The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-02
MAKES PLEA FOR SPAIN
DO NOT WANT FREEDOM
n President OF the Straw Government
onyU Il Would BE . Crime to
Force Liberty Upon the
People of Cuba.

washington. April 1.-The Cuban gov
eminent Oneaning thereby the present
home rule authorities In Cuba, and not
the ~insurgentsp has appealed TO the pres
ident of the United States to respect the
viii OF the majority of h people OF
Cuba The appeal was placed in the hands
Of the president his morning and the
statement was made tina 1t was the direct
intention of the Cuban government itself.
without the Inspiration or knowledge OF
IN Spanish government. either at Ma
drtd. Havana or elsewhere. The appeal to
h president IL as follows:
THE colonial government of Cuba de-
sires to make known to the president or
the United States that. although there
are some Cubans I'm arms. yet there are
an immense number who accept home
rule and are resolved 20 work zealousiy
under this form Of government In order
to re-establish peace and prosperity 10
the land. The insurgents form a minority,
while the autonomists represent the ma
3ority Of interests Of civilization by means
Of Justice and liberty. The Cuban people
IL an American people. and has. in conse-
ouence. a perfect right to govern itself
according to its own wishes and aspira-
tions. and i'm no way would IL be just for
a foreign will to impose upon II a politi-
cal regime which IL esteems contrary TO
its happiness and conscience. This would
be to substantiate oppression instead OF
liberty. The Cuban people is now a free
people; II wishes to rule its own desti-
mics. and IL would be a great wickedness
to dispose Of its lot without its con-
sent.
The history n the feeling of the
United States do not permit an American
peopIe to be sacrificed and forced to form
q government which the same people con-
slider pcrnicious 10 its permanent inter-
ests and to the cause of peace and order
in. a country of different races. of small
population and whose political education
10 yet incomplete.
The honorable government OF Cuba
hopes that the president of the United
States. faithful to the traditions of the
great North American republic. will con-
slider and respect the rights of the Cuban
people. not permitting violence to pre-
vail: IT also hopes that he will contribute
to powerful action to re~-establish peace In
uba under the sovereignty of the mother
country and with a home rule government
equal for all. and which might stu be
Improved so as to inspire the confidence
Of every one. The home rule government
Of this island. which Is a Cuban govern
ment. protests enereetically against the
f~alsehoods of a part Of the American
press. published win the malignant in
tention of firing the passions. making II
appear that injustice and brutal force
reigns In Cuba and that home rule has
fallen before even the colonial parliament
has taken its seat, and when experience
cannot tell yet whether the new regime
will answer or not. There Is no good faiti
in those stories. As was said by the i'm
mortal Washington, honesty is the bes
policy
"The Cuban parliament is about TO NEE
and both the spirit of America and tn
principles of right demand respect for tn
will OF the majority of the people.
tSigned) JOSE MARIA CALVEZ,
president of the Honorable Government
Of Cuba"