The morning times., 1897-01-22
AUTONOMY IS NOT WAN TED
The Cubans VIII Accept No
Favors from Spain.
THEIR LIBERTY In SIGHT
A Statement Has Been Issued by
Gen. Estrada Palma, in Which He
Says No Attention VIII Be Paid
TO Promises by the Spanish Gov
eminent.

New York, Jan. 21.-Gcn- t Estrada
Palma, of the Cuban Junta in this city,
issued the following statement today:
$50 much has lately been said Of tie
probability OF the termination OF the Cuban
revolution by the acceptance on the Part
Of the Cubans OF autonomy or reforms, that
feel it incumbent upon me, as the accred-
tied representative OF the Cuhans, TO make
d brief statement on tie subject.
Reforms were passed by the Spanish
Cortes, but the outbreak of this revolution
was not thereby stayed one hour. There
was, and is, but one idea for which the
Cubans are fighting. We have had enough
Of sO-Called reforms, enough OF promises OF
more reforms, enough of promised auton-
omy. Every intelligent man would rightly
condemn the leaders and participants of
this movement if anything short of indie
pendence be the basis Of a treaty Of peace
with Spain.
1T is claimed that Gen Gomez is willing
to treat with Spain on the basis OF auton-
| omy and that q letter to that effect has
been received by me There is 10 such let
ter Knowing Gen. Gomez as a comrade in
the last revolution; knowing his opinions
as expressed to me before and during this
war; knowing his stainless patriotism,
| can vOuch for him. He is made Of Too
sterE material to surrender on any such
terms, particularly when in his latest let
! tiers to me lie writes contentedly Of his re-
sources and glowinglyof his conviction that
his winters campaign Will be most success
ful
But even though any one Of our fore
most leaders should be inclined to terrni-
-
my (Which is barely within the bounds of
possibility, While he himself might sur
render, ne would do 50 alone We Cubans
are not worshipers of individualities; we
are steadfast followers of our ideal.
The death OF our glorious Maceo struck
sorrow to every heart, but we did not
falter; his forces did not surrender and
the revolution received no perceptiblo
check. The leader who proposed peace
under the Spanish flag would find himself
without followers.
mo treaty Of peace can be made by the
Cubans unless ratified By specially con-
voked assembly. 1t is beyond the bounds
of possibility to expect that the Cubans
after two years of saneanary strife. when
they find themselves in a position such as
has never been their good fortune to oc-
cupy, in point OF numbers, equipment and
resources, VIII now weakly accept terms
of compromise, Every Cuban. every Amer
ican, knows that the apparent generous
and conciliatOry spirit OF Spain springs.
not from her strength, but from her weak
ness How can we then, under the cir
| cumstances, be expected to waver?
''If the Cubans in the field are too
strong TO even consider such proposals. the
| CubaDs in the cities are too well advised
of SPANS plans and Spain's precarjous
situation, to counsel this step.
In the cities, Spains only stronghold
men of position, of refinement, of wealth,
ha We but lately signed a statementin in which
| they unequivocally say to those in this
country who seemed TO have labored under
the error that autonomy would be solu-
tion of the so-caIIed Cuban problem, that
| nothing short of independence is accepta BILE
| To them. They base their statement not
/ only on political, but also on economic
reasons.
What form of autonomy would help
Cuba when saddled not only with hel
previous debt, but with the added burden
of the cost of the present war? The future
of the country would be ruin and starva-
4 ton. News of our successes in the field
may be sJffocated by the censor; pacifica-
tion OF the island provinces may be falsely
| proclaimed as in the case of Pinar Del Rio
DEGREES allowing grinding of sugar may be
| issued where all cane has been destroyed;
promises OF reforms and autonomy given
and aInnesties promulgated; but we Cubans
| viii continue TO fight for independence and
nothing but independence, first, last and
| all the time
"our leaders may fall, but others will
| take their places. The opportunity will
| find the men. Gomez himself has written
that even should he fall the revolutions is
strong enough to continue to its triumph
/ The only excuse we will have for having
begun the war will be its triumph; the
only fitting monument for our fallen COM
rades, the independence of their country -
Canovas Feels Confident.
| Madrid, Jan. 81. At the cabinet council
held yesterday Premier Canovas declared
| himself confident of the speedy success OF
| the Spanish military operations in Cuba
and announced that he would soon submit
| to the council of state a plan of the
reforms winch it is proposed to institnt,
| in that colony
1 -
Well Named.