The herald., 1897-01-22

weeks ago and out of forty-five men in
it only three escaped. They are blood
thirsty and are credited with more mur-
ders of women and pacificos than any
other band. They raided small town
twenty-eieht miles from Palacios on
New Years day and abducted all the
women in the place, some fifty in num-
Der. Only ten of them have been heard
from and they were captured by a Gu
ban band January 20.
Silvero urges the Cuban leaders here
to send another expedition at once, as
the armies in Pinar del Rio need arms
Immediately.
BRANCH LEAGUES
NEW YORK, Jan. 21.-The Cuban
league of the United tSates is organiz-
ing branch leagues in every town and
city in this country of 5000 or more in
habitants. There are $50 such towns and
cities in the United States. The object
of the league is to call forth an express
sion of unanimous sentiment of the
American people in favor of Cuban in
dependence.
An effort is also being made to secure
the passage of a resolution in every state
legislature demanding that such action
should be taken by the government as
will end the war in Cuba and insure
the independence of the island. The
league is receiving letters daily from
all parts of the country suggesting ways
and means for promoting the cause OF
Cuba.
ESTRADA'S STATEMENT.
NEW YORK, Jan. 21-President Es-
trada of the Cuban junta tonight issued
the following Statement:
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 I feel it incumbent upon
me to make q brief statement on the
subject.
Reforms were pressed by the Spanish
cortes, but the outbreak of this revolu-
tion was not thereby stayed one hour
There was and is but one idea for which
enough of so-called reforms, enough OF
promised autonomy. Every intelligent
man would rightly condemn the leaders
and participants in this movement il
anything short of independence We're the
basis of a treaty of peace with Spain
1t is claimed that Gen. Gomez is will
ing to treat with Spain on the basis o1
autonomy, and that letter to that ef-
feet has been received by me. There i:
no such a letter He is made of too sterr
material to surrender on any such terms
particularly when, in his latest letters tC
me, he writes contentedly of his re.
sources and glowingly of his convictions
that this winters campaign will be mos
successful.
But even though any one of our fore
most leaders should be inclined to ter
inmate the war by the acceptance OF
autonomy (Which is hardly within the
bounds of possibilities), while he him
self might surrender he would do SC
alone We Cubans are not worshipers
of individualities. We are steadfast fol
| lowers of our ideals. The death of oul
glorious Maceo brought sorrow to the
heart of every Cuban, but we did no
falter; his forces did not surrender; the
revolution received no perceptible check
| The leader who proposed peace under the
| Spanish flag would find himself withou1
| followers. No treaty of peace can bC
made by the Cubans unless ratified by 6
| specially convened assembly. 1t is be.
yond the bounds of possibility to expec
| that the Cubans, after two years of san.
| culinary strife, when they find them
| selves in a position such as has never
| been their good fortune to occupy, IL
point of numbers, equipment and re
sources, will now weakly accept term
p '--r"9Tri~.. Every C,n.~, e.3r,