Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-06
FIRST
Insurgents Will Not Submit to Inter-
vention Without It.
WOULD FIGHT AMERICAN TROOPS
Authoritative Statement Made by
H. S. Rubens Today.
STATEMENT BY QUESADA


made an important statement today. 1t
declared in the most uneQuivocal language
that the Cuban provisional government and
the Cuban army would reject absolutely in
tervention by the United States unless 1t
should be preceded by recognition of the
independence of the Cuban republic; that
if the United States persisted in intervening
without recognizing Cuban independence
the Cuban government and military forces
would refuse to cooperate; and that If
United States troops should be sent to Cuba
upon the basis Of Intervention without rec
ognition, the Cuban army would, in the last
resort, turn its arms against the United
States.
After quoting from the address to the
people of the United States, issued by Mr..
Palma, on March H. Mr.. Rubens says:
I'm the face of the present proposal Of in
tervention without previous recognition, 1t
is necessary for US to go a step farther and
say that we must and will regard such in
tervention as nothing less than declara-
ticn of war by the United States against
the Cuban revolutionists.
Would Treat Us Enemies.
'If Intervention shall take place on that
basis and, the United States shall land an
armed force on Cuban soil. we shall treat
that force as an enemy to be opposed, and,
if possible, expelled, SO long as the recog-
milton of a free Cuban republic is withheld.
do not mean to say that the Cuban army
will assemble on the coast to resist the
landing of federal troops, but that it will
remain in the interior, refusing to cooper
ate, declining to acknowledge any Ameri-
can authority, ignoring and rejecting the
Intervention to every possible extent.
Should the United States troops succeed
in expelling the Spanish; should the United
States then declare protectorate over the
island-however, provisional or tentative
and seek to extend its authority over the
government of Cuba and the army of lib
Grafton, we would resist with force of arms
as bitterly and tenaciousiy as we have
foL ght the armies of Spain.
Declaration is Omcial.
The statement made by Mr. Rubens was
preceded by the following:
'The declaration I am about to make is
official. for am the legal representative Of
the junta and know their unalterable con-
victions and position. 1t is in line with the
utterances Of the delegate of the Cuban
provisional government to the United
States, Tomas Estrada Palma, when the
suggestion was made that this government
should counsel the Cubans, and. If neces-
sary coerce them, to an acceptance OF au-
tonomy."
Forecast of Presidents Message.
at was 1 who, yesterday, from the most
trustworthy private sources of Information,
conveyed to the newspaper reporters the
forecast Of the burden of the Presidents
message-intervention without recognition
of independence. The forecast has been
confirmed by subsequent public advices,
and the accuracy of any information in
this particular should give authority to the
information, even more important, which l
am now to divulge. 1t has been in my
possession for many hours, and I have hesi-
tated between my duty as an American
citizen, on the one hand, and, on the other,
as the legal representative of the Cuban
junta; but 1 regard the time as now ar
rived when / must make these facts known.
II have it from Spanish authority high
in financial circles that the whole course
ncw proposed by the President is in pur-
suance Of an understanding between Wash
ington and Madrid the object of which is to
secure peace ir Cuba through Cuban ac-
ceptance of Spanish autonomy. without
the shedding of drop Of American blood
or the expenditure of another dollar of
American money.
"See how perfectly the proposals, with this
light upon them, are adapted to work out
to that end; the intrinsic evidence alone
Is almost sufficient to prove the accuracy
of my Information. which runs thus:
1T has been agreed between Spain and
the United States that this government,
while declaring for Intervention, shall re-
fuse to recognize the independence Of Cuba.
1t is mutually hoped by the two govern
ments that the Cubans will then become
convinced that the object for which they
have been fighting all these years-inde-
pendence-csInot be obtained. and that
trey will accept perforce, first, an armis-
tice, and, eventually. autonomy under Span
ish flag.
"a part of the program is that Congress
shall empower the President to intervene,
but shall not direct him to do SO. The
object of this will be TO gain ample time
in which to pefsuaoe the Cubans to make
terms directly with Spain. I assert again
that this information is trustworthy, and
It explains what has seemed inexplicable
: the optimistic tone still observable among
prominent officials 10th at Washington and
Madrid, despite the strong sentiment for
fcrcible Intervention prevailing both
throughout the nation and in Congress.
Incidentally, also. 1t accounts for the tone
OF the stock market both here and abroad,
but apparent firmness Of Spanish securi-
ties.
Cubnns Are Informed.
1.-The Cubans are already informed Of this
entente between the Spanish and American
governments, yelled as it is by every SEM
blance of an open rupture: and speak
with full authority In saying that the Gu
bans in the field can be relied upon to re-
sist all overtures of peace unaccompanied
by complete independence. The Cubans
will not trust the United States first to OBJ
tain possession and then to grant Cuban In
derende4ca.
sTne very Pact that recognition u Ak
pressiy withheld now implies the possibil-
t.ity that 1t may be permanently withheld
In fact. we more than half know what to
! expe,t In the event Of the United statcs
becoming master OF the island. A piebiscste
would follow; the people wouad be permit.
| ted to choose between allegiance to Spain
under the forms Of autnnomy, inaepen.
d,snce and annexation to the United States
and the presence and pressure Of fedsral