San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-04-05
THAT'S WHAT PRESIDENT ClS-
NEROS WRITES Mr.. M'KIN-
LEY IN AN OPEN LETTER,
He Says Cuba Is A Self-SuStaining
Republic. Operating A Postal
Service And Having A Pre-
feet In Every Province Of
The Island.

ros, president of the provisional gov
eminent of Cuba, has written an
open letter to President Mckinley and
has given a copy to a special cores
pendent of the World in Cuba. Presi-
dent Cisneros, writing under date of
March 4, says in part:
Mr.. President:-Today you become
the chief executive of the greatest
and most progressive nation that the
sunlight of Heaven ever Shone upon.
Today the organized and maintained
republic of Cuba, citizens and sold
iers, from the highest to the lowest,
congratulate you and pray that God
will give you strength and wisdom to
continue the progress and increase
the prosperity of the American peO-
pie.
do as she may, Spain is destined to
lose Cuba eventually. Could she pray
for success in the present war, it
would only be matter of years when
there would be another rebellion.
But for Spain the present serious
struggle is hopeless. The success at
tending our army has been a surprise
even to us.
Every province of Cuba has risen
against the tyranical power of Spain.
In two years we have accomplished
much more than we did in the entire
last war which continued ten years.
The civil branch of the government
is well established and its workings
are daily becoming more fOrceful and
complete.
The entire province of Santiago,
with the exception of several large
towns, is entirely under our control.
In more than 200 cities, towns and
villages, Spain has not soldier and
has apparently relinquiShed all claim
to that erritory. She no longer has
special representatives in most of the
districts, while there is not one town.
ship in the entire province but has its
project or assistant project appointed
by the republic of Cuba.
Spain collects today but One-eighth
of the amount of taxes in Puerto
Principe, Santa Clara aud Santiago
provinces she did two years ago,while
the taxes levied and collected by this
government have in the three prov
inces amounted to more than $780,
600.
These taxes are not collected by
aid of the military. The levy is fixed
by our secretary of the interior and
the sevral officials Elm the various dis
tricts collect the same.
For more than a year the army
has not levied tax or tribute without
the assent of the secretary.
1--WE have established throughout
the island a system of mails and the
frank of the republic attached to a
parcel insures it's delivery at any
point American mails are carried by
this system and delivered to persons
in the most remote parts of the is
lands.
IAN important feature of the civil
government has been the issuing Of
books and the establishment of.
schools. Early in the war the Cow
eminent took up education. realizing
that knowledge meant strength and
liberty. In various sections of Santi-
ago and Puerto Principe provinces
school houses have been erected and
under the supervision of the govern
ment, native teachers have been ap-
pointed.
Every department of the govern
ment is in good working order and
united of purpose invades every
branch, civil and military, while the
people of the island as a whole are
giving us their most earnest support.
'The army in the field, under the
command of my brave and true
friend. Gen. Gomez, is conducting
war of energy and mercy, as the rules
Of the government and the dictate Of
humanity direct.
1.-THE struggles may go on for years
and Cuba may continue to fight the
battle against fearful odds alone, but
so long as there is God to give US
courage we will cling to the banner
of right and freedom and never fall
ter until the victory is won"