Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13
VIEWED BY CUBANS
Relief Needed for the Natives of the
Island
FIRST THING 10 CONSIDER
The Question of Government 10
Come Later.
WILL COOPERATE WITH US

Senior Ricardo Albertini, secretary of the
Cuban legation and charge d affairs during
the absence of Senior Gonzalo de Quesada,
held an important conference this morning
with Secretary Alger and Assistant Secre-
tary MeiAiejohn over the propriety Of noti-
tying the Cubans OF the cessation of hos
tilfties and the general course to be pur-
sued in relation to the people living in Cuba
pending the final settlement Of the ques-
tons now involving them and their future.
Senior Albertini had with him a copy of
an interview with Minister Tomas Estrada
Palma. which appeared this morning in the
New York Herald which, he assured Sec
retary Alger and Assistant Secretary Meik-
leJohn, represented the true facts Of the
situation from the Cuban standpoint and
which would be subscribed to by ali the
patriots.
As result of this Secretary Alger de-
cided to at once have the Cubans now bear
Ing arms In Cuba notified that hostiities
had ceased and It was decided to dispatch
relief expeditions from Tampa as soon as
they could bs fitted out.
The Interview.
Minister Palmas interview, which was
particularly gratifying to Secretary Alger
and Assistant Secretary Meiklejohn. was as
follows:
Tomas Estrada Palma said yesterday
that undoubtedly the Cubans will cease
lighting the moment they are notified that
Spain has agreed to evacuate Cuba. When
asked what steps would be taken by the
Cuban government Mr.. Palma replied:
THE first thing to be done by the Cuban
patriots in the United States now the block
ade is raised will be to send food and cloth
ing to the Cubans in the field. Money
which would otherwise have been used for
arms and ammunition will be devoted to
the relief of the Cuban soldiers and their
families.
Without raising the issue of who should
govern Cuba, We feel that We should have
the hearty cooperation of the American
government and the American people in re-
heVirg starvation. That comes first After
ward We win talk of other things. The
leading men in our government, from Pres
ident Masso down, have implicit confidence
in the declaration of the United States
government that it went to war not for the
acquisition Of Cuba, but to free the island
for the Cuhans. II may be only question
of time when the people of Cuba will wish
annexation, but at the present time there
are many, especially among those who
went into the field against the Spaniards,
whose aim and ambition is independence.
Any policy of the United States which at
tempted to force annexation before the
people wera ready for it might cause con-
sidera BILE internal trouble"
In answer to a question, Mr.. Palma said
that after the Spanish army is withdrawn
from Cuba there will remain about 12O 600
Spaniards and about 100000 native Gu
bans.
IF there should be an election to decide
whether annexation or Independence is
wanted in Cuba said Mr.. Palma, the ma
tive Spaniards should not be permitted to
vote unless each one of them publicly re.
ncunced his allegiance to Spain 1t is true
they are part of the Cuban population.
but their interests have never been with
the Cubans. Even If the office-holding
Spaniards profess allegiance, the Cubans
would have little faith in them. Ii the
American government desii es to rule Cuba
temporarily with as much tranquility IS
possible the best way would be 10 dismiss
from office every native Spaniard and put
conservative Cubans in their places. This
would remove all traces of Spanish rule
and increase the confidence CubaGs have in
the American government.
Luque Ordered Dat of HoIguin.
KEY WEST. Fla, August 13.-Intelli-
gence reached here today that the Spanish
forces under General Luque, in Holguin
Rave been ordered by General Salcedo- to
ev&cuate the town. General Garcia, with
$3.50 Cubans. was at last accounts strongly
entrenched around Holguin, and had de-
manded General Luque's surrender. This
latter information came on the Spanish
prize schooner Expreso, which was cap
tured by the gbnbcat Nashville at Gibara
on July q and brought here by prize
crew, under command Of Ensign Walker.
When the Expreso left Gibara on Tuesday
last the Spaniards were still in Holguin and
had not replied to General Garcia's de-
mand for their surrender.
On August the gunboat Nashville cap
tuned a small Spanish sloop, the Fongrafa,
at Gibara. The sioop carried mail for
Spa nish officers and a cargo of tobacco.
he all w seized and IFS contents
the American officers some important In
formation. Subsequently the sloop was set
free.