The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-19
The Cuban Insurgents.

In letter to the Philadelphia Press
nr. John Guiteras, the head OF the Gu
ban organization in Pennsylvania. COR
rects some errors recently made by
that journal in a comment upon the
movement for Cuban liberation. The
Press had accepted as true a. flying
runor that General Julio Sanguilly had
violated his parole by returning with
n Glibustering expedition to Cuba. On
this point Dr. Guiteras says: General
Sanguilly has not been sent to Cuba by
the Cuban juntn, nor by any one else.
He was in New York on Tuesday. And
he never will be sent TO Cuba. There is
an order from the Cuban government.
in the shape of a resolution of the ex-
ccutive council, which reads as follows:
Resolved, that the council of govern
ment does not deem it advisable that
General Sanguilly be sent to Cuba by
the order or through the agency of the
delegation (the so-called Cuban jun
ta)."
The Press had further said that the
small response made by the American
people to the executives appeal for
funds and clothing for the relief of the
starving reconcentradocs indicated q
cooling of American sympathy for the
Cuban cause. Dr. Guiteras does not
thus interpret it. In his opinion the
failure of these subscriptions is rather
an evidence of the existing sympathy
toward the cause of free Cuba than
otherwise. He adds: with rare in
stinct the American people soon dis
covered that these subscriptions were
in no way to benefit the patriots, and
that the responsibility for the suffer-
ing in the cities of Cuba rested with
Spain, who seemed disinclined to take
any action toward remedying it. If
the Cubans have not called attention in
a public manner to the distinction ex-
listing between the two kinds of sub
scriptions it has been because they did
not wish to oppose in any way the
plans of the administration. The
strongest expression of American sym-
pathy toward the cause of freedom in
Cuba has been the contribution made
by Tammany, and that is a recent
event. The efforts made in this city
to raise funds for the sick and wounded
of the Cuban army are meeting with
the usual success"
Finally. in reply TO the regret of the
Press that the leaders of the insur-
gents could not be trusted 10 resist
Spanish brbers except after they had
been threatened with death, the doctor
says
The Cuban government does not fear
that the officers and men will sell out TO
the Spaniard, The former revolution did
not end in this ignoble way. as it Is al
legged. No doubt il is the policy of the
Spanish government to throw discredit
upon the Cuban people by insinuations
OF this kind. What the Cubans did fear
was that the American people might he
deceived in this matter as they have
been in others. Public opinion in this
country began, in fact, to take it for
granted when Blanco came to Cuba with
| his autonomic schemes in his pockets,
| that the Cuban leaders were about 10 sur
render TO Spanish gold. Even the gov
ernment of the United States was making
! ready to, and, as it appeared in the presi-
| dent message, did give some sort of
| sanction to that miserable compromise
| that is called autonomy, and which is de-
| rogatory AT once 70 the dignity and the
| interests of the Cuban people. Is it any
| wonder that the Cubans should feel the
necessity of imposing the fun penalty OF
| the law upon Ruiz and few others who
| presented themselves with propositions
| that involved the negation of that SOW.
eregnty and that nag for which the Gu
bans are fighting?
This defense ought to satisfy un.
| prejudiced opinion. 1t is true that
Cuban standards and Yankee stand.
ards are not identical, but by every
principle of justice the Cuban insur
gents are entitled to win, and they de.
serve American help.