Evening star., 1897-01-18
FREEDOM OR NOTHING
Vice President Maso of the Cuban
Government Declares Its Policy.
STRONG ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN ITSELF
He Declares Mr.. Cleveland Mis-
taken in His Ideas About Cuba.
TWO INTERESTING LETTERS

Senor Gonzalo de Quesada of the Cuban
legation has recently been in correspond
ence with a number of the leaders of his
party in the Island of Cuba, among them
being General Bartolome Maso who is the
vice president of the Cuban republic and
one of the master minds among the revo-
lutionists- Senior Quesada has received
from Vice President Maso two letters bear
ing date. respectively, December % and De-
cember 81, 1896. Both are Instructive and
interesting giving a clear view of the
sentiments that prevail among the men in
Cuba who are directing the destinies of the
struggling young republic. In the letter of
December % Vice President Maso says:
You ask me my opinion to the winter
campaign. 1 will give it to you with all
frankness and. 1 think. impartality. as 1
am neither an optimist pessmist. Since
the 2ith of February when rose in arms
after studying conscientiously the opinion
OF the country and following step by step
the campaign of evolution of seventeen
years-a policy of enervation-I always
thought, and it Is thus declared in my
diary, that the present revolution would
end trfumphantly for about two years
after its commencement. counting always
on our own efforts more than on foreign in
tervention. Spain will send to Cuba all her
army VIII spend all the national treasure:
will appeal to all the resources that her
flnanciers may suggest; will make a hard,
devastating campaign without quarter this
winter. but all the power of Spain and all
her resources will be of no avail against
the Cuban revolution, which is powerful
and strong, and waves Its triumphant flag
throughout the interior of the island, from
San Antonio to Maisi. Maceo has not lost
time In Pinar del Rio, as you have seen
from the various official dispatches of the
enemy. Gomez has passed the Moron tro-
cha and is operating in Las Villas. Ca1ixto
Garcia, the hero of Orente. has initiated
his plan of operations. and has forced
Guainaro to surrender, and has made the
enemy abandon Cascorro, San Miguel de
Nuevitas. ard just now he writes me that
re has crushed column of 5000 men, who
were carrying a convoy to Bayamo, and he
also writes that it is his object to continue
his offensive operations, so to complete
ly free the interior of his military depart
ment.
Cuba strong Enough fer Independence
Cuba has enough strength to constitute
itself into free and independent nation,
ard she has men who will maintain her
free and Independent. With this conviction
/ reminded my country that the day had
come when there should either remain
Ecthing of Cuba but the recollection of our
having existed, or that at the end of the
struggle would be able to call ourselves
CUbaHs.
1T is with this faith that we said indie
pendence or death. and for this ideal the
blood has been shed and is st.I being shed
of many of her best children. When they
fall Il but strengthens the hope of those
Who remain. that in short time Cuba will
- freed Let all struggle toward that
end. AID our destiny Will be fulfilled"
ne letter written on the last day OF the
year by Cen Maso seems 10 effectually
set al rest The allegations so frequently
maze during the past few months that
there were dissensioRs among the Cuban
parrots This letter was written at FL
PiIgn
No Dissertations Exist.
"As soon as 1 received news of the ar
rival of the boat with the MALL" writes
General Maso. Il started for this point and
received the correspondence. l write you
in q hurry; l am much moved by the news
in the newspapers Patria and Porvehir, in
regard TO the death of General Maceo and
the message of IT. Cleveland. We had
some knowledge of the sad occurrence of
Iaceo, but as tC the message could not
appreciate IL in all its magnitude, because
the information of the Spanish newspapers
IS Eot credited by US. But now that we
nave ftad IN our papers the said message
my attention has been called TO the appre-
gallon mat Mr. Cleveland makes in re-
gard to our affairs. when he says in the
message thdt we have given up the idea of
civil government, and TO this point L
also have received some letters from the
capital, from some of our friends who
believe that there are dissensions among
Us. Both Mr- Cleveland and the Others are
DaoIy informed The government council
Is in the full exercise of all its preroga;iyes
and tc IL all other powers are subordinate
as cur constitution prescribes Without
weakness ii makes itself respected and tn.
sight differences that may occur are soon
overcome. as We are all inspired In the
highest patriotic aims
Cutahs abroad should be at ease in re-
saru 10 the talk OF the ilI-intentioned: l and
i-'y colleagues of the government are high
~ satisfied with the work realized Dy the
otiegauon, and / thus beg you to inform
sociates.' a.