Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-04-08
CAN CUBA GOVERN ITSELF?


Washington. April s.--The foreign af-
fairs committee of the House met at IL
O'Clock this morning and continued the
hearing Of Mr.. Quesada the representa-
tive of the Cuban republic in this city.
President Palma of the Cuban junta
was also present,
Mr.. Quesada continued his statement
as to the status OF the government
of the republic.
Some very interesting facts came out
before the foreign affairs committee OF
the House today. The deputy treasurer
Of the Cuban republic, appeared with
his books and they We're Inspected 10y
the committee. He explained that of
the s10.o00.00O bonds authorized only
sl22, 900 had been actually disposed OF.
Some OF these were In payment of pro-
visions sent to Cubans. For some of
the bonds par had been obtained.
These We're taken by the friends Of
Cuba.
The lowest price at which any were
sold was % cents on the dollar. A batch
Of $4,000 was sold for 5000 in a pres
sing emergency. One million OF the
bonds, he said were locked up in the
safe of Belmont & Co. OF New York.
to be sold when the fixed price. 45 cents
on the dollar, had been obtained. Three
millions OF the remainder had been
signed but were locked up In the
treasurer's vaults.
The deputy treasurer was asked If he
knew the story of the publication of the
De LONE letter and, without names, he
told the first authentic story of how 1t
was obtained.
He explained that II was distracted
by clerk In the postofiice In Havana.
who was in sympathy with the Cuban
cause, and sent back to New York.
There it's Importance was at once rea-
lized and II was given out for publ
cation, the action being Justified be-
cause 1t showed conC!usively what the
CubanB had always commended, that
Spain was double dealing.
Mr.. Quesada continued his statement
about the status Of the Cuban govern
ment. He went extensively Into the
authority exercised by the government
over the eastern provinces where he
said all was comparatively peaceful.
Industry was going on, war taxes
were being collected and all the func-
charged. With regard to the capable
ity of government OF the Cubans
he said that they were IA much higher
class Of people than those who had
successfully revolted from Spanish
domination in South America
The children of the better and more
wealthy classes had been educated in
the United States or abroad, They
had imbibed the spirit Of self govern
ment. The lower classes were labOring
people, peacefully disposed. as evi-
dcnced by the fact that they were re-
garded as desirable wOrkmen at Key
West and New York and wherever
they had gone.
He said the people OF Cuba were all
most kindly disposed toward the Unit
ed States, looking upon this country as
a big brother, but they wanted indie
pendence and thought their struggle
for freedom had been recognized. They
should be given II status among the
nations of the earth.
when the hearing concluded Mr..
Newlands moved an adjournment I'M
til Monday at II O'Clock. which was
carried.
The committee has no regular day of
meeting now and IL subject to the call
OF the chairman. In order to be in a
position 10 act the friends Of indie
pendence and action took the precau-
ton OF adjournlng until Monday so
that they could act on that day. II the
message was not TO come in, and not
depend upon call from the chairman.
This IS regarded as extremely signtfi-
cant as showing the temper OF the
committee against any further delay.
Brazil Keeps Her warshlps.
New York. April s,-A special to
the Herald from Buenos Ayres, Ar
gentlna, via Galveston. says:
Reports 10 the Herald from Rio
Janeiro says the government OF Bra
iii has refused to sell the cruiser
Floriano de Odera 10 the United
States. giving MS a reason that Il
viii be long time before she is fin
ished.
Brazil Will. after the holidays, con-
slider an offer from the United States
for the cruiser Nictheroy.