The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-05-05
THE CUBANS' HOPES.
AN EARLY INDEPENDENCE OF THEIR
ISLAND PREDICTED.


fourths OF the Isiand-Their First Flag
Delegates of the Cuban revolutionar,
party resident in Key West believe now
that few weeks will see the final anC
complete separation of Cuba from tn,
mother country and the republic Of
Cuba firmly established. So certain OF
this are they that it is predicted with
every show of confidence that President
Bartolome Masso at once will issue a
call for an assembly to provide tempo
rarily for the administration of the re-
public until a permanent constitution
shall be adopted. The constitution on
which the present republic rests was
adopted Oct. 30, 1897, and remains in
force until October, 1899, unless inde-
pendenoe is recognized by Spain before
that date. The officers of the republic
Of Cuba were elected last November as
follows:
President Bartolome Masso, who was
elected vice president by the constitu-
tional assembly in 1895; vice president,
Domingo Mendez Capote; secretary of
war, Jose Baleman; secretary of foreign
relations, Andres Morano de Latorre;
secretary OF the treasury, Ernesto Fonts
Sterling; secretary Of the interior, DIR.
Manuel r. Silva; subsecretary of war,
Rafel de Cardenas; subsecretary of the
treasury, Colonel Saturnino Lastra; sub
secretary of foreign relations, Nicolas
Alberdi; subsecretary of the interior,
Pedro Aquilero Kindelan.
Major General Maxine Gomez was
appointed commander in chief and Ma
jor General Calixto Garcia lieutenant
general of the army by the government
council. The seat of government is at
Cubitas, province of Puerto Principe,
over 200 miles southeast of Havana.
Spanish troops have attempted several
times to take the capital by assault, but
the natural defenses of the city enabled
the Cubans to repulse the attacks.
All the officers were elected by pop
ular vote, and the vote of each province
was taken to the capital and counted in
the presence of the Cuban congress.
Cubans claim that the republic con-
trolls today over threefourths of the is
land of Cuba, and that the civil author
tiles freely administer the laws in this
territory. The six provinces Of Cuba
Pinar del Rio, Havana, Matsnzas, San
ia Clara, Puerto Principe and Santiago
de Cuba-are divided into procedures,
which are under the supervision of the
secretary of the interior. Each province
has its civil governor, who is appointed
by the president, but when independ- |
ence is secured the governors will be |
elected by popular vote.
The Cuban revolutionists are divided |
into two parts-one acting in Cuba as
fighting insurgents the other, called |
the "exteriors, who operate i'm the |
United States, Mexico, South American |
republics, Paris, Rome and London.
These "exteriors" are organized in |
clubs. Each club has its president, who |
is a member of the council of presi. /
dents. All are under the jurisdiction Of |
Tomas Estrada Palma, hsad of the
American Junta, New York. The clubs Of
the exterior" collect the 10 per cent Of
all weekly earnings Of members, which |
are sent to the New York junta. This
voluntary tax of 10 per cent is used 20
buy arms, ammunition and other mill
tary supplies, which are sent by means
Of tlibustering expeditions TO Cuba.
This plan Of warfare was drawn and
put into execution two years before the
outbreak of the present war by Jose
Marti, known as the George Washing
ton of the Cuban republic.
The Cubans in Key West say that the
instant tha Apnarioan Haay ho hood |
Of column of American troops is rails
ed over the soil of Cuba the "exteriors"
will be ready TO step into the ranks and
fight for Cuba under the stars and
stripes. But they will carry with them
the flag of the Cuban republic, with its
i've stripes of blue and white and its
one white star on triangle of red.
The first Cuban flag was designed and
made by Narsiso Lopss, Emilea Tolon
and Cirilo Villverde in 1S42. They
we're the leaders Of the insurgsnt COM
mission and tried to raise rebellion.
Narsiso Lopes, who was an "annexa.
zionist" landed with some Americans
and Cubans at Csrdsnas, Matanzas prov
nee, took the oty and captured the
Spanish governor. He aftsrward was
taught by the Spanish and garroted at
Havana.
This flag is flying over every house in
Key West today, for the oubans are
Wild with JOY. They received the news
he other day that the house and senate
had passed the intervention resolu-
ion, which declared that Cuba is and
ought to be an independent and free re-
public" 1t was this left handed recog.
iition Of independence which brought
he Cubans into the streets with such
Vhoops and vivas and yells that they
'aised the lid of the town. A process
non, headed by brass band, made the
rounds Of tho streets and at night every
,afe in Key West was filled with a
;rowd Of ezultant, hysterical, gesticu-
lating, high voiced Cubans, who are
wearing tiny American and Cuban flags
lied together and shouting "Viva los
Estados Unidosl" "Viva ell pueblo
viva Leel' viva Nc
Kinlevl'' "Viya la prensa Americanop' |