The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-09
1T is USELESS.
Cuban Patriots Declare the
Time Has Passed
For Any Compromise With the
Mother Country.
ISSUE PROCLAMATION.
In Which Our Declaration of
Independence is Paraphrased.
COnsecrate Their Lives a"
Their All to Liberty.
MONDAY is THE DAY.
Spain's New Form of Govern
ment to be Inaugurated.

New York, Dec "A proclamation
signed by the Cuban military and civil
leaders in Havana province protesting
against the autonomy offered by Spain
was recently issued, as reported by the
correspondent of the Associated Press.
The proclamation in full follows:
"Cubans: After all her efforts to sub
due US by force of arms have proved
vain, Spain offers autonomy to the Gu
ban people. She expects to induce US
to submit anew to her rule under her
pretended terms of peace.
SPANS pretentiOn is useless. The
time is already past to think of such
compromise and transaction. Opposed
to them in an insurmountable manner
are the dignity and manifest destiny Of
our country; the Outrages inflicted upon
our families, the torrents of Cuban
blood that have been shed; the lives of
SO many innocent human beings who
have Succumbed to oppression; the sa-
cred memory of our heroes who have
died in defense of their native soil, and
all other sorts of sacrifices we have
made in behalf of our independence.
To obtain this we have again taken up
arms, and we are determined to con-
Ilnue unneSltatlngly in the task of re-
deeminS our country until We attain
the success which is near at hand We
shall not finch in our effort nor is it
possible LnSlI we De 1OrSaEen by the God
or justice in our sacred undertaking.
Let the world at large be aware that
this is our unalterable purpose; our
only and constant aspiration; our SUI
preme ideal, to which we have cOnse-
Grated our lives, our property, present
welfare and, in short, our all. Let all
the world know our fun determination
10 carry on the struggle day after daV
While the Spanish flag floats over our
beloved country Let everybody know
that our watchwOrd is independence or
p
and independent
New York, Dec. 9.-A special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
Next Monday is understood to be the
day set for the institution of the pro-
visional government in Cuba under the
autonomy DEGREES of November % and
26 The state department has been Civ
en- TO understand that General Blanco
has arranged to do this immediately
upon the arrival of the DEGREES in Hav-
ana, where they are expected by Sat
urday or Sunday at the latest
This is in accordance with the closing
election Of the decree of November 25
extending to the Antilles the electoral
laws of Spain on a basis of universaI
suffrage, and provides the new consti-
tuition for Porto Rico and Cuba in these
words:
In order to establish at once the new
regime, the governor general will an
point the secretaries of the insuIar gov,
erAment, with whom he shall govern
the colony until the insular parliament
L.
The understanding is further that
the provisional appOintees will be Gu
pans and members of the autononis+
party simultaneously the cOr00nit+aa
to take the census of the provinces ana
make the poll list for the first election
VIII be constituted and the necessary
machinery organized to choose the II
councillors of administration and tho
members of the chamber of reDresaDta
tiVes, the latter being authorized on the
Dasls OF one for every $4,000 inha bitants
AT the same election provincial and
municipal OhcialS are to be chosen by
direct vote of all male inha bitants of
legal age, there being no property
qualifications as had been generally
councillors.
The date of this election. while not
yet determined upon, will probably be
set for some time next spring. although
Gen. Blanco may find it possible to or
der 1t in some of the provinces at least
as early as the middle of January.
Home rule for Cuba; for Spain SOW
ereignty; for the United States reci-
procity. The programme is defined IF
carried out, it might insure years of
tranquility and prosperity to the An
titles.
Until the first spoint is settled tba
last one is necessarily inchoate. It
does not form part of the public dis
cussion of autonomy. Only the few
thoughtful men who are looking be-
yOnd the politics of today make it a
cardinal feature in the Cuban policy
of the future.
Except for the fall in sugar it is con-
tended by thoughtful men the abuses
of Spanish coleman Snisgovernrnentintl the |
island would have been endured until
corrected. In prosperity the weight of
corrupt and oppressive administration
did not seem to bear so heavily
In adversely it became unbearabIe
With concessions from Spain which
promise to give Cuba its own govern
ment the economic conditions again |
become prominent and commercial re- |
latiOnS with the United States are tba !
basis Of all the plans for Improvement. |
A wide gulf must first be bridged |
with autonomy before force can be |
given to these ideas The gulf NAV nev-
er be Spanned, because support at eth
er end by Spanish partisans and Gu
ban revOlutiOniStS is wanting: vet the |
suggestion Of reciprocity is Significant |
of the future relations of the island to /
the United States. The CubaDs who |
declare the revolution must 20 on un- |
til independence is Won have theories |
of their own. One of these is that |
broader and more stable reciprocity |
will be secured to the United States if |
it treats with the Cuban republic in |
cad of with the colony of Spain. This |
is their answer.
1t should not be understood that the |
of the Spanish cabinet l
in Cuba are concerning themselves |
with these matters of economy 1t is
the men Of theories who are doing /
that.
Capt. Gen. BIanco has too much i'm