic and r. has r1ssn to P9T par,6 by R means
AZ has already been observed. Spain purposes
only to deceive the world and to seduce the
Cubans. who, guided by, the noble desire Of
fruitful source OF new troubles in the near
future. But Spain has understood that In
eAfo. ooLho SOiOT W NOR uuphtityt oho
must find assistance among some well-known
Sons OF Cuba. The few at Havana. who have
lent themselves to serve as ~accomplices Of tho
awful crime Of the policy symbolized by Wey-
Ter, nc, longer suited her purpose. Their dis.
eltogether toe. manifest, She. therefore. ad.
dressed herself to another small group Of
Cubans, who left their country. In order not to
20 present at her martyrdom, but who did not
AAve faith enough in the effort Of her sons to
or. three Of these, 1t appears, have lent them
selves to second tho wishes OF the new Spanish
Cabinet Their names are mentioned In the
character Of medistors between Spain and tho
patriots the object t being t9 win over the lat
We do not wish TO judge the conduct Of these
Cubans. because we do not know their motives,
and we are obliged TO consider them honorable
until tho contrary be proven to US. But IL Is
Important at this grave moment. and we deem
solemn manner that whatever Importance
eountrYmen OF ours are sotinE solely for and Sy
Themselves and that their ACT Of loyalty TO tho
personal matter. without any influence yyhafao.