The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1897-01-27
VICTORY OR DEATH.
The Motto Engraved in Ev.
cry Cuban Heart.
GENERAL PALMER SPEAKS.

L n
New YORK. Jan. 2l Gen T
Estrada Palma Of tie Cuban junta in
this city issued the following state
ment to-day:
So much has lately been said of
the. probability of the termination OF
the Cuban revolution by the accept
aDce on the part of the. Cvbans of
autonomy or reforms, that | feel it
incumbent upon me as accredited
representative of the Cubans to make
brief statement on the subject
Reforms were passed by the Span
ish cortes, but the outbreak of this
revolution was not stayed there by
one hour. There was and is but ore
idea for which the Cubans are fight
ing We have had enough of so
called reforms, enough of promises
of more reforms, enough of promised
autonomy. Every intelligent man
would rightly condemn the leaders
and participants of this movement if
anything short of independence be
the basis of treaty of peace with
Spain Ii is claimed that Gen Go
mez is willing to treat with Spain OF
the basis of autonomy and that a let.
ter to that effect has been received
bv me. There is no such letter.
Knowing Gen Gomez as com
rade in the last revolution knowing
his opinions as expressed to me be
fore and during this war j; knowing
his stainless patriotism can vouch
for him He is made of too stern
material TO surrender. on any such
terms, particularly when in his last
letters to me he writes contentedly of
his resources and glowingly of his
convictions that his winters cam
paign will be most successful.
But even though any of our fore
most leaders should be inclined to
terminate the war by the acceptance
of autonomy (which is barely within
the bounds of possibility while he
himself might surrender, he would
do so alone We Cubans are not
worshippers 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 uot sur
render and the revolution received no
perceplible check The leader who
proposed peace under the Spanish
flag would find himself without fol-
lowers.
No treaty of peace can be made
by the Cubans unless ratified by a
specially convoked assembly. 1t is
beyond the bounds of possibility to ex.
pect that the Cubans, after two years
of sangu;uary strife, when they fnd
themselves in position such as has
never been their good fortuue to oc-
cupy, in point of hunters. equip
ment aud resources, will now weakly
accept the terms Of compromise.
Every. Cuban, every American,
knows that the apparent generous and
concliatory spirit of Spain, comes not
from her strength, but from her
weakness How can we then, under
the circumstances, be expected to
waver if the Cubans in the field
are too strong to even consider such
proposals. the Cubans in the cities
are too we'll advised of Spain's plans
and Spain's frecarlous situation to
counsel this step
In the cities, Spain's only strong
hold, men of position, of refinement,
of wealth, have but lately signed
statement in which they unequivocal
ly say to those in this country WHO
seemed to- have labored under the
error that autonomy would be So
luton of the so.called Cuban prob
lem, that nothing short of independ
euce is acceptable to them They
base their statement net only on po
litical, but also on economic reasons
What form of autonomy would
help Cuba when saddled not only
with her previous debt, but with the
added burden Of the cost of the pres
ent war !? The future of the country
would be ruin and starvation
News of our successes in the field
may be sufocsted by the censor
Paci6cation Of the inland provinces
may be falsely proclaimed as in the
case of Pinar del Rio; DEGREES al
lowing grinding of sugar may be
issued where all cane has has been